One of my objectives this year was to find two French upholstered chairs for my studio. My plan was to buy some at Round Top this spring, but I ran across these on Craig’s List a couple of weeks ago and purchased them instead.
Here is the other chair. Actually, they are settees and I have them sitting across from each other for now. My plan is to recover them, probably in a white linen and beef up the cushions a bit. The room needs painting and I have some art work in mind for the wall behind this chair which is empty.
Craig’s List is a wonderful source to furnish your home on a budget. I have been shopping estate sales, garage sales, and flea markets for decades and Craig’s List since it arrived on the screen. I have made some fantastic purchases and occasionally made some purchases that I consider mistakes. I thought that I would leave you with some of my tips that I have learned while shopping off the beaten path.
My two cents worth:
- Have a firm price in mind that you are willing to pay.
- Research earlier listings to see if the item that you are looking at has been listed before. If it has, consider that it may be over priced or damaged. Damage isn’t always visible in the listing photos.
- Be objective: Don’t fall in love with the piece before you view it. Be willing to walk away from it if it is not in good condition. I have found that sellers will often over value the condition of their items
- Consider how much restoration will be involved (i.e. reupholdstry, cleaning, refinishing, etc.). The final cost might not be worth it to you.
- Don’t be afraid to make an offer that is less than the asking price. Unless there is something wrong with the piece, It is not insulting to offer 10%-20% less. If the item is not in as good of condition as you had hoped consider what you think a fair market value would be and make your offer based accordingly.
- If you make an offer and the seller doesn’t accept, consider what it is worth to you. Assuming that the piece is in good condition, it my be worth it to you to pay a little more to have something that you will love and that will serve you well.
I hope that you will find these tips helpful next time you consider a second-hand purchase.
Anita at Cedar Hill Ranch offered some very good Craig’s List shopping tips too. You will want to check them out!
Note: The seller of these chairs will be having an estate sale coming up soon in Dallas. I will post details as they are available. Carol Hicks Bolton fans will find some absolutely wonderful pieces! There will be some beautiful antiques and Aidan Gray finds as well. And much, much more…
Have a great week!
Kristie
I will be partying with the following gracious hostesses:
- Cedar Hill Ranch
- Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
- My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
- Michele @ Primp Junction for Primp Your Stuff Wednesday
- Kim @ Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
- No Minimalist Here
- Home Stories A to Z
- Kathleen @ Faded Charm for White Wednesday
- Green Willow Pond
- Liz @ The Bramblebrry Cottage for Time Travel Thursday
- Pamela @ F.M.F.P.T.Y. for Treasure Hunt Thursday
- Stone Gable for Tutorials, Tips, and Tidbits
- Beyond the Picket Fence for Under $100 Linky Party
- Debra @ Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration
- Courtney @ French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
- Sherry @ The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home
- Jennifer @ Jennifer Rizzo Inspired Living
- Miss Mustard Seed
- Funky Junk Interiors
- Debbiedoo’s
- Savvy Southern Style
Great advice and you got some really beautiful chairs!
I love your chairs! Thanks for linking to Cowgirl Up! I am sharing your post on my facebook page today. Since you are featured, please feel free to grab a “I was Featured” button from my blog. You have great style!
Samantha @ Crafty Texas Girls
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Crafty-Texas-Girls/140299076008437
Thanks so much Samantha! I appreciate it! ~Kristie
Oh my gosh lady!! I swear I need to move to the big D and go hunting with you. You always find the most amazing things.
That’s quite a compliment coming from the queen of fabulous finds! Anyway, move on up and we will shop! At the very least, I definitely think you should make a trip here, the shopping is great!
Great tips, Kristi. I need to search Craig’s List more often. I find myself getting frustrated when I don’t see what I’m looking for. I need to search more frequently I suppose. I adore those window treatments! Gorgeous! And I got a kick out of seeing your dog watching the neighborhood.
Hey Sonya! You are on target! Frequency is key and the most frustrating part of shopping Craigs list. Good point to add to the list! And, yes, Albert does love to watch over the neighborhood, especially the UPS man!
Gorgeous chairs!!! Great tips too….
~Des
Great tips on second-hand shopping! You have great finds!
Kristie, The chairs are gorgeous and the estate sale sounds like there will be some fabulous things. Oh, if only I lived near Dallas! The buyers of our previous home wanted all the furnishing so we had to pretty much start decorating from scratch. Craigslist was a great resource and I found many great pieces for our home. Thanks for joining the Open House party and enjoy the beautiful new chairs. xx, Sherry
Those chairs are fabulous. Appreciate hearing your take on the craigslist experience!
Liz
You got it going on Girl!! Love this gorgeous settee. Thanks for the shout out and I featured your post on my FB page, so grab a cowgirl up featured button if you like.
Such great advice! Your studio is gorgeous by the way… I really like your style.
Great post…thanks for sharing.
melinda
Oh my gosh these chairs are just too wonderful!
Wow – what a find – they’re absolutely gorgeous!!!
I am in love with those chairs. What a deal!
just came across your site.
love those chairs. i live in fort worth and was wondering if you give some more information on when the estate sale will be.
Hi Marilyn! Nice to meet you. I will be posting the estate sale information early next week. So check back soon and let me know if you have any more questions…
Great tips! Thanks. And also, a great find!
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