Sunday, June 03, 2007

Weekend project

Anyone remember my crazy painted dining chairs? My husband never did comment on them. When 3 out of 4 stretchers cracked, I suggested we hunt for a larger replacement set. He agreed just a little too quickly.

I spotted these chairs around the cul-de-sac of a neighborhood yard sale. My mom says she's never seen me run so fast! Chinese Chippendale is my favorite style--elegant yet casual. I hemmed and hawed at the price, left my number in case they didn't sell, then dragged my husband over after the sale ended for a rock bottom negotiation. I know you want to know: we paid $100. I'm going to sell the Wedgewood after all. Chairs we need, dishes we don't.

This is a 70's set of Brown Jordan cast aluminum. In ritzier neighborhoods, the set would have been gone in five minutes, but no one here seemed to like it. Even though it's outdoor furniture, it works just as well with my great-grandpa's pedestal table. I'll leave the matching Brown Jordan table outside. Perhaps they'll be reunited one day in a sunroom or covered patio...

TIP: For your first home or apartment, consider buying decent indoor/outdoor furniture instead of upholstered chairs or a cheap dinette set. Later, when you find that fabulous estate sale sofa, your "temporary furniture" can move to the patio instead of to Goodwill.

15 comments:

Jenn @ Frugal Upstate said...

Are you painting them black or are you painting them yellow. I can't imagine you having bright yellow chairs, but hey-I could be wrong. . .

Meredith said...

Black! I love the yellow, but not in my room.

Hyperactive Lu said...

Love the deal and tip! Great shopping!

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry, but $100 for 6 chair doesn't seem too frugal to me.

Anonymous said...

Now here I was, thinking just the opposite! (of the above comment, that is). I am astonished at how expensive chairs are at retail price, so I don't think that $100.00 is too bad. IT's more than you usually have to pay at a garage sale, but still a pretty good value overall. But Meredith, do you really have to sell the Wedgewood? It's so beautiful and would set such a lovely, elegant table.Maybe if you hold off just a little bit, you'll find something else that you can sell for a profit. Love the chairs!!
Susan

Anonymous said...

$100.00 for Brown Jordan chairs are an excellent deal. Good for you.

Amy said...

I always get an education on here. I wouldn't know what a Brown Jordan chair even was. Maybe that is why no one had scooped them up sooner! What a fabulous deal. Our dining set was purchased in our less-than-frugal days and I believe we paid around $100 for each chair in our set. $100 for six is a great deal.

I also love your tip for first time homeowners. We had a folding table and chairs for about six months before we were able to purchase a dinette set. We still have the set and it is going strong.

Fabulous ideas!!

Anonymous said...

I love the yellow! That is a great deal.

JOYfully in Him,
Kelli

Anonymous said...

Very classy indeed! I also expect them to be quite indestructible - good for a home with small children.

Question: I'm about to paint some garage sale metal chairs myself. I bought rustoleum-type flat black paint. Do I have to prime the chairs first? There's no rust. How many coats should I do? Does it need a protective top coat?

Thanks, Martha

nancyr said...

Before you decide to sell the Wedgewood, go to Replacements Ltd. and look at the price of that Wedgewood! I have the same set, and my aunt paid about $2000.00 for all of it. The covered veg. dishes are $250.00 alone. I hope you don't regret not keeping it as a family keepsake for your daughter. Chairs would be no match for a family heirlom in my mind, but that is just me. I'm sentimental about family heirlooms.

Anonymous said...

The wedgewood is from a yard sale, not yet a family heirloom! Now tha I have to store the inexpensive china from Elise's great-grandma, I'm questioning the need to have two sets.

ancient one said...

I was just stopping in to see what you were up to lately... and I was taken aback...I visited my DIL on Saturday and she had painted her outdoor furniture that very same YELLOW... I loved hers and I love yours!!

Anonymous said...

Great chairs, both the style and the price. Even at thrift stores & yard sales here, I never see MATCHING chairs for less then $20 each so if the $100 included the table AND it's a quality brand then you made out like a bandit!

Like the outdoor furniture tip. It wasn't our first acquisition but we have a wrought iron cafe set that has been in & out of two eat-in kitchens, the front porch and the patio and worked well in all. I bought it new after searching for used for about 3 months but, unlike some other things, I haven't regretted the money spent.

Anonymous said...

That's excellent advice for first-timers. If I were starting over, I'd probably furnish my living room that way ... if I didn't just furnish it with camp chairs and seats out of cars. lol

Baleboosteh said...

The outdoor furniture tip is really great advice - and the chairs are delightful!