Room of Thrift

Reading Shannon's post on Coastal Charm at http://www.asouthernbellewithnorthernroots.com/2012/05/sale-finds-make-for-new-vignettes-and.html made me wonder what percentage of our possessions come from thrift shops or yard sales. Let's see:

Going round the room starting by the door into the dining room is a desk that belonged to a relative of my ex-husband, so a gift. The contents of the top are all of a religious nature and were bought at resale  shops, ditto the lamp, chair, picnic basket under it and books.

This metal piece has two panels of birds and two of flowers and came from the Sand Dollar, a source of many goodies near us. Now on this wall too are a collection of crosses, some bought by me and others gifts from Mr. B.

Moving along the north wall is a wicker chair bought at a yard sale probably twenty years ago, on its last legs thanks to cats. Next to it is another picnic basket, then one of my favorite finds in 2011:

This is a revolving bookcase table with some pretty inlay work on the top. Next to it is a red standing floor lamp with red shade from the Blue Bird Shop that gives support to the neuroscience unit for children at Methodist Hospital. Love it. At right angles to it is the sofa. We had a thrifted one for years, but replaced it with an Ikea model in January for our anniversary. Stuck in the corner is a red wire mesh Eddie Bauer magazine rack from a yard sale. There is another bookcase end table at the opposite end of the sofa, not nearly as pretty as the one above.

Here is a cool shelf  from the Junior Forum, $8.00. It is now hanging in the corner near the red lamp and revolving bookcase.

Everything on this wall was thrifted except for one of the umbrellas that was a birthday gift. Oh, there is a tin box holding bird things under the chair with cushions that came from Hobby Lobby. On the little bit of wall next to the basket by the front door is a metal wall pocket, picture and frame bought for pennies.

Beyond the door you see on the left is a bookcase. The picture over it, most of the content, the suitcase on top and about all the books weren't bought new. The little tin mirror was a gift and the poppy plate belonged to my grandmother.

Here is the chair we got at a sale for the Leukemia Society Saturday. It was $20, but since it was for charity we didn't argue about the price. Next to it is a gateleg table with both sides folded down and our television on it. We got it at a yard sale in 1980 when we first met.

In front of the sofa is a table from an antique shop. It was a dining table. Mr. B cut the legs down. Under it is a big basket from Ikea with stuff in it.

To summarize, all of the decorations, pictures, ornaments, pillows, 99% of the books and a large percentage of everything else wasn't bought new and that's just fine with us. To me, things that have belonged  to someone else come with a history and some element of mystery, thus much more interesting and desirable than a new, similar, yet more expensive item bought at a mall. I have a friend (maybe more than one) who thinks shopping for things like this is absolutely disgusting and despises even the concept of thrift shops, curbside rescue or anything remotely that hints of second hand. She has tried to console me by saying if I won the lottery  it would never be necessary again. She doesn't buy the treasure hunt aspects of it.

What about you? Do you know people who just don't "get" the thrill of the hunt?

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Michele