The store, run by Habitat for Humanity, is basically a consignment shop filled with a surprisingly good variety of furniture, doors, windows and miscellaneous home accessories.
We went there primarily in search of a porthole for the barn. Dave wanted to put it on a corner of the barn by his desk for some added light, but with a nautical feel. Instead, I found a cool rectangular window with diamond shaped inlays. Really unique.
We also found a China hutch that matches our dining room table much more closely than our current one.
Then we spotted a matching sofa and love seat. Evidently it had just arrived at the store that morning, and from the attention it as getting, I doubted it would last long.
We were in the market for a new couch, but don't have room for the matching love seat. We hemmed and hawed over it...
...Discussing whether or not we should pull the trigger on this.
We definitely wanted the China cabinet and window, but decided to have lunch and give it some more thought.
On the way out the door, Dave took me over to the antique section to show me a secretary desk. I have been looking for a table or desk that I could use in my teaching studio, but it needed to also fit with the family room and not look like it was a classroom. This desk fit the bill perfectly.
And then right beside the desk, I spotted the biggest treasure of the day: a turn of the century Piano Chair.
Dave and I both agree that we needed to have this....and the desk.
I did some research on it, and found this very chair selling on EBay for $450 plus shipping. We didn't even pay half that!
According to the seller, this was made by Merriam & Co out of Massachusetts and dates to the late 1880s-early 1900s. It has the "very desirable and hard to find chair back with seven spindle supports. Usually they are broken off of these stools." Now I feel even more confident about our unique purchase.
When we went back after lunch to make our purchases, one of the older store clerks inquired about our purchase. I explained that we had a Victorian house, and that I teach piano. She took my hand and exclaimed that it was 'meant to be' and they were all so happy that the piece was being 'rescued' and going to a good home. Another clerk cam over, and I had to tell the story all over again. Both women marveled over how perfect it was for us to have the desk/chair combo. I guess they take their antiques very seriously, which we respect.
The best part is, it fits perfectly with the secretary desk, so we ended up buying both. This will be the perfect workstation for my students and I.
And, after great thought, we decided to go with the sofa AND love seat. The couch would go in the family room, and the love seat would go upstairs.
When we got home, I moved everything out of the project room and gave it a complete overhaul.
No more bed. No more old desk and bookshelf.
Our 'project room/spare bedroom' is now a den.
I bought this bookshelf when I lived in California. We had it in our foyer, with lots of framed photos and knock knacks on it. Now that it's in the den, I am anxious to fill it with books. Very exciting!
Then I rearranged the parlor...and moved the table to where my desk had previously been. The room looks so spacious and open without the desk in there. It finally looks like an inviting sitting room.
We had originally intended to put the new China cabinet in the dining room, and get rid of the old one. Dave set it up in the foyer while I emptied out the existing China cabinet.
After seeing how nice it looks in the entryway, we've decided to KEEP there...and keep the existing China cabinet until something better comes along. I wasn't thrilled about having to put everything back in after I just emptied it, but Dave and I did it together and 'edited' what went back in. We ended up with a large box of items to donate.
It's so funny how the day ended up going. None of these things were really on our radar, but 24 hours later, our house has been transformed.
1 comment:
Love the china cabinet. The sofa looks ideal with your heavy curtains.
Is the new sofa smaller? You inspire me!
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