Go GREEN in 2012 - MY Vintage and Used Furniture

I ran across this article which reminded me of how I got started buying "used" furniture - it's called Vintage and Used Furniture: Find Green Gold link to full article

Here's a short excerpt:

One of the most environmentally smart things you can do is reuse, reuse, reuse…and furniture is a great product that can be used by multiple generations. At our house, we are huge fans of used– or as the fashion media likes to call it “vintage”– home furnishings. We bought our dining room set used and always get compliments. We have two used chairs, many lamps, a bench, a desk and some side tables. Used/vintage furniture adds warmth, history and serious eco-savvy to any home. Who knew our grandmothers were eco-pioneers when they used to go antique-ing??

The article goes on to describe places to buy - highlighting the Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Chicago markets with a recommendation to check out Craigslist and eBay.

This is old ground for me.  I would estimate that 85+ percent of my house is furnished with used items including decorative as well as practical goods (e.g., dishes, lamps, waste baskets, etc. etc.).  I got started while in college (no money) and was greatly influenced by my fashion-forward mother-in-law who loved to shop auctions and generally loved finding good deals wherever and whenever she could.  She dragged me all over and we found some wonderful things together.  I came to realize that this was a practical approach to furnishing a home on a dime but also found that the treasure hunt approach to home furnishing was a wonderful pursuit.  To this day, I dislike furniture stores and buying new things and vastly prefer her methods which I have only added to over the years.  It is the reason I have my business link to website

This morning I wandered around the house taking photos of some of my many finds - I actually have memories of where and when I bought most of these things!

Bookcase - Milwaukee Estate Sale Purchase (mostly used books)

Victorian Bookcase/Desk (Sandy Springs Estate Sale) plus Refurbished Chair 

Whitefish Bay, WI Estate Sale Desk (I refinished this one) - Chair (one of a pair from Marietta GA), books and lamp also bought used 

Pie Table from Madison, WI estate sale, lamp (one of a pair) from Buckhead, GA sale and Chair (one of a pair) from Dunwoody, GA moving sale

Original Oil from Dunwoody Estate Sale

Chair (as is - not refurbished) from Buckhead Estate Sale 

Old Pine Breakfront from Sandy Springs Moving Sale - most of the blue  pieces also used

Original Oil from Buckhead Moving Sale, Table (one of a pair) from Dunwoody Moving Sale and Chairs (one of a pair) from Alpharetta Garage Sale - lamp and decorations also used

Baker Table from Milwaukee garage sale (I refinished this one originally yellow) 

French Style Cabinet from one of Annie's Estate Sales as well as original watercolor pictures (blue pieces all used)

Table from Buckhead Estate Sale - Rug from Roswell Moving Sale

Victorian Chair - Milwaukee Sale 

Baler Sideboard from Annie's Estate Sales - Sandy Springs

Kitchen Dining Area Chair - one of six - Cumming Moving Sale