modern thrifter
I love beautiful things and thoughtful design. I also live in one of the most expensive cities in the country, and our family lives off a single income so that I can be at home with our kids. Patience and persistence have been the key to finding stylish things on a tight budget.
Search
Additional pages
Twitter feed
Loading Tweet...
Find me on...
Tag Results
40 posts tagged favorite finds
![[ CART OR NO CART ]
It’s always a conundrum for me when entering a thrift store, should I grab a shopping cart or not. Sometimes it’s a pain to push an empty cart through crowded furniture aisles and clothing racks, never finding anything worth buying. Then again, it seems whenever I don’t grab a cart, I inevitably stumble upon a heavy or awkward item that I have to lug under one arm while trying to hold my coffee in my other hand. Such was the case on my last thrift run.
My first find of the day was a vintage cruiser bike, which is in great shape other than the tires. To be honest, I haven’t owned a bike in about fifteen years, and I’m already dreaming of summertime family bike rides. I’ll need to remove the hilarious and somewhat frightening vintage child seat attached to the back (there isn’t a buckle to be found), though I’m sure my kids would love it if they could stuff their stuffed animals back there.
After wheeling the bike to the front of the store, I went to the lamp section and spotted a CB2 Paramount table lamp (pictured at the top of the post). The shade was really scuffed and dirty, but the lamp worked perfectly when I tested in the store. The base is a touch-style switch, which is the new novelty in the house. After a little scrubbing the shade came clean, too. It now sits in the living room, looking shiny and new.
I also found a new lamp shade for my thrifted West Elm lamp. It had some tacky gold cord at the top, but the glue was old and it was easy to pull it off. It’s a little taller than the one that originally went with the lamp, but I think this one suits it well, too.
A few other nice finds of the day were this rock collection, which I purchased for my science-loving Alden (seriously, he cried for about 45 minutes in the car on a road trip because he accidentally left his “igneous” rock on the restaurant table, and all he had left was his “sedimentary” one), and I also found a couple of cute skirts for me.
I’ve been saving a 20% off the entire purchase coupon from my Chinook Book, so this was the perfect chance to use it. My grand total (with tax) after the discount was $44. Not bad, right? I should have grabbed a cart.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljh36pxsTP1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ CART OR NO CART ]
It’s always a conundrum for me when entering a thrift store, should I grab a shopping cart or not. Sometimes it’s a pain to push an empty cart through crowded furniture aisles and clothing racks, never finding anything worth buying. Then again, it seems whenever I don’t grab a cart, I inevitably stumble upon a heavy or awkward item that I have to lug under one arm while trying to hold my coffee in my other hand. Such was the case on my last thrift run.
My first find of the day was a vintage cruiser bike, which is in great shape other than the tires. To be honest, I haven’t owned a bike in about fifteen years, and I’m already dreaming of summertime family bike rides. I’ll need to remove the hilarious and somewhat frightening vintage child seat attached to the back (there isn’t a buckle to be found), though I’m sure my kids would love it if they could stuff their stuffed animals back there.
After wheeling the bike to the front of the store, I went to the lamp section and spotted a CB2 Paramount table lamp (pictured at the top of the post). The shade was really scuffed and dirty, but the lamp worked perfectly when I tested in the store. The base is a touch-style switch, which is the new novelty in the house. After a little scrubbing the shade came clean, too. It now sits in the living room, looking shiny and new.
I also found a new lamp shade for my thrifted West Elm lamp. It had some tacky gold cord at the top, but the glue was old and it was easy to pull it off. It’s a little taller than the one that originally went with the lamp, but I think this one suits it well, too.
A few other nice finds of the day were this rock collection, which I purchased for my science-loving Alden (seriously, he cried for about 45 minutes in the car on a road trip because he accidentally left his “igneous” rock on the restaurant table, and all he had left was his “sedimentary” one), and I also found a couple of cute skirts for me.
I’ve been saving a 20% off the entire purchase coupon from my Chinook Book, so this was the perfect chance to use it. My grand total (with tax) after the discount was $44. Not bad, right? I should have grabbed a cart.
![[ RECENT FINDS ]
Sadly, my weekly thrift store outings have been quite sporadic as of late. I have picked up a few small things in the last month, though. The first was this unmarked canoe-shaped bowl that I bought for $5 at the same estate sale where I found Tula’s embroidered artwork. It’s bigger than it looks in the photo, measuring almost 17” from end to end. I’ve been keeping it on the dining table and lining up a few oranges or apples in it.
I also found this teak tray at the flea market, that is marked “RAINBOW Products Sweden” on the bottom. I have found a few other vintage Rainbow teak products, but I can’t find any details about the company. The tray was also $5, and in excellent condition, just in need of a little oil.
It’s a great size for holding bathroom things, though its beauty makes me want to take a hammer to the tile that we’re currently stuck with. Thank you previous owners for thinking diamond patterned tile would be a good idea in our house.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lizx093m3i1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ RECENT FINDS ]
Sadly, my weekly thrift store outings have been quite sporadic as of late. I have picked up a few small things in the last month, though. The first was this unmarked canoe-shaped bowl that I bought for $5 at the same estate sale where I found Tula’s embroidered artwork. It’s bigger than it looks in the photo, measuring almost 17” from end to end. I’ve been keeping it on the dining table and lining up a few oranges or apples in it.
I also found this teak tray at the flea market, that is marked “RAINBOW Products Sweden” on the bottom. I have found a few other vintage Rainbow teak products, but I can’t find any details about the company. The tray was also $5, and in excellent condition, just in need of a little oil.
It’s a great size for holding bathroom things, though its beauty makes me want to take a hammer to the tile that we’re currently stuck with. Thank you previous owners for thinking diamond patterned tile would be a good idea in our house.
![[ LAMP IDENTITY ]
This morning, while waiting for my eyes to dilate at the eye doctor, I thumbed through the January issue of Sunset Magazine. There was an article on a beautiful and down-to-earth home (unlike most featured in Dwell), that had a picture of the same lamp I picked up a month ago at Goodwill. I figured they would probably skip over the source of the lamp, but to my surprise, it was right in the caption: West Elm.
I knew the lamp wasn’t vintage—the cord and socket are dead giveaways—but I couldn’t peg it as Ikea, either. Not that it really matters where it came from, because I love it regardless, but it’s nice to have a reference point. West Elm is no longer selling the lamp, but judging by their current selection, it was probably originally priced between $100–$175. I paid $6, so I’d say that’s a pretty nice discount.
Photo by Thomas J. Story](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_li7ybfKgw11qc7v1bo1_400.jpg)
[ LAMP IDENTITY ]
This morning, while waiting for my eyes to dilate at the eye doctor, I thumbed through the January issue of Sunset Magazine. There was an article on a beautiful and down-to-earth home (unlike most featured in Dwell), that had a picture of the same lamp I picked up a month ago at Goodwill. I figured they would probably skip over the source of the lamp, but to my surprise, it was right in the caption: West Elm.
I knew the lamp wasn’t vintage—the cord and socket are dead giveaways—but I couldn’t peg it as Ikea, either. Not that it really matters where it came from, because I love it regardless, but it’s nice to have a reference point. West Elm is no longer selling the lamp, but judging by their current selection, it was probably originally priced between $100–$175. I paid $6, so I’d say that’s a pretty nice discount.
Photo by Thomas J. Story
![[ NEW(ER) END TABLE ]
I know it was less than two months ago that I fell in love with our last new end table, but I couldn’t help bringing this one home from Deseret Industries over the weekend. Can you blame me? It was only $5, and look at how beautiful it is. The height actually works much better next to the couch, though it is missing the nesting counterpart that would have made it even more fantastic. I didn’t realize it was part of a set until I got it home. I didn’t remember seeing a second table at the thrift store, but I sent Patrick back to do a thorough search just in case I missed it. He came back empty-handed, and though I would have loved to have both tables, I am still happy to have the one.
It’s been a while since we’ve had any wood surfaces in the living room that I’ve actually cared about enough to use coasters, so I happily dug these thrifted Crate & Barrel coasters out of a drawer. Now we’ll see if I can get people to use them.
So, what did we do with the other table? We realized it would work perfectly for our stereo. Goodbye nightstand hack-job, you were free and functional, but not at all pretty.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhb9si7QGn1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ NEW(ER) END TABLE ]
I know it was less than two months ago that I fell in love with our last new end table, but I couldn’t help bringing this one home from Deseret Industries over the weekend. Can you blame me? It was only $5, and look at how beautiful it is. The height actually works much better next to the couch, though it is missing the nesting counterpart that would have made it even more fantastic. I didn’t realize it was part of a set until I got it home. I didn’t remember seeing a second table at the thrift store, but I sent Patrick back to do a thorough search just in case I missed it. He came back empty-handed, and though I would have loved to have both tables, I am still happy to have the one.
It’s been a while since we’ve had any wood surfaces in the living room that I’ve actually cared about enough to use coasters, so I happily dug these thrifted Crate & Barrel coasters out of a drawer. Now we’ll see if I can get people to use them.
So, what did we do with the other table? We realized it would work perfectly for our stereo. Goodbye nightstand hack-job, you were free and functional, but not at all pretty.
![[ MASTERLIST FIND: BAR STOOL ]
The kids and I were driving our usual route home on Sunday which just happens to go right by Ballard Goodwill. There is always a small selection of furniture sitting outside by the front door to distract me while I’m driving, and I usually enlist Alden’s help to do a quick scan so that I can keep my eyes on on the road. It’s been a while since anything has seemed worth pulling in and unloading the kids, but this week there was a gorgeous midcentury dresser sitting all by itself outside.
I quickly pulled in and dragged the kids through the parking lot, only to find out that it sold about 30 seconds before I arrived. I hate that. The kids were begging to go inside, and I hoped to find something to redeem the stop. The store was busy and my kids were cranky, but I did manage to find a sturdy and modern bar stool—something that’s been on my master list for a while—for $9.99. I have a 30% off coupon that I’ve been saving, and this would have been a great chance to use it, but it was in the car, and there was no way I was going to take the kids back to get it.
It’s a little tall for the height of our counters, but it works for what I need. I’ve been looking for a stool for Alden to sit at and do his homework while I cook dinner, so the height is actually perfect for him. I’ve been thinking about recovering it when I get some time. What do you think? Should I use a patterned fabric, or maybe a charcoal gray wool felt, or should I just leave the pale yellow microfiber?](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lcrjcbAodx1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ MASTERLIST FIND: BAR STOOL ]
The kids and I were driving our usual route home on Sunday which just happens to go right by Ballard Goodwill. There is always a small selection of furniture sitting outside by the front door to distract me while I’m driving, and I usually enlist Alden’s help to do a quick scan so that I can keep my eyes on on the road. It’s been a while since anything has seemed worth pulling in and unloading the kids, but this week there was a gorgeous midcentury dresser sitting all by itself outside.
I quickly pulled in and dragged the kids through the parking lot, only to find out that it sold about 30 seconds before I arrived. I hate that. The kids were begging to go inside, and I hoped to find something to redeem the stop. The store was busy and my kids were cranky, but I did manage to find a sturdy and modern bar stool—something that’s been on my master list for a while—for $9.99. I have a 30% off coupon that I’ve been saving, and this would have been a great chance to use it, but it was in the car, and there was no way I was going to take the kids back to get it.
It’s a little tall for the height of our counters, but it works for what I need. I’ve been looking for a stool for Alden to sit at and do his homework while I cook dinner, so the height is actually perfect for him. I’ve been thinking about recovering it when I get some time. What do you think? Should I use a patterned fabric, or maybe a charcoal gray wool felt, or should I just leave the pale yellow microfiber?
![[ FAVORITE FINDS: VINTAGE TURNTABLE ]
It seems like the thrift stores have been pretty underwhelming the last few months, though I was able to get a good haul of kids clothes last week from Deseret Industries. I had given up on finding any good household deals for the week, but while we were out on Saturday, we spotted an estate sale. On a whim, we decided to stop so that I could run in (while Patrick stayed in the car with the hungry and bored kids).
I knew my time was limited, so I did a quick scan—nothing too interesting, but this beautiful wood turntable caught my eye. There was a post-it note with $15 hand-written, slapped on it. I thought maybe the price was just for the turntable, but there were speakers, a radio component, and an 8-track player sitting next to it, so I asked the seller. It was all included, all still hooked up, and all still working.
We brought it home, though we haven’t been able to come up with a great spot to set it up. I was hoping it would fit in the low bench/shelf that we have under the living room window—it would have looked great—but it’s about 3/8” too wide. It’s always the little things like this that initiate a giant rearrange project, so we’ll see where it leads. I’ll share pictures of it, in its entirety, when we finally come up with something that works; I can’t seem to stop taking pictures of its vintage coolness. Doesn’t it photograph wonderfully?
I haven’t done a ton of online research on this system yet, though I did see the same model of turntable (without any of the other components, and in worse condition) that sold for $65. Our lovely new getup is in near-perfect condition and sounds beautiful—just in time to play some old Bing Crosby albums while sipping hot buttered rum and trimming the tree.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lbjuyyEDVH1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ FAVORITE FINDS: VINTAGE TURNTABLE ]
It seems like the thrift stores have been pretty underwhelming the last few months, though I was able to get a good haul of kids clothes last week from Deseret Industries. I had given up on finding any good household deals for the week, but while we were out on Saturday, we spotted an estate sale. On a whim, we decided to stop so that I could run in (while Patrick stayed in the car with the hungry and bored kids).
I knew my time was limited, so I did a quick scan—nothing too interesting, but this beautiful wood turntable caught my eye. There was a post-it note with $15 hand-written, slapped on it. I thought maybe the price was just for the turntable, but there were speakers, a radio component, and an 8-track player sitting next to it, so I asked the seller. It was all included, all still hooked up, and all still working.
We brought it home, though we haven’t been able to come up with a great spot to set it up. I was hoping it would fit in the low bench/shelf that we have under the living room window—it would have looked great—but it’s about 3/8” too wide. It’s always the little things like this that initiate a giant rearrange project, so we’ll see where it leads. I’ll share pictures of it, in its entirety, when we finally come up with something that works; I can’t seem to stop taking pictures of its vintage coolness. Doesn’t it photograph wonderfully?
I haven’t done a ton of online research on this system yet, though I did see the same model of turntable (without any of the other components, and in worse condition) that sold for $65. Our lovely new getup is in near-perfect condition and sounds beautiful—just in time to play some old Bing Crosby albums while sipping hot buttered rum and trimming the tree.
![[ FINISHED CANISTER PROJECT ]
Although I ambitiously set out to tackle several projects over the summer, most of them never even got started. I did, however, manage to do a little update on these vintage kitchen canisters that I bought at Deseret Industries last spring for $2 a piece. I guess I shouldn’t take all the credit for this project. I did most of the prep work, but Patrick actually sprayed most of the coats of paint (two coats of primer, two coats of color, and two coats of lacquer). I’m so glad that I was able to find the exact color of red-orange that I was imagining, and I think it looks much better than the yellow I almost settled for.
Here are a few pictures of the process:
The first photo is apparently the only “before” photo I took. I hate when that happens. I used frog tape and an exacto knife to mask off the labels. We also masked the bottom and the inside, which was a total pain.
Next we primed and sanded with a very fine sandpaper. Oh, and that’s Patrick’s hand, not mine :)
The third photo is of our mistake. Usually when using spray paint, spraying thin layers from ten to twelve inches away yields the best results. We learned the hard way that this particular paint (Montana brand) dries so fast it was leaving a thick texture on the surface because it was drying mid-air, so we had to spray at closer range.
Alden even got to do a little painting.
The specialty paint was more expensive than the standard spray paint at home depot—$8 per can as opposed to $4 per can, and we needed two cans—but we were able to get a few extra projects painted with the leftovers. Remember that vintage desk lamp that we picked up for $3 this summer? It’s now been rewired and repainted. Here’s what it looks like now:](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l9xd7c4hzk1qc7v1bo1_r2_500.jpg)
[ FINISHED CANISTER PROJECT ]
Although I ambitiously set out to tackle several projects over the summer, most of them never even got started. I did, however, manage to do a little update on these vintage kitchen canisters that I bought at Deseret Industries last spring for $2 a piece. I guess I shouldn’t take all the credit for this project. I did most of the prep work, but Patrick actually sprayed most of the coats of paint (two coats of primer, two coats of color, and two coats of lacquer). I’m so glad that I was able to find the exact color of red-orange that I was imagining, and I think it looks much better than the yellow I almost settled for.
Here are a few pictures of the process:
The first photo is apparently the only “before” photo I took. I hate when that happens. I used frog tape and an exacto knife to mask off the labels. We also masked the bottom and the inside, which was a total pain.
Next we primed and sanded with a very fine sandpaper. Oh, and that’s Patrick’s hand, not mine :)
The third photo is of our mistake. Usually when using spray paint, spraying thin layers from ten to twelve inches away yields the best results. We learned the hard way that this particular paint (Montana brand) dries so fast it was leaving a thick texture on the surface because it was drying mid-air, so we had to spray at closer range.
Alden even got to do a little painting.
The specialty paint was more expensive than the standard spray paint at home depot—$8 per can as opposed to $4 per can, and we needed two cans—but we were able to get a few extra projects painted with the leftovers. Remember that vintage desk lamp that we picked up for $3 this summer? It’s now been rewired and repainted. Here’s what it looks like now:
![[ FRIDAY FIND: DIALING FOR DOLLARS ]
I’ve been keeping my eyes open for one of these phones for a while, this one is a vintage Stromberg Carlson 1543w, to go along with our vintage Royal typewriter. Our kids play “office” all the time, and I knew they’d love to have a phone to add to their setup. This thing is super heavy—the weight of the receiver in my hand makes modern technology seem cheap. Though most of the phone is in really nice condition, the dial is not working properly. It will spin if you give it some muscle, but it doesn’t have the recoil (is that what it’s called?) that brings it back to the original position. The kids don’t care, but I’d love to tinker with it to see if I can get it working.
I’ve had a hard time dating this thing. Most of the 1543 models that I’ve found have a newer receiver and seem to date in the 1960s, but this one looks like the receiver off of the earlier models. The other interesting thing is that there is a label on the bottom that says, “Dialing for Dollars.” That didn’t mean much of anything to me when I bought the phone, but I’ve since found out that it was a franchised format TV show that aired in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. It was a game show where the host would call viewers by randomly selecting a phone number out of a bowl, and dial it. If the viewer was home and watching, they would tell the host the password that was given at the beginning of the show, in order to win prize money. I love finding things with a bit of a story—for $5.99, this was a really fun piece to add to our home!](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l9p5bp4Xtr1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ FRIDAY FIND: DIALING FOR DOLLARS ]
I’ve been keeping my eyes open for one of these phones for a while, this one is a vintage Stromberg Carlson 1543w, to go along with our vintage Royal typewriter. Our kids play “office” all the time, and I knew they’d love to have a phone to add to their setup. This thing is super heavy—the weight of the receiver in my hand makes modern technology seem cheap. Though most of the phone is in really nice condition, the dial is not working properly. It will spin if you give it some muscle, but it doesn’t have the recoil (is that what it’s called?) that brings it back to the original position. The kids don’t care, but I’d love to tinker with it to see if I can get it working.
I’ve had a hard time dating this thing. Most of the 1543 models that I’ve found have a newer receiver and seem to date in the 1960s, but this one looks like the receiver off of the earlier models. The other interesting thing is that there is a label on the bottom that says, “Dialing for Dollars.” That didn’t mean much of anything to me when I bought the phone, but I’ve since found out that it was a franchised format TV show that aired in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. It was a game show where the host would call viewers by randomly selecting a phone number out of a bowl, and dial it. If the viewer was home and watching, they would tell the host the password that was given at the beginning of the show, in order to win prize money. I love finding things with a bit of a story—for $5.99, this was a really fun piece to add to our home!
[ READER FINDS ]
Missy, from Chattanooga, sent me this picture of a recent consignment store find. She picked up this beautiful painting for $100, which is more than you’d pay at a thrift store, but since finding art like this at Goodwill would be a rare occasion, buying art from a consignment store is a great way to go.
Stephenny, from Los Angeles, writes, “We have a local thriftstore that supports the legal aid society and seems to have better stuff than the local Goodwill and Salvation Army. They also have a section for collectibles where you can bid on different things. I love Le Creuset and can never seem to find them at the thrift stores. So I was pretty excited to see this tea pot with a starting bid of $5. I bid $10 and was thrilled to be the only bidder at the close of the auction the next day. They sell brand new for a whopping $90!” Good find Stephenny! Sounds much easier than the way I got my tea kettle.
Share your favorite find. Email jpeg images and a short description to modernthrifter@gmail.com
![[ ONE CLOCK CLOSER TO MY GOAL ]
In case you’ve missed it, I love clocks. I look in the clock section every time I’m at a thrift store, but usually, I come up empty-handed, finding only clunky digital alarm clocks and the random Disney character clock.Today Goodwill was doing some rearranging and had piled all of their clocks into a shopping cart, forcing me to literally dig to find this German-made Kienzle wall clock. While riffling through the pile, I was ousted by some particularly rank—though not uncommon—thrift store flatulence, left by a generous mystery source. Thankfully, I had already found what I was looking for, so I tucked the clock under my arm and escaped.
For you font geeks: maybe you can help me. I originally thought the numbers were Neutraface, but based on the company information, I think the clock is older than that. Plus, the “3” is round on the top, instead of being flat like Neutra. Can anyone identify the font?](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l87m6vVgUg1qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ ONE CLOCK CLOSER TO MY GOAL ]
In case you’ve missed it, I love clocks. I look in the clock section every time I’m at a thrift store, but usually, I come up empty-handed, finding only clunky digital alarm clocks and the random Disney character clock.Today Goodwill was doing some rearranging and had piled all of their clocks into a shopping cart, forcing me to literally dig to find this German-made Kienzle wall clock. While riffling through the pile, I was ousted by some particularly rank—though not uncommon—thrift store flatulence, left by a generous mystery source. Thankfully, I had already found what I was looking for, so I tucked the clock under my arm and escaped.
For you font geeks: maybe you can help me. I originally thought the numbers were Neutraface, but based on the company information, I think the clock is older than that. Plus, the “3” is round on the top, instead of being flat like Neutra. Can anyone identify the font?
