I'm back!

Well after a long, unplanned absence I am back on the blog! There's no real reason for my absence, I just felt uninspired and like I had nothing to share. I have a number of updates planned over the next little while, but for now I thought I would share my latest purchase from the local antique (junk?) market.

It's a peacock painting! I have no need for any more art, in fact I kind of have more pictures than I have places to hang them, but I couldn't resist this cheerful piece (especially for $30!) Now I just need to figure out where it can fit.

Why I love Craigslist

I hate paying full price. Whether it's home stuff, clothes or whatever else I spend my hard earned money on, I'm looking to get what seems like a deal to me.

So when I first bought my condo, and was spending all my money on bringing it out of the '80s, I was looking to stretch every penny I had to go from just about zero furniture to a full 600 or so square foot's worth.

Enter Craigslist, the place where secondhand furniture goes to be reborn. As I scanned through those listings for the first time, it was like I had found my mecca. I plunged straight into the world of the second hand deal and have never once looked back.

Like many of the newly converted, I felt the need to spread the Craigslist gospel. It's sad though. I espouse my love of Craigslist to all and sundry, and I'm met with skepticism and derision.

Isn't Craigslist just full of Grandma's crap? (Yes, that plus more!) Don't people ask ridiculous prices for their "beautiful, like new, 15 year old couch"? ( Yes, yes they do!) Am I going to bring BED BUGS into my home from second hand furniture? (Well, possibly, but hopefully not if you're careful! And scary fact - some retail stores have had bed bugs too. Shhh.)

Anyway, I've seen the Craigslist light and feel driven to share it with others. So in my next post, I am going to tell you how to find what you never knew you needed and unearth the furniture jewels from all the coal. As I have also experienced the joy of selling on Craigslist, I will also at some point soon give my tips for a safe and easy transaction.

Bur before I go ahead and give away all my secrets, and to show that I practice what I preach, I give you my living room:

Please excuse my amateur blurring of the view out my windows.

And now a source list:

See there? What's the number one source of furniture in my living room, in fact accounting for 50% of the major items showing? Why, it's the list of Craig. And just to explain why I love that guy so much, well let's just say I paid more for my Ikea items than I did for any item I bought second hand, including my sofa.

Coming soon: my personal tips and tricks for finding what you're looking for on that giant wall of text!

Buy Second-Hand

I am an avid browser of Craigslist and other online listings sites. If I had a motto when it came to home design, it would probably be "never pay retail".

Unfortunately, while I am constantly spotting amazing finds that I would love to showcase in my own home, I live in a less than 700 square foot condo and don't want to be appearing in an episode of Hoarders any time soon. So part of the reason I started this blog was to have an outlet to share some of the items I come across in the hope they are perfect for someone else out there!

My first find this week is these amazing mid century chairs from GUFF on Queen East. The chevron/ zig zag pattern is so current, and they seem to be in great condition! If I had space in my living room and a bit of extra cashola, these babies would be coming home with me.

GUFF chairs, $365 each

How about going back to school with these lockers? I can see them as storage in a large, open loft space.

Lockers, $100

This gold toned trunk could look great in the right space, and the cedar lining is great for clothes storage. These types of trunks are in all the design stores along King Street East.

Gold Storage Trunk $250

I really like this wicker shelving unit and could see it left as is or spray painted another colour. The shape is unique and I like how the sides have an open weave.

Wicker Shelf, $60

This desk or table has great lines, and for $40 could easily be custom painted, although I kind of like the coral colour it is now.

Desk, $40

And last but not least, what about these coat hooks? I can picture them hanging in an entry way, right next to the front door. After all, nothing says "welcome to my home" like a bunch of severed baby limbs.

Baby Arms Coat Hanger, $45

Yeah. Ok, so maybe not. I never said everything on Craigslist was a winner.