Tuesday, February 12, 2008

big thrift score

It's not just about vintage fabric and buttons. I've been on the lookout for a new dining set that fit our family of five better than the one we'd been using. (I still love Great Grandma and Grandpa's table, but it only fits four people comfortably no matter what we do.) I also needed something that wouldn't break my heart if it got trashed by the kids. (The other set survived for 70 years and then my kids got ahold of it. Loose joints, trashed seats, and a cat portrait carved in the finish are only a few of the indignities that set has suffered in the last 4 years.)


Nothing new appealed to me, nor did any of the prices.



I lucked out on this one. It came with the china cabinet, two extra leaves for the table, custom pads for the tabletop, the two pedestal table and six chairs. $799.





What the picture doesn't show are the various scratches, the hideous fabric on the seats, a missing wood detail on one of the pedestals or the milky stain on the tabletop's finish (which will always be covered by a placemat). It's also unlikely that the cabinet was a part of the original set - the woods are too different as are the carved details. However, the set is perfect for us right now. We all fit comfortably, there's room for guests, and I won't freak out when it gets the inevitable dings.


And yes, I'll be recovering those seats sometime this spring.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

That looks great! The milky stain might be fixed by buffing with a little toothpaste.

Poppy B. said...

I got a mahogany table/leaves/six chairs from a newspaper ad about 12 years ago for that price. No china cabinet.

I got a mahogany table/leaves/pads/chairs (Henkel Harris, excellent quality) in New Hampshire at a used furniture store two years ago for $1,699 and my friend Fiddledeedee asked me whether I held up the store at gunpoint.

You did well, my friend.

blackbird said...

Wow!
I love it - it looks like it was meant to be there...

Susie Sunshine said...

Yay, that means I can invite more people over to your house!