Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Oscar the grouch style

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Apparently me and Jon now think it is our duty to pick up all unwanted furniture that is headed for the trash.

 



I thought my obsession for trash to treasure pieces was nutty, but my poor husband. I guess he’s been with me for too long, because now he can’t drive without checking out what is curbside and figuring out what days different streets have trash pick up.

 



In the last two days we now have this is our garage:



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I should have  bought my video camera for the insanity of picking up that dresser. All of the drawers were out and thrown around the curb, it was pitch black and oh yay the actual dresser didn’t fully fit so we had to drive home with the trunk completely open!

 



Here are some close ups:

 



We loved the lines to this chair so of course she was coming home with us!



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I’m going to try and recover this piece myself. We’ll see how that goes.



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This chair also had some unique lines to it. I can’t wait to give it a fresh coat of paint and some fun fabric!



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A little round end table with a fun pattern on the doors:



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Now I know I’m not the only one that does this. So fess up what’s the latest thing you’ve grabbed from the curb?

Labels:

38 Comments:

Blogger Danavee said...

A vintage croquet set! The mister wouldn't stop, so I had to sneak back later. Luckily, it was still there. Sadly, my mister doesn't share my love for curbside finds.

June 8, 2010 at 4:38 PM  
Blogger Averill said...

Whow!!! I wish we had that kind of curbside treasure around here....

Trying to remember the last dumpster diving find...but I think it was a couch for my in-laws when we were in FL! :) (They're big fans of frugal/free shopping.)

June 8, 2010 at 4:40 PM  
Blogger stylewannabee said...

You two must have a blast. It has been ages since I found anything worth taking on the curb. Last thing I remember almost taking was a TV antena for the roof.

June 8, 2010 at 4:50 PM  
Blogger Jennifer said...

I actually haven't done this ... not that I WOULDN'T, just haven't been tempted yet!

June 8, 2010 at 4:51 PM  
Blogger Emily @ EMILY POSTS said...

Gosh, where do you live?! How could you NOT pick those items up?! I'm not as much as a curb person as I am a craig's list person...and the man's not a fan when he sees the "before's" but when he see's the "after's" he's often pleased. (The hard part is having enough time getting those finds to the "after"!)

June 8, 2010 at 4:53 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

What two great chairs you found!! I wish our trash days in our area were this cool! People are only getting rid of their junk - lol - I'm guessing most people donate thier items around here + we always get flyers about a donation day

June 8, 2010 at 4:55 PM  
Blogger Cassie {Hi Sugarplum} said...

I would have no hesitation about picking something up...but I never find anything! You have some serious good luck scaveraging. (i think i just made that word up!)

June 8, 2010 at 5:32 PM  
Blogger Kris {The Freestyle Mom} said...

This curbside trash concept has me confused! The only curbside trash in these parts is tucked inside big old garbage cans. I don't think people can get away with leaving furniture at the curb and having the trash haulers take it away. I don't think they get out of their trucks for anything. Maybe it's a regional thing? (and possibly a reason to move!)

June 8, 2010 at 5:36 PM  
Anonymous Beth said...

I have a friend who checks the curb for tossed furniture every weekend ... he has collected some really lovely pieces of furniture -- a beautiful armoire comes to mind!

June 8, 2010 at 6:24 PM  
Blogger Erika Ward said...

not too shabby...pun intended :-) i found some outdoor toys for the kiddos, but hardly ever come upon treasure like this!

i think it's hilarious that your husband now takes part with you!

June 8, 2010 at 7:28 PM  
Blogger Brooke @ Blueprint Bliss said...

I'm so impressed that you have so many curb options! I never see things around here. Except for a bar cart that I found one day that is great.

But I would pick up something in a heartbeat!

June 8, 2010 at 7:37 PM  
Blogger Stephanie said...

Love the chairs! Great finds!

June 8, 2010 at 7:39 PM  
Blogger The Brick Cottage said...

Man, good finds! We don't have trash days like that in our neighborhood.

June 8, 2010 at 8:23 PM  
Blogger Oona Johnson said...

So jealous! That is some good shit! My fiance used to bring home good stuff all the time when we lived in our 800 sq. ft. house. Now that we have three times that to fill, he says we have too much stuff! Where's the logic in that?

June 8, 2010 at 8:29 PM  
Blogger Renee said...

Wow I'm totally jealous! Those are some great finds! I wish my neighbours would start getting rid of old chairs!

June 8, 2010 at 8:59 PM  
Blogger Lynett said...

You guys are hilarious! I'm so jealous!! I go running around my neighborhood scoping the neighbors dumps and I have yet to find anything of value. Love the chair that's on top of the dresser. Great lines!

June 8, 2010 at 10:13 PM  
Blogger Debbie@Vintage Scout Interiors said...

Jeez Frickin' Louise- we never have "trash" like that around here! You need to have a post dedicated to all the fabulous afters for those treasures. I have been looking for a dresser like that for my son's apartment.

June 8, 2010 at 10:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You picked up some great stuff!! We don't have people that put stuff out where I live but I know if I went to the city I could probably find some things! Which I will once I have room for them!

June 9, 2010 at 12:29 AM  
Blogger Karen said...

Why don't I ever find anything good along side the curb? The best thing I've ever found was some empty boxes when I was getting ready to move.

Looking forward to your updates to the pieces.

June 9, 2010 at 8:01 AM  
Blogger Courtney said...

When I first saw the picture in the beginning of this post I was like What the heck?!?.. lol But I can relate.. we did this a lot when we lived in Ohio.

June 9, 2010 at 8:04 AM  
Blogger Stephanie Sabbe said...

those two are awesome! I grabbed a free chair today from Craig's List. If I had a garage I would be out of control. Can't wait to see where they end up!

June 9, 2010 at 9:01 AM  
Blogger Pemberley said...

People don't throw stuff out on the curb here. However I have so many childhood memories with my mother, slamming the breaks on when she saw a good pile. As a pre-teen my sister and I would slump down in the seat so no one would see us.

June 9, 2010 at 9:02 AM  
Blogger Revival said...

You can totally cover that chair yourself! Love your finds! I am always on the hunt.....

June 9, 2010 at 10:18 AM  
Blogger Danielle Sigwalt Interiors said...

I am known as the trash lady because of all the things I have found from the trash and refurbished. Most recently was a cane chair that I plan on spray painting black. Have fun with all of your projects! I know I enjoy mine, but boy my garage doesn't...it's packed.

June 9, 2010 at 10:23 AM  
Blogger Risa West said...

we don't have a big space so i've had to "curb" my collecting of furniture, etc. i haven't picked up anything on the side of the street, but the free section of craigslist in DC has been where i go to find stuff

June 9, 2010 at 11:12 AM  
Blogger Jenn said...

I *love* picking stuff up from our neighborhood curbs! The latest is a couple PERFECT bentwood chairs. Also recently, and my favorite, is a gorgeous huge farm table.

June 9, 2010 at 11:31 AM  
Blogger Sara @ Russet Street Reno said...

Wow, no one in my neighborhood ever throws away things like this! I'm so jealous.

June 9, 2010 at 12:47 PM  
Blogger Jill Marie said...

I hope you repost photos...I'm interested in redoing a chair or two and would love to see your end results. Plus, let me know any tricks you may or may not discover!
Thank you!!

June 9, 2010 at 12:50 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What a lucky lady to find such good trash pile treasures! I wish my neighbors would throw out more vintage chairs for me to reupholster!

June 9, 2010 at 2:11 PM  
Blogger Samantha said...

My bed frame . . . . and lots of other things.

June 9, 2010 at 4:35 PM  
Blogger alison giese Interiors said...

It's crazy to me that people throw away furniture - at least donate it, people! Oh well, their loss, your gain, right?
Wish I could plan a fun, trash-snag run sometime soon!

June 9, 2010 at 9:59 PM  
Anonymous From Me To You said...

This is amazing. You are a woman after my own heart! What great treasures!!! I got my vintage drinking cart off the trash on 96th street, lol. If I had space and a house I'd be doing lots of great projects like this. So inspiring! Thanks for sharing your awesomeness!
http://fromme-toyou.tumblr.com/post/378220871/one-mans-trash-another-mans-treasure-when-we#notes

June 10, 2010 at 10:38 AM  
Blogger LindsB said...

The thought of you and Jon trying to pick that up from the street is cracking me up. Great finds!!

June 10, 2010 at 11:35 AM  
Blogger The mad woman behind the blog said...

Love the chairs and OMG, we had that table. Dad kept his cigars in it and we had a horrid brass lamp that sat on it. I think my mom discarded in the mid 80's!

June 10, 2010 at 2:16 PM  
Blogger lauren @ gathering moss said...

my husband and i stopped in the pouring rain to grab one of those entryway storage bench/hook combo things from pottery barn last spring. we had just picked up our wedding invitation envelopes from the calligrapher, so i had to balance all the boxes on my lap for the thing to fit in the car!

i've gotten so bad (or is it good?) at collecting things that one of my husband's business partners snagged an awesome rocker off the side of the road because he thought i would like it...and i do :)

June 11, 2010 at 3:22 PM  
Blogger sanjeet said...

You two must have a blast.
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June 12, 2010 at 4:45 AM  
Blogger Hello Lover... said...

Great finds - my husband and i take things from the garbage as well. It's always funny when people are like oh I like that - where did you get it. And then I tell them it's from the garbage.

June 13, 2010 at 9:24 PM  
Blogger Shannon @ What's Up Whimsy said...

I just came across your blog and I am loving it! My dream is to become an interior designer, so I'm really impressed that you've taken the plunge! I actually just picked up a chair, much like the turquoise and lime one, but in MUCH worse shape! I can't wait to see what you do with them!

June 17, 2010 at 4:11 PM  

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