Seeing Red

Have you ever spent a ton of cash on a piece of furniture only to discover you hate it once you get it home? You find yourself asking, “What did I ever see in this piece?” Perhaps it was the lighting in the store, or all the cute accessories surrounding it, or perhaps you were drunk…

Whatever the case, I’m here to tell you, furniture love can be found in dumpsters, dark alleys and junk yards. With very little money, some hard work, and colorful language, you can transform castaway furniture into something that will make you truly happy. Take these grody little cafe chairs for example. I was immediately attracted to their shape and size. I knew the vinyl flooring that covered the seats, and the weather-beaten finish were just disguises that hid their true nature.

After a few days of scraping and sanding, the chairs revealed their original cuteness. I decided to give them a voice and painted them vermillion red. Wow, they had a lot to say, like, “We demand an amazing cafe table!”

A couple weeks of casual treasure hunting, and I gave the chairs what they asked for.  I paired them with a one-of-a-kind table made from a porcelain tabletop (salvage yard: $30) and a metal base (recycle pile: free). They didn’t ask for the second-hand parrot candle, but I thought it was adorable. The result: true love all a-round.