Re-using furniture rocks!
by Haru K.
I love my new (reused) green dresser
I finally got a new, reused dresser a couple of weeks ago for my clothes that had been piled up on the floor since my old Ikea ones died over a month ago. It took me a while to buy it because I wanted to try and get a sustainable one - made with sustainable materials and wouldn't cost a fortune. Luckily I found this beautiful used dresser at an antique store down the street from my apartment for only $250. I love that it's old and made from solid oak and that I didn't contribute to wasteful consumerism with this purchase.
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Re-using saved me $125
I've been awful and buying marked-down floor sample goods at Design Within Reach's warehouse lately. They are "used" in a sense but still new. Usually I buy used furniture from flea markets and antique fairs/shops. The quality is much better on furniture made years ago compared to today's particle board illusions of grandeur, and I'm not contributing to more IKEA madness. Craigslist is also great for furniture.
Buying second-hand on craigslist saves a lot of money. For example, a few years ago I bought a Klippan IKeA couch from a couple in San Mateo for $125. It retails new for $250 or more. Came with a snazzy orange cover too. So in that one transaction I saved $125.
When I moved from Berkeley to Fremont some years later, I sold it to a friend for $60. Money stayed "local" in both purchases, which boosts our local economy, instead of flowing overseas or to corporations who don't give a damn or give back. Target tries to be better but really they are in the same league as WalMart. Not to worry though, eventually we'll all have local economies because of the backstory in dropping oil supplies. In the meantime, make the best of it and get deals at flea markets and other second-hand shops.
Local Shops I Recommend for Furniture:
Alameda Antiques Fair, Old Navy Base, Alameda - literally 100s of mom 'n pop vendors come here the first Sunday of every month selling solid Made in America goods: furniture, bicycles, jewelry, art, potato mashers, leather belts, typewriter keys
Mignonne, Downtown, Oakland - owner Johnelle sells old iron frame chairs and local artists' paintings, alongside French soaps
Homesteader, Rockridge, Oakland - owner Chris sells used furniture, refinished and repainted. Needs to start using lower-VOC paints, but it's a start
Craigslist, SF Bay Area - really, it's a great place to look. I got a free torchiere lamp lamp here years back that I'm still using. With a FEIT Electric 23Watt CFL of course.
Ken's keywords: re-use, furniture, old, used, new, house, apartment therapy, refurbished, chair, table, dresser, iron, wood
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It's all about reusing!
Congrats on finding such a beautiful piece! I know for me sometimes it's easy to forget (with all the gorgeous, sustainably crafted, artisan furniture out there now) that the greenest furniture really is reused furniture. The resources have already spent creating these items, so why not salvage and love something that's already been made?
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Eco F. says:
What a beautiful find! Thanks for sharing such a gorgeous piece.
Here is a new website that sells Eco-friendly products such as (pottery, vases, stools, benches, mirrors, spa furnishings). It's a great website, check it out. http://www.terrafurnishings.com