s/o white trash (ahem, I mean economically challenged) re: furniture

[Jen in NY]

None of our furniture matches. It is mostly second hand, it *all* needs a redo and sometimes it gets me down. I do keep reminding myself that we spend our money furnishing our kids' minds instead of our home --- but then I found decorating diva after my own heart. My guru. My furniture idol.

 

I found:http://www.knock-offwood.com/

 

 

The clouds parted. The sun started to shine. I began to feel like I CAN do it!!

 

Pass mama the circular saw, kiddos.:001_smile:

Edited August 8, 2010 by Jen in NY

[Parrothead]

I couldn't open the link.

[elegantlion]

Try this one. http://www.knock-offwood.com/

 

Pretty cool. I was just working on designing a platform bed I want dh to build.

 

We've been very blessed by my parents who like to buy furniture. They given us several pieces over the years. We also have purchased furniture at auctions. We got my antique chest for 75.00. Our antique dining table was a cast off. We're cheap, I think the most I've paid for furniture is the 100.00 bookcases from Target.

[Woodhaven]

I couldn't open your link either. Did you mean this one http://www.knock-offwood.com/? Ah... lookes similar to the one you posted.

Edited August 8, 2010 by Woodhaven

[Maddysmom26]

I couldnt open the link either, But can I suggest you just give a fresh look to your old furniture.

I have a resale shop and I refurbish a lot of old furniture, 1st its made much nicer and sturdy, not like the new stuff.

You can sand it and paint it, many times you dont really even need to sand. Just get some spray paint. (our dollar store usually has great paint)

Ive painted many pieces of furniture, tables, chairs, dressers etc. I sell a lot and Ive also been doing some for my house.

 

Its fun and pretty simple. You can also cover chairs with new fabric after giving them a nice new coat of paint. ;)

 

You can also buy covers for couches and loveseats and chairs at pretty reasonable prices. I bought a like new loveseat for my house but its kind of an ugly 80s blue , I plan on getting a solid white cover and then throwing some new colorful pillows for added splash of color!

[Ferdie]

What a great website. I would love to make the simple spa bench for our bathroom.

 

Neat!

[Daisy]

Guess I'm white trash then. I don't care that none of my furniture is a matching set, as long as it all keeps holding up the 3,000+ books. LOL.

[hsm6kids]

Loved that link, I feel inspired to build...what else......book shelves I also would love to build the platform bed, but I think the best one of all was the out door bed swing....on cool nights it would be so refreshing.

[Melissa in Australia]

Well seeing as the first 3 years of my marriage we only had 2 wooden chairs to sit on, and last year after 16 years of marriage we bought a second hand matching cane lounge setting. I really must be poor in your eyes.

poor white trash is not a expression used in Australia at all.

I have always referred to it as living within my means.

[Jenny in Atl]

I used to babysit for a very wealthy waspy family in NY (big $$), and none of their furniture matched. There was often sand on the floor (we lived near the LI Sound), holes in the carpet (so it was a Persian ;)). They didn't shop at Rooms to Go, so why should you care? Martha Steward even promotes having table wear that is mix & match from yard sales.

 

The people in your life (family, friends, etc) are what's important, not your living room set. :smash:

[TXMary2]

I had nice family room furniture until we got a puppy two years ago. Now I have a nice couch and a nice ottoman, but the chair that goes with the ottoman has a big chunk bitten out on the arm. :glare: How does one fix that???

[Pretty in Pink]

The first few years of our marriage we had a cheap, metal daybed for a sofa. That, along with our $30 Big Lots special entertainment center was our living room ensemble. But we were so in love and so happy in that tiny little house!

[kokotg]

This is a timely link...just yesterday DH, feeling very proud of the chicken hutch he just built, told me, "I like building stuff!" Well, good then! I've got my eye on the spa bench, too. We're lucky in that my mom and aunts own a second hand furniture store; we have much nicer stuff than we could afford without the family connection.

[DarlaS]

None of our furniture matches. It is mostly second hand, it *all* needs a redo and sometimes it gets me down. I do keep reminding myself that we spend our money furnishing our kids' minds instead of our home --- but then I found decorating diva after my own heart. My guru. My furniture idol.

 

I found:http://www.knock-offwood.com/

 

 

The clouds parted. The sun started to shine. I began to feel like I CAN do it!!

 

Pass mama the circular saw, kiddos.:001_smile:

 

Too funny! I saw the title and came in all read to post the link--but I see you already found the answer. Ana IS a worthy hero (even if she does need an editor)!

 

Happy building!

 

.... but you need a sliding compound miter saw. My latest new toy. :D

[leighp]

I love that site!

 

My dh and I built two kid picnic tables, 4 dining room chairs, and a work bench.

 

We have started a kitchen island, but put it on hold to build the Bedford Project Table to be our homeschool work area. We are also building chairs to go at the table.

 

After the island is finished I think we will do the desk that folds up, a couple of tall bookshelves, and an armoire.

 

It's a lot of fun and has saved us tons of money!

[leighp]

Oh and my dh plans on building us all new beds. Even though I have a sleigh bed we paid a fortune for and that I love. Maybe one day we will have a bigger house and my sleigh bed can go in the guest room. :tongue_smilie:

[DarlaS]

Loved that link, I feel inspired to build...what else......book shelves I also would love to build the platform bed, but I think the best one of all was the out door bed swing....on cool nights it would be so refreshing.

 

I posted just a few days ago about a bookshelf I built from that site:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201695

 

Soon I am going to tackle bigger ones!

 

I have been building off and on over the years though. I've made a bookcase before (but it was not nearly as "finished" as the last one), a loft bed, and various odd things like a dog bed or a bunny cage.

 

Just follow the instructions and it's pretty easy! Ana is also on facebook with lots of helpful (and inspiring) followers. That's where I get my new tool recs and ask finishing questions.

[Peela]

My dad sent me a copy of a letter my mum handwrote to his parents (on another continent) when she was pregnant with me. Mum and Dad were building their first home at the time, and one of the many things that touched me in the letter, was they she said they were "saving up to buy a sofa". Wow. We can buy a reasonable sofa for $40 2nd hand around here. We can even pick them up off the edge of the road at certain times of the year. Health insurance? Expensive. Sofa? Dirt cheap. Same with most items of furniture. We have literally 2 beautiful large desks for the kids, and a great wooden Balinese cabinet in my bedroom, that we got for free from neighbours just wanting to get rid of them . There was another amazing and gigantic, solid wood desk on the edge of the road a few days ago, but we just don't have any more space:)

I realise not everyone is in our position (we live cheap in an expensive suburb), but its great you have found a way that works for you. I love our bargain hunting- it makes us feel great about our hodge podge furniture, and over time, and over time, mis matched furniture does become its own fashion statement :)