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You are visiting: Home » Decorating/DIY » Decorate Your Home » Finding the Perfect Piece of Furniture

Finding the Perfect Piece of Furniture

by Lindsay Ballard on March 31, 2011 16 Comments

Finding the perfect piece of furniture for a certain space can be a challenge. Whether you are scouring thrift stores or are having a custom piece created from Bassett Furniture, it’s likely to take a lot of time to get it just right.

I always have a list of items I am looking for a thrift stores.  Currently, that list includes a wooden chair to be reupholstered, a footed side table of some sort (maybe round?) and a sideboard or long dresser – all pieces for my master bedroom redo.  I’m also looking for cheap (i.e. less than $5) wooden chairs that I can use for another project, hopefully to be completed this summer.

Our seventh wedding anniversary was this past Monday, and Tom and I decided to treat ourselves to a fancy, new LED flat screen TV for the bedroom.  We used to never spend time in the bedroom watching TV, so our huge, ugly TV was fine.  But, since we discovered that watching TV in our bedroom instead of the living room in the evenings keeps the kids from waking up once we’ve put them to bed (yeah, it took us FIVE YEARS to figure that one out!), we wanted a brand new TV.

So, the sideboard or dresser I’ve been wanting has been moved to the top of the list.  I don’t want the new TV to hang on the wall, so I need a great piece of furniture for it to call home.  I want the piece to be long and I don’t want it to be too tall.  And yeah, I want it to be cheap since I will likely be refinishing it somehow.

Yesterday, Emma and I set off on my first thrifting adventure in ages.  We found a few pieces that may work:

At stop number 1, we found this piece.  If you look past the honey colored wood, the mismatched drawer pulls, and the eleventy billion price stickers, you’ll see that it has a fun shape.  The drawers were a little wonky, so they’d need some work.  I think this one was $80, which is more than I wanted to spend on something Tom is going to have to fix.

Stop number 2 introduced me to this piece.  It’s very nice and will likely not need any work at all.  For a vintage piece in this condition, it’s a steal at $80.  But, I don’t think it’s quite long enough for my space.

I found this piece at stop 3 and I LOVE it.  I’m totally gaga over it, actually.  Imagine it painted gray with all of that fun detailing glazed black.  I think I’d even keep the pulls, but I’d definitely lose the mirror.  Sadly, it’s $125.  This store would probably work with me a little bit on the price, but I don’t know how much lower they’d go.  If I’m still thinking about her after the weekend, I think she may be the one – and if fate would have it and she’s still there.  A lot of my thrifting decisions are based on fate, as you’ll see below.

Then, I found her at stop 4.  She’s perfect – and only $25.  I kid you not – $25.  There are shelves behind the right hand doors and drawers behind the left.  I stupidly decided to run it by Tom to see if he liked it – and it was gone by the time I went back to get it this morning.  ::Shakes fist at universe::

SQUEAL WORTHY UPDATE: My husband went after work and bought Dresser #3 for me.  I could die.  Man, I have the world’s best husband.

Anyway, I’ve now learned not to ever walk away from a great piece at a perfect price.  Live and learn, my friends, live and learn.  But, do you know doesn’t have to worry about walking away from such an awesome deal?  Suzanne, that’s who!

A HUGE congrats and oh-my-gosh-I-wish-I-was-you goes out to Commenter 124, Suzanne from Meridian Road, for being the randomly selected winner of the Bassett Furniture $500 giftcard.  What a win, girl!  You need to be doing the world’s biggest happy dance!

Thanks again to Bassett Furniture for the amazing giveaway and gorgeous furniture options.  Going custom is seriously the best way to find a perfect piece of furniture.  Otherwise, you’ll be just like me – running all over town in search of something that may not even exist!

About Lindsay Ballard

Lindsay Ballard is a former college mascot turned political geek turned roller derby playing, DIY fanatic.

Lindsay chronicles her projects, design ideas, and lifestyle tips here at Makely, where she shares tutorials and inspiration. Her DIY designs are bold and graphic, while her spirit is fun and full of color.

Lindsay lives outside of Austin, Texas with her husband (Tom), children (Zack and Emma), and dogs (Duke and Jill). She plays roller derby for the Rockin' City Rollergirls out of Round Rock, Texas.

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Comments

  1. zena says

    March 31, 2011 at 3:35 pm

    I’m in looooove with no. 3! Please go back and get it..I think it’s one of those that even though you paid a bit more for it, in 5 years you’ll be so glad you did.

    And congrats to the winner, even though i’m a little jealous it wasn’t me. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Suzanne says

    March 31, 2011 at 3:58 pm

    HOLY GUACAMOLE! I’m so excited I can’t stand it! Thank you so much!

    Reply
  3. Ashley Ez says

    March 31, 2011 at 4:03 pm

    We JUST went through a very similar search. I wanted a 9 drawer long dresser for our TV in our Master. Long dressers are so hard to find. Especially when one of my requirements was no doors, only drawers. (we never manage to shut cabinets!)

    But, after looking everywhere, I found this in “ehhhh” shape, and talked the lady down to $200. Had to go home and hook up a trailer it was so long. Ours came with a mirror too, that was a perfect fit over our fireplace, so it lives there now. It’s like a two-for one.

    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=34090387&l=d830a30a34&id=45101870

    I love how graphic the third dresser is that you are looking at! It would be gorgeous painted!

    Reply
  4. Michelle says

    March 31, 2011 at 6:30 pm

    Absolutely love the second one.

    Reply
  5. Amanda @ Serenity Now says

    March 31, 2011 at 9:41 pm

    Oh, I have so had that happen to me. You snooze you lose, right? I do think of it as fate now…if it’s not there when I go back, it just wasn’t meant to be. Can’t wait to see what you end up with and what you do. 🙂

    Reply
  6. Kathleen says

    March 31, 2011 at 10:44 pm

    My parents had something similar to #4 in their house. I wonder what happened to it…

    Reply
  7. Natalie Bowie says

    April 1, 2011 at 12:10 pm

    Congrats to the gift card winner. I think #3 pick will be neat after you fix it up!

    Reply
  8. Courtney says

    April 1, 2011 at 9:31 pm

    Number 4 was pretty awesome, but can’t wait to see what you do w/number 3! Give your hubby some extra kisses for being so sweet!

    Reply
  9. Lindsay says

    April 2, 2011 at 12:20 am

    Hey Lindsay,
    Awesome blog.. i love number 4. Can’t wait to see your final product.

    Reply
  10. Carrie says

    April 3, 2011 at 2:30 pm

    Hi Lindsay,

    Glad you got your hands on #3!
    Where do you normally go look when you’re thrifting? We’re up in NW Austin, and all the thrift stores around here are WAY overpriced for dressers and that’s if you can find one at all. I was wondering if you had an suggestions – we’re specifically looking for a couple long dressers and bedside tables.

    Thanks for the help!! – Carrie

    Reply
  11. Erin says

    April 29, 2011 at 8:49 am

    Hello! First of all, I absolutely love your website! It gave me many great ideas. Hopefully, I will start working on my projects soon!

    I love table #2 and #4. Which store did you go? I live in Austin too.

    Reply
  12. Carrie Brimer says

    November 21, 2011 at 8:37 pm

    I found an Ethan Allen piece at a thrift store and I want to paint it white for my grandbaby’s room and maybe distress it. My problem was the top is shining and I think like a laminate. I read your articles but I am not sure if after I prime if I want to spray paint it or paint with a brush? or does it matter?? thanks

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      November 23, 2011 at 10:09 pm

      Hey Carrie! I bet if it’s an Ethan Allen piece it’s just a veneer and not laminate. You can either spray paint it or use a brush – totally up to you. Good luck!

      Reply
  13. erica mc says

    February 13, 2012 at 9:04 am

    I ALMOST had my husband throw out two old beat to H-E double hockey sticks dressers…one old solid wood and one a cheap laminate big box store cheapie… but I after reading this…I can see PAST the current ugliness and see how beautiful they can be with a little elbow grease! Thanks so much…
    and yes…you should NEVER ask the husband…my rule is ..if it’s under $30 and my budget isn’t too tight that week…buy it..worst that will happen is you give it away if it doesn’t work.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      February 14, 2012 at 10:48 am

      Great!!

      Reply
  14. Cara Gaines says

    June 14, 2021 at 4:50 am

    Hey there!!! I am so glad I found you! I have your #1 dresser and I want to do something to it REALLY BAD! What were your plans with it? Help me!!!

    Reply

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About Makely

Lindsay Ballard is a former college mascot turned political geek turned roller derby playing, DIY fanatic.

Lindsay chronicles her projects, design ideas, and lifestyle tips here at Makely, where she shares tutorials and inspiration. Her DIY designs are bold and graphic, while her spirit is fun and full of color.

Lindsay lives outside of Austin, Texas with her husband (Tom), children (Zack and Emma), and dogs (Duke and Jill). She plays roller derby for the Rockin' City Rollergirls out of Round Rock, Texas.


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