Busy Week Recap Part 1 - Friday

Phew, what a busy week we've had! I started off this post planning to recap all the things we did this past week, but then I realized there were so many pictures to share from Friday alone that there was no way I could write about all our adventures in one post. So today I'm just going to write about last Friday.

It all started with a trip to an Oak Park estate sale with the amazing Leilani of the blog Thriftaholic. She's the only person I know who wouldn't kill me for texting her at 5:30am to coordinate our schedule! After arriving at the estate sale an extra 2 hours early and getting our names on the list, we headed out to explore the neighborhood, which was also home to the Frank Lloyd Wright studio. There were so many gorgeous houses I want to go back when I have the time to take even more pictures.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Studio

More of his studio

The house I think my mom should move in to. It's so HER!

 

Leilani (pictured) and I found this awesome 50's apartment complex. It was the coolest thing I ever saw! If only this was in Chicago, I would happily move in :)

When we finally went into the sale, the first room we walked into was this 70's cool YELLOW KITCHEN!!!!! Yellow is my FAVORITE color so seeing this kitchen in all of it's glory was like living out a fantasy.

Look at these cabinets! And that built-in!

The knobs and pulls are rad.

I've never seen knife storage like this! We wanted to buy it for ourselves but they wouldn't sell it :(

While at the sale I scored an awesome kitchen table, in yellow of course.  My other yellow find, this metal bookcase...the perfect store solution for our files at the studio. Major score. The owners of the house were both doctors and had TONS of vintage office equipment. I wanted to grab more!

I've been lazy and haven't photographed all of my other purchases yet but they'll be up in the store soon. In the meantime, head over to Thriftaholic to see more pictures including some of Leilani's finds. This weekend we're going on a buying trip to get the store stocked with new vintage for the upcoming Randolph Market. Afterwards, I'll be back with more pictures from our super busy week.

What are YOUR weekend plans?

Estate Sale Finds

Sorry for being away so long. My laptop's been in the shop for two weeks now and won't be back for awhile. In the meantime, I've been working on a bare-bones loaner laptop that doesn't have any of my files and programs :(  Technology definitely sucks sometimes!

Oh well. The good thing is that it feels like summer outside, we grilled burgers in MARCH, and I went to an AWESOME estate sale in Indiana today where I scored some fantastic new vintage wares for the store.

 

Gorgeous chairs perfect for your dining room. Set of 6.

 

IN LOVE with the coffee/tea/flour canisters. Thinking I should keep them...

 Found a BUNCH of playing cards. Aren't the owl ones adorable?!

 

New glasses. The "coffee" mug is actually from a thrifting adventure on Monday.

 

Books for the kiddos. I also got several fun toys too. Excited to finally start offering kid stuff!

Hopefully I'll be able to pull myself in from the warm weather to clean and photograph everything this weekend for the website.

What about you? What are YOUR weekend plans?

Used Friday: Winter Warmer

Remember when I told you Apt528 was going through some restructuring?  Well, here's one of the changes...Garage Sale is now Used Friday.  Stop by every Friday for great vintage and second-hand goods.

Today we're keeping you warm with cozy vintage finds. 

Clockwise from top left: Spoon Me, Fork Me Thermos, $10 (Back to You Vintage); Enamel Tea Kettle, $18 (Ethan Ollie); Mod Porcelain Mug Set, $65 (Sassy Space); 70's Nerdy Cardigan, $38.50 (Beta Por Homme); Lap Afghan, $22 (Finding Fabulous); Fantasy Fondue Set, $35 (Crank Heart Pony);

Thrifty Thursday: TV Edition

I'm a HUGE TV junkie which is why I'm so excited for the new TV season to start. Tonight marks the return of fall TV shows like Fringe, The Office, and Bones. To make sure you have everything necessary to maximize your TV viewing experience, check out the Thrifty Thursday: TV Edition.

Wooden TV Salt & Pepper Shakers, $8 (51VC); Avocado Green Sunburst Trays, set of 2, $12 (Tumbleweed Cottage); Mod Yellow RCA TV, $175 (bnagle); Floral TV Trays, $16 (Mod Owl)

Thrifty Thursday

Danish Modern Coffee Table

Location: Kirkersville, KY

Price: $65

This week's Thrifty Thursday comes from Kirkersville, KY. It's not the first town that comes to mind when thinking about places to score retro furniture, which is why I was pleasantly surprised to find this mid-century Danish coffee table in mint condition.

For more great Kentucky finds, check out the "Found on Craigslist" section of the sidebar.

Thrifty Thursday Review: Thrift Shop of Boston

Thrifty Thursday Review: The Thrift Shop of Boston

I'm a frequent shopper of the Thrift Shop of Boston and figured it was about time I share it with you. Located in the middle of Roslindale Village, the Thrift Shop of Boston is run by the Home for Little Wanderers, a charity organization that provides help and care for at-risk kids.

Pros: It's a small space but they really get a lot in there without it being crowded. Great for vintage items. We've found great cameras for our collection, some dating back to 1918. We were also able to find salt and pepper shakers from the 60's (we'd been looking for the past year!), dressers, records, and household items.

Cons: Not a good place to go if you're looking for more modern decor. Somehow the store hasn't left the 70's, which is great if you're a retro lover like me but not so good when you want something a little more trendy.

Perhaps the best part of the Thrift Shop is that 100% of the money goes straight to the Home for Little Wanderers organization. How can you say no to that!


Thrift Shop of Boston
17 Corinth Street, Roslindale, MA 02131
617-325-5300
Open: Mon- Sat: 9:30 am - 5 pm

Thrifty Thursday: Night Stands

Thrifty Thursday is back. Yea!!!!

To kick things off, we're looking at nightstands. I tried to go with something modern, but as it turns out, they stopped making quality, wood nightstands back in the 60's!

Chess Night Table

Location: Chicago

Price: $15

Now you can play chess until the wee hours of the night!

Retro Blonde Nightstand
Location: Washington, D.C.
Price: $70

Add a funky retro flair to your bedroom. Super cute and practicle with large drawer and small hutch for keeping things in order.
Also See: Blonde Bedside Table

Bedside Cabinets

Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii

Price: $60 (set of two)

Perfect if you're looking for a little extra storage space. Each stand has a cabinet and small drawer.

Also See: Bedside Storage

Shabby Chic Night Tables

Location: Ventura, CA

Price: $75 (set of 2)

So adorable! Curtains close off the cabinet doors. You can easily change the look of your room whenever you want by changing out the fabric.

Also See: Glass-top Nightstand

Black Mid-Century Nightstands

Location: San Francisco

Price: $85 (set of 2)

If you read my blog regularly, you've probably guessed that these are my favorites! Great price for such great pieces.

Also See: Mid-Century Tables

Thrifty Thursday: Get to Work!!

Orange Glow
Location: Winnetka, CA
Price: $40

This lamp will cast the perfect glow over your work space. Now you have no excuse not to have those reports in on time!
Also see: Yellow Desk Lamp ($10)



Movie Style Office
Location: South Omaha
Price: $125

This classic 50's desk is just like what you see in old movies. Grab a typewriter and you're good to go. Don't forget the buzzer for the secretary.



Swivel
Location: SW Portland
Price: $119

If you're going to grab the "movie desk" don't forget to grab a matching chair. You'll love swiveling around your work area in this chair.
Also see: Orange Steelcase Chair ($75)






Fun with Fiberglass
Location: Golden Valley, MN
Price: $75

There's something inspiring about a fiberglass shell chair and wire-framed desk. The light appears to be built in to the desk...SCORE! Also the perfect size for a small apartment or working with a laptop.
Also see: 70's Desk and Chair Set ($20); Folding Multi-level Desk ($35)


Mid-Century Awesome Desk
Location: Hampden, MD
Price: $75

This desk exudes mid-century charm. I don't even know if I could consentrate on my work if I had this, I'd be so busy admiring the desk! There's a deep drawer that looks good for files and three shallower drawers that would be great for holding color coordinated paperclips, pencils, and staples.
Also see: Dovetailed desk ($175)


Laminate Glory
Location: Post Falls, WA
Price: $30

I love this desk. It looks like the white top is made of laminate and once again there are tons of drawers for accessories.
Also see: Paul McCobb Desk ($300); Retro silver desk ($325); "Manly" vintage desk ($650)

Store Review: Streamline and the Darkhorse

I've been super busy lately apartment hunting, planning my mom's visit to Boston in a couple weeks, and trying to keep up with all our summer activities. It's been crazy! But, I always have time to go thrifting.

This time we checked out a couple of stores in Lower Mills which is on the Dorchester/Milton line about 20 minutes from Boston. The first place was Streamline Antiques, which specializes in art deco and mid-century items. Don't let it's small size fool you - there are enough tchotchkes inside to keep you busy for at least an hour! The first thing that caught my eye was an amazing orange vinyl chair with a teak base. It would be perfect for my apartment! We also found several great silverware sets, vintage cracker tins, dishes and glasses galore, and tons of jewelry. They had a great selection of books too...I purchased one on collecting mid-century furniture. There were two sisters shopping in the store with us who were amazed at the selection. They came in to browse and ended up buying new silverware, serving dishes, and plates for their upcoming dinner party. Who knew a second-hand store could be the new Crate and Barrel!?!

Our second stop was Darkhorse Antiques. Darkhorse is FULL of furniture and oddities. My recommendation: don't bring large bags or purses with you, otherwise you'll end up knocking something over! If you walk carefully through the cramped isles, you'll find majestic looking desks fit for a palace and massive mahogany armoires. They also have random things like chess sets made of bone china, a barrel from the old Baker Chocolate Factory, and neat cigar boxes. I'm going back for a set of chrome bar stools. They're cute and not like the typical 50's chrome stools. I plan on using them at the dining table once we get moved.

Streamline Antiques

1168 Washington St.

Dorchester, MA 02124
617-298-DECO (3326)

Darkhorse Antiques

2297 Dorchester Ave

Dorchester, MA 02124
(617) 298-1031

Thrifty Thursday: Cali's Got It

Fiberglass Greyhound Seats

Location: Culver City, CA

Price: $300

I was reading an issue of Dwell where they featured a set of fiberglass laundromat chairs that were redone by an artist. Ever since then, I've been DYING to have my own set. These craigslist chairs, taken from an old Greyhound station, are just what I've been looking for. Too bad they're in CA!

Olive Green Lamps

Location: Long Beach, CA

Price: $50

The sellers of these lamps have excellent taste, just look at the furniture! Add a neutral, cylindrical shade and you've got the perfect look. It's also worth checking if any of their other items are for sale.

Cherner Chairs

Location: LA

Price: $350

Teak chairs with black vinyl cushions. They appear to be in excellent condition. The bentwood and skinny neck adds the perfect dash of originality.

Signed Bookends

Location: Aliso Viejo, CA

Price: $75

Aren't these the cutest? They're just perfect for the owl trend going on in interior decor nowadays. Not only does the seller have the original booklet, but the ends are signed by the artist. Doesn't it make you want to read a book?

More Yard Sales

We went to another yard sale. This time it was hosted by Salvage Chic in Pembroke, MA. Be warned, it's a bit of a hike if you're coming from Boston.

When we first pulled up to the store, there was a hodgepodge of vintage housewares displayed out front. I'm not really into vintage furniture or decor, so I was a little nervous I wouldn't find anything to fit my 60's craving. Then we went inside where we found a store FULL of goodies. The setup is cute. There's a retro kitchen in the back stocked with cool retro and vintage kitchen finds. Make sure to open drawers and doors. In the ice box of the aqua-colored fridge (awesome find!) are an array of cool vintage ice trays. The cabinet drawers have neat old kitchen utensils and the cupboard shelves are stocked with dish sets. The dining area had a set of glasses we DESPERATELY wanted and lots of neat vintage toys fill the shelves by the register.



In the end, we walked out with some great deals. For $16 we got:

• about a hundred records for the bargain price of $10. There were several awesome records in the box including The Beatles. My favorite new record...The Village People!


• an orange fondu pot...the ultimate retro piece.


• a 1959 Polaroid Land Camera Model 80A. I did some research on the camera and found that it's the same camera used by Mary Moorman, one of the witnesses to the Kennedy assassination. Apparently she used the camera to capture several pictures of the grassy knoll before the shooting. She sold the assissination pic earlier this year on eBay for $175,000. I learn something new everyday...

My opinion, definitley stop in Salvage Chic the next time you want to find some great "new" pieces for your apartment. There are several other second-hand stores along the way so don't be surprised if you end up spending the whole day in Pembroke! Can't make the drive? Visit the Salvage Chic blog Diary of a Mad Antiquer.

Salvage Chic
8 Main St
Pembroke, MA 02359
781-293-4411

Thrifty Thursday: Yard Sale

I know I usually show you things on craigslist for Thrifty Thursday, but today I'm going to show you some of my own super finds.

Last week, Jerome and I finally managed to hit the thrift store down on Dorchester Ave. I have no clue what the name of it is and it has weird hours. When we saw it was open, we jumped at the chance to go in. It's a small, one-room store tight on space and huge on odd-ball stuff. You literally need to take a whole afternoon to just sift through the piles.

But it's worth it. For $80, we got:

-two chrome patio chairs (shown in my last post)
-a rare Hallicrafter Echophone EC-112 radio
-a vintage Yashica 8-ES video camera
-Haring, Warhol, Disney still in the package
-an original vinyl recording of the Happy Birthday song
-and a random record the guy threw in for free.

Our other great scores came Sunday when we went to a yard sale in Arlington. The description on craigslist mentioned several mid-century items so there was no way I could pass that up! For just $30 we got:

-Set of 6 Danish Arm Chairs




Several ceramic pieces



-A creamer and sugar set


-A Beach Boy transistor radio (shown on the shelf in the first pic)

-A set of vintage melamine dishes that I'm too lazy to take a pic of (for use in the living room of course!)
-A 1965 Olivetti adding machine

I can't wait to see what we get next week.

Thrifty Thursday: Let's Eat!

Lucite Dining Set
Price: $499
Location: Brighton, MA

The poster describes this futuristic set as "Star Trek". I can just see Spock at the table right now! Jerome's upset that I'm posting this...he really wants us to scoop it up. If you buy it, let me know so he can come by and drool on it!

Acrylic Starck Set
Price: $2000
Location: Far North Dallas

Gorgeous modern Philippe Starck dining table and chairs. They're selling the table and chairs for a VERY reasonable price. Get it now...I'm sure someone will snatch it up soon.

Funky Table
Price: Contact seller for individual prices
Location: McKinney, TX

The set as a whole is your typical Danish fare. However, the base of the table is pretty neat and comes with 2 leaves.

Danish Modern
Price: $280
Location: Southern New Hampshire

I'm a sucker for modern elegance when it comes to the dining room. This is a great price. The wood screens in the back are a nice touch as well. I'd upholster the chairs with a bolder color just to really make them sizzle.

Extendable Dining
Price: $350
Location: MA

I almost hate to see the seller get rid of this set - it looks so perfect in their house! The green wall color sets the tone and the apples are the perfect accent. The table comes with four lives that extend it from 2ft to 7ft so it fits in any apartment.

Thrifty Thursday: Take a Seat

Bentwood Leather Chair
Price: Email Seller
Location: Atlanta, GA

Great chair. The bentwood frame appears to be in excellent condition. There's also a SUPER vintage couch available complete with end wings. Contact the seller to find the price for the set or individual items.



Telephone Bench
Price: $40
Location: Denver, CO

I want this! With the low price, I could afford to have it shipped from Denver to Boston. Why couldn't someone local be selling this?! I'd switch out the purple vinyl for something tweed and comfortable.



Triangular White Bench
Price: $185
Location: Washington, DC

I love the shape. There's also an orange chair available but I like the bench better.


Bentwood Chairs...Again!
Price: $100
Location: Bainbridge Island, WA

I know I just posted a similar chair in black but I really like them in white. The upholstery needs to be redone but the frames are in excellent shape. The price is super reasonable as well. I think I need an old school VW van to go around the country grabbing this stuff up!