Thrifty Thursday, for old time’s sake.
I wasn’t going to blog about this because it seems kind of silly but I went thrift store shopping yesterday and last week as well. The reality is: I’m thinking about my new apartment all the time. My brain is in the clouds decorating away while I mindlessly pack and try to squeeze in a few work projects around the edges. My clients are not getting my best work this week and it’s terrible.
For some reason I got a bee in my bonnet that I really wanted to get a couch for super cheap out here in the sticks where people don’t even know what “mid-century modern” is. I got lucky once with my desk and I keep thinking I’ll get lucky again. Especially now that I have a new space to fix up and a moving truck to fit furniture in.
To tell you the truth I kind of hate it that I’ve jumped on the hipster bandwagon with all the mid-century modern stuff but you like what you like, right? I promise you I will not be putting up any “Keep Calm” posters though. Promise. Hope to die, poke a needle in my bloodshot eye.
What do you think? It’s pretty isn’t it? I’m not so keen on the princess lines on the bottom but I love the color and the tufted button things and the lowness of it. It’s like I want to have Betty Draper over for martinis. Actually I don’t. I have nothing to say to that girl. The whole show is depressing but I love the style so much!
So I bought the dang chair and I’m in love with it. It was marked $125 but I talked them down to $75 which impresses even me because I hate bartering. I’m the girl who bought one dollar necklaces for $15 when I was in Tijuana the first time. I just hate haggling. It feels insulting or something. But I made an exception because I felt like this chair was going to be that chair and I would always regret not buying it.
The new gold chair doesn’t really go with my old gold chair but I think if I keep ’em separated they’ll get along. Or introduce them gradually like noirbettie advised. I think it’s going to look smashing against the turquoise wall. Did I tell you about that?
My new apartment complex had some kind of gimmick where you can get an accent wall painted for free. I think it’s really silly. I don’t need a painted wall or a free bike or a coffee cup to make me move into a place. How about $100 off the rent every month and double-pained windows? Now that would sell me. But anyway, since they were giving away a free painted wall, I figured I might as well take them up on it.
They wanted me to pick from a palette of mauve, dusty blue, sandy taupe and some other forgettable color but since I don’t think I’m going to live there forever I decided I wanted to paint it something really ridiculous: like the brightest, most intense turquoise I could find at the local big box hardware store.
Bug loves it of course. My family thinks I am insane but I think it will be fun. Yes, I probably will eventually hate it. Maybe it will reflect blue all over the rest of my house and ruin all my photos. I guess we’ll find out. But I do think it will look fabulous next to my new gold chair.
I also bought a fondue pot ($2.35!!) and a crazy fun mumu for my friend Deb. I love thrift stores. Now I just need to get back to work so I can afford my new apartment and all my super fun thrift store finds. Le Sigh.
14 Comments
Sam
I painted my very first rented big girl room that color and I loved it- I still think about it fondly. I think you’ll love it! And hey- the good thing about paint is that it can always be redone if you don’t.
sizzle
I’ve always loved mid-century style and feel happy that my house is from that era so all my furniture goes well with it. I totally would have bought that chair too. I hate haggling for the same reason!
Ninabi
Oooh- I am so excited for you- the new place is going to be amazing. I haven’t decorated much with yellow but the chair just looks so bright and gracious. And I want to see the wall when it’s done as I’ve always been a bit of a coward when it comes to the shades I paint my walls (chocolate and earth tones).
I hope everything goes smoothly for you and Bug.
Jen
I hope you don’t get booted out of the city of neutral tones with that wall :P haha. I think it will look great.
Christine
I had no idea what mid-century modern was when we moved into our (1960s-built) house two years ago – I just knew that I wanted something plain with straight lines that was nothing like all the ornate furniture I saw in the big stores, but more solid than Ikea stuff, in nice wood. It turned out, what I wanted was mid-century modern Danish, and now I adore it. But I can’t afford it because all the hipsters want it too. Sigh. It’s so tragic to have innately great taste.
Emily
Ooh the yellow of the fondue pot is calling to me. What a great find
nicole i
love the chair.
Kate
Love the accent color and love the chair. I totally agree it would have been “the chair that got away.”
gingermog
Thanks, I know its just a co -incidence but I feel after my last comment like the post was a special Thrifty-in the-sticks just for me :) I’d love to stroll down Columbia Road flower market the Goulbourne Road flea market with you xx
BeachMama
I love the new chair and the blue! Blue is my favorite decorating colour, apparently decorating in blue says something about how well you handle things or something like that. I think it will look bright and fabulous and I can’t wait to see your moving in photos. Best wishes this weekend, wish I could be there to help… I did check flights but nothing in the ‘cheap enough’ category :)
mamalang
I love the turquoise wall, but it will make everything have a blue tint in your photos :)
I am so darn excited for you and bug and this next chapter. Thanks for sharing it with us :)
Elizabeth
LOVE your new Betty Draper fainting chair (ha! ha!) and your coming-soon turquoise wall. Do it! It will be so fabulous! I am really excited to follow your decorating saga.
Cathy
Love the turquoise! Wow! And the chair too. I had one that got away many years ago and I *still* think about it. Glad you go yours.
Saple
I hate that the hipsters have jumped on the mid century modern bandwagon because now my ever loved style is cliche….. but I am keeping it.. ps love the turquoise