Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Ode to the Chair

Rhoda over at Southern Hospitality (a fabulous blog by the way) is hosting a fun blog party. Basically, we all show off our Favorite Thrifty Find Ever and run around (a cyber-run, of course) checking out everyone else's finds, too. You know I ADORE garage sales, so this is right up my alley. The only hard part about this was choosing just one item! I was tempted to throw in a few other things too, but then...where to stop? So here, ladies and gents, is the one...the only...$15 Dollar Aqua Chair!!!
It's sturdy...it's comfy...it's fabulous...it was $15. What more can I say?

(It turns out, a lot more. The following is a blog post I wrote last November inspired by my Aqua Chair - back when the only people who read my blog were my mom, and maybe, oh, one friend. So, I figured I could get away with reproducing it here, just this once! )


Those who know me well know the love-hate relationship I have with chairs. Or should I say…the unadulterated love I have for chairs, and the subsequent hate my husband has for them? Not because of some strange jealousy of the objects, but rather an aversion to the sheer numbers of them I have brought home over the years. Nearly always from garage sales, mind you…I’m not exactly spending hundreds of dollars on these things (I say somewhat defensively). This addiction to The Chair led to my husband proclaiming a few years back, “No more chairs. If you buy another chair, you have to get rid of an old one.” Or this is what he claims to have said. What I HEARD him say was, “…buy another chair”. So the acquisition of chairs has continued.


Orange chair silhouette collage on canvas, by Anne Harwell (one of my favorite artists)


Last summer I bought a beautiful one from my next door neighbor for $15 and didn’t even have to try to cram it into the trunk of my Toyota Camry – I was able to just pick it up and lug it next door. The upholstery is uninspiring – yet inoffensive – beige, but the woodwork is a pale aqua. The chair has great form – which is what always sucks me in, regardless of the paint job or state of the upholstery – and the color is now trendy for the second time in the chair's history. It's actually super-sturdy and equally comfy...one day, my dream is to have it reupholstered.

Retro Gothic Iron Chair print by Anne Harwell


Ah, New Aqua Chair – I love you today, but let’s be realistic – today you’re my favorite treasure, tomorrow you’re in the basement. It’s where all my chairs inevitably end up. Some make it back into the furniture cycle at a later date…others just head straight for my next garage sale. So here’s to you, Aqua Chair – may your stay in the living room be long and your time in the basement short; and should you ever find yourself out of the house, may it be at the reupholsterer’s instead of out on the sidewalk with a “Free” sign!

29 comments:

  1. That's a very sweet tribute to the chair! I really like your chair. It looks great with your rug. Maybe you'll just have to move to a bigger house! LOL
    diane

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  2. Love the chair! And, thank you for your kind comment on ye olde Painted House!

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  3. I ADORE your aqua chair!!
    I love anything AQUA... but an aqua chair?! Lovely beyond words. And only $15.00? Makes the find even sweeter!

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  4. The aqua chair is one of my favorite styles. What a find!

    My dad was an upholsterer for over 50 years. I have a penchant for chairs too. I would find one on the curb and take it up to him to work his magic. My house has quite an array of chairs. Including all my kids' rooms.

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  5. I love that chair- it looks so good. Aqua is a good color for it- unexpected. I have the same problem with lamps.... But my lamps are not so cute as your chair

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  6. Hi Courtney! Thanks so much for including a couple of my chairs! I LOVE your aqua chair and what an amazing deal!

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  7. I loved your post! And that aqua chair is gorgeous! I have a thing for chairs, too! It started out as an obsession for just rocking chairs, now any chair will do! LOL! I have them stacked in the warehouse, waiting for the perfect spot in my home! LOL! ~RHonda

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  8. Your chair is lovely and I too have a thing for chairs. My hubby told me I have to quit on the chairs and lamps....I sorta listen!

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  9. What I HEARD him say was, “…buy another chair”.

    --HAHAHA! That's a *riot.* I love, love your aqua chair. The more I see of your home, the more I want to move in. And tell your hubby I'd be happy to take a chair or two off of your hands.

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  10. I LOVE THAT CHAIR!!!! OMG! It's fab..! I think that's a great find and a great deal, when you get tired of it, that's what paint and reupolstery is for ;) Jen R

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  11. Love the chair and what you did with it.
    Hugs,
    Sue

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  12. Very sweet words and that chair is so lovely. I know it's going to be well taken care of.

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  13. Love the Chair! And what a deal! Hope you have a great day. Nancy

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  14. Ahhh, Courtney, that is one gorgeous AQUA chair! I would have had to buy that too & I do not have room for more chairs. I seem to have a thing for chairs too, as well as small tables. There's just not enough room for all the treasures out there. I hope your chair stays put for a long time. Don't even mind the fabric on there now, although can't you just SEE a damask print like my blog wallpaper on there?!! YES!! I can see it. It would be stunning.

    Oh, the thrill of the find! Thanks for playing along. I'm so happy to have met you so recently too.

    Rhoda

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  15. I could have written this blog, well not really, I am not that talented a writer, lol...but I feel the same way about chairs that you do and my hubby is with yours! MEN! haha

    I am currently in love with aqua, too...so your chair...be still my heart!

    Cute post :)

    Bella

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  16. I want that chair! lol It's incredible, especially the fantastic aqua color!

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  17. I love your chair art and your great aqua chair find. Beautiful.

    Jeanne

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  18. What a sweet chair! And it looks perfect in that spot, too, with that rug and everything. Please pass it along to me when you're finished with it! -Julia :-)

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  19. ohhhhhhhh, I can totally see me sneaking into your house and stealing that chair when you aren't looking! I love that it was already aqua...lucky girl! My hubby is the same way..he thinks I already have too many chairs...ohhhh, really..how can one have too many chairs?

    ~Angie

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  20. Wow...I saw an aqua chair in the store the other day that I fell in love with...until I saw the pricetag of $899...alas it wasn't destined to be mine...then I see YOUR aqua chair and it's even prettier!!! AND WHAT A BARGAIN!

    I love your blog and can see I'm going to have to stop by often.

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  21. Great find and I love what you have done with it.

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  22. THAT is the deal of the century!! Love it!

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  23. Are you kidding? $15? That's a really nice chair. REALLY nice.

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  24. Oh, your table acquisition story is precious! I know the feeling about not being able to resist---I have that thing about little tables I find at good prices. I just chuckled over your part about them making their way to the basement, etc.. My tables do that, too. I hate to get rid of them (and sometimes I do put them in a sale)----they always seem to eventually fit somewhere! Oh, your aqua chair is divine!

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  25. That is the cutest chair tribute ever! I have a passion for chairs too and guess where most of them are?? The basement LOL

    rue :)

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  26. WOW! I just love that chair! It is so sophisticated, yet because of the color it is also fun! I want that chair!

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  27. I loved this post. And, I see and understand why you love your chairs.

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  28. If the other lady doesn't sneak in and take it...let me know. I am her back up.:)

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thank you for commenting, dahling! I can't wait to hear what you have to say. :-)