Young House Love

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Getting Cheap Dining Chairs From Craigslist

We finally scored some chairs for the dining room, thanks to this craiglist ad emailed to us by our friend Sandra (muchas gracias!).

DChairs Craigslist Ad2

You’re probably thinking: what are they thinking?! Parsons chairs? Yup, that’s exactly what we’ve wanted since day one. Thirty bucks? Yeah baby. Weird green and blue swirly pattern? Um… no comment.

But since the price was right (we actually bargained them down to $25 per chair, coming to $200 total for all 8) and the shape/lines were right (they’re solid and very well-made) we figured it was time to pounce (with some reassurance from a few online tutorials about dyeing fabric, making slipcovers, or reupholstering parsons chairs). So in the end we hope to end up with eight affordable and well made parsons chairs without this… uh… “unique” fabric. Hopefully sooner rather than later…

DChair Close Up Pattern

As for how we got them home, I borrowed my sister’s Explorer (since I knew we couldn’t fit them in our Altima without making at least three trips) and drove 90 minutes round trip to Mechanicsville to pick up the chairs. I wish I’d brought the camera (or was fancy enough to have a decent cell phone cam) because the guy selling them lived on a giant horse farm, so the scenery was beautiful. And since Sherry and Clara stayed at home (to make room for more chairs in the car) I wished that I could have taken some photos so they could see it.

The guy selling them was a real character. I expected to pick up the chairs from his dining room, but instead he led me back to a bunch of large storage crates in his backyard (I must admit this is where craigslist horror stories started flashing through my mind and I wondered if I was being kidnapped). Then he rolled up the door to one of the storage crates to reveal that it was FILLED TO THE BRIM with these chairs. I never got the story behind how he ended up with so many, but my guess is that they came from some hotel auction or something. All that mattered is that they were in good condition (solid, sturdy, clean, no pet/smoke odors, etc) and that he was happy to let me put a dent in his collection and leave with eight of those babies.

Here I am back home with my booty (that’s not a butt reference, I mean the chairs), cheesy pose and all (sometimes I defer to cheesy poses when Sherry runs towards me with the camera, you know, just to humor her). And yes, I was extremely proud of fitting all eight of them into my sister’s car in one trip. There was even a call to Sherry where I told her I could only fit six so I needed to make two trips with a big fat “just kidding!” at the end.

DChairs John With Truck

As a reminder, here’s what the dining room looked like back when it was chair-less…

DChairs Before Straight

…and here it is now with eight new occupants. Actually only seven are pictured because Sherry likes that more breathable look for “everyday” (we can easily add in the eighth one when we need it – until then it’s hanging out in our chaotic playroom with 99% of our other “extra stuff”).

DChairs After Straight

We keep having to remind ourselves to look past the crazy pattern and enjoy the fact that we scored a serious deal on the exact style of chair (with clean lines and solid construction) that we’ve been eying.

DChairs Vertical

The best price we’ve seen so far on any new parsons chair is around $85 (Pottery Barn sells similar ones for $299!), so as long as we can correct the swirly fabric for less than $60 per chair, we made the right call. Even if it means that our dining room looks a bit like a hotel conference room for the time being…

DChairs Up A Bit

Sherry found a few online tutorials for dyeing fabric directly on furniture that we might try (although dye = scary, so we might skip right to the next step, which would be to make slipcovers or reupholster them in the crisp apple green color that Sherry has been dreaming of from day one). So that’s the story of driving out to a farm and squeezing eight $25 chairs into my sisters car. Maybe you guys have recent craigstlist deals to share? Or an “I can’t believe I got that to fit into my car” tale to tell?

Comments

  1. sophie says

    you know, one chair in that pattern isn’t so bad,in fact, it could be kind of fun; 8 however, does start to look a bit hotellishly generic in an odd sort of way.

    They look great and will look fab slipcovered, if the dye approach doesn’t work out as planned.

    Great score!

    Reply

    • Sara says

      I was thinking the same thing. The pattern isn’t really all that bad, but I think a solid color would look more classic and less busy once you finish off the room.

    • bex says

      That’s what I was thinking too! Bold like the ‘ol napkin. Paint the legs white or a black-brown, and they *could* possibly stay that way. :)

    • mribaro says

      Me too! I thought – these are sooo YoungHouseLove colors and I had to read twice to check that John was really saying they didn’t like the pattern, ’cause at first I thought he was only joking.

    • Brigidanne says

      I agree. The pattern colors go well with the color on the bookshelf and the floor. The chair legs sort of match the table base color. Even the sofa in the office sort of goes with them. You could do a solid color window curtain in the green.

    • Tensy says

      I agree that they look pretty good as is. They pick-up the blue in your bookshelves and the fabric seems to be of a good quality. I would not dye these…just do slip covers if you must. You might use the extra chair with the desk in your kitchen.

    • Erica says

      I thought so too as I was reading the post! Although it would be more fun to customize them.

    • Jessica says

      That is exactly what I was thinking! In the photo I almost like the pattern, but I think over time it would definitely feel too hotel-y for real life.

  5. Katy says

    Oooooo! I like! And heck, even if you’re going for a throw back mid-nineties look, the fabric ain’t too shabby. Sort of coordinates with the existing color scheme. But who am I kidding, I can’t wait to see what you two crazy kids are gonna do with em’.

    Ah, friggin’ Monday morning, gonna hunt down some coffee in this wretched cubicle life.

    Reply

  7. Abby says

    Awesome find!! I vote for the apple green color–I love it!! My master bedroom is painted that color. I’m interested to see if dying the fabric works–good luck y’all!!

    Reply

  8. karen @ our slo house says

    Great find! They’re the perfect fit, although you’re right about the fabric:Sue the Napkin would totally throw a slushie on those guys!

    So let me get this straight: You’re going to dye the geometric-patterned fabric that is already on them?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We were thinking about it at first, but we’re sure the swirls will show through unless we dye them a dark charcoal (which could work but wouldn’t be very fun) so we’re now leaning more towards upholstery or slipcovering. Dye= scary!

      xo,
      s

    • Heather says

      An apple green slip on these would look great, and would be easy to do (especially if these are easy to take apart). The textile pattern would show through dark dye. The color might get covered, but given that the thread goes all different directions – it would end up as dark chocolate brown swirls. It could look nice, but it certainly won’t be apple green smooth modern crisp and clean fabric!

      As for small car stories: We will never try to pick up an almost too long piece of flooring in the Saab again at Mardens. My fiance (long before fiance status) tried that once and had it perfect…until it slipped and broke the windshield. We now only pick up such items in our pickup truck.

    • Sandra says

      Paint on upholstery = weird! Doesn’t anybody remember Hildy Santo spray-painting a couch on Trading Spaces??

    • Meghan says

      Hot pink painted couch in Seattle! And it wouldn’t dry… because it’s Seattle. And it rained. Hildy…

  10. KarenC says

    Call me crazy, but I kinda like the patterned fabric. It picks up the hints of green you have in the items on the bookshelves.

    I do think they would look better with darker legs, tho.

    It’s going to be a beautiful room when you get the walls painted and a chandelier over the table.

    Reply

  11. Maya says

    I don’t like the fabric in the abstract, but even this fabric actually looks great in your dining room! Such an improvement… now Stella really seems to fit in the room.

    We have a tone of “we fit that in our tiny car” stories… we have a Hyundai Getz (they don’t sell it in the US, but it’s one of those really small european-style hatchbacks) and we once even fit an enormous couch in our car (found on the Israeli version of Craigslist). Luckily we only had to drive it three blocks, because it WAS hanging out the back a bit… :)

    Hatchbacks are amazing if you need to haul stuff! I’d never get anything else!

    Reply

    • gk says

      fellow hatchback lover here! we’ve had a vw golf tdi for about a year now and looooove it. my mother (who initially disapproved of our tiny car) is in constant awe of how much we can fit in it. it fits much more than their sedan. most recently, we got a gigantic outdoor table and benches home from ikea in our tiny car. followed by 6 big bags of mulch and top soil and other gardening stuff the next day.

      also, nice score on the chairs. craigslist rocks. can’t wait to hear the slipcover/upholstery/dye report!

    • Susan says

      Our first car was a Hyundai Elantra hatchback. Loved that car! We drove five of us on three month-long road trips in that thing–all our stuff for a month in the back. And one of our kids is in a wheelchair which takes up serious real estate. Plus a stroller and pack ‘n play. When the Altima dies, get a hatchback. We were sad to trade ours in for a minivan when baby #4 arrived (but the baby himself pretty much made up for it :) ).

    • Emily says

      So true! I LOVE my Subaru Outback. It’s 15 years old and has hauled two dining room tables, two couches, moved me from MI to AZ, boyfriend from CA to AZ, and numerous other random items. Love me some hatchback!

    • Kate says

      I second the Honda fit!!! The most amazing car EVAR. Mine is named Henry, because I like to pretend he is English.

  12. Nicole says

    Love it! 2 weekends ago I found an awesome antique dresser with great lines at the thrift store. Got it for the great price of $30! turned out it didn’t fit into our car and ended up renting a $40 van to get it home…wish we had friends with a truck!

    Reply

  13. Martha says

    Cool! I can’t wait to see how you guys do the dying/reupholstery. I’m always scared to undertake a serious reupholstery project because I’ve never done it before and I’m afraid I will end up with some horrid looking furniture.

    Please share lots of details and pictures about the process!

    Reply

    • Maya says

      Come on Sherry, you can do it! :) Reupholstry is a lot of fun, and you’ll totally love sewing (and be great at it) once you get over your fear. Plus I can see you having a ton of fun with easy projects like making pillow covers out of Sue the Napkin. :)

    • aaroohii says

      U could totally get one of that slipcover and if it fits ur chair perfectly then just copy the dimensions of that slipcover to make ur own. Easier then measuring chairs and wondering how each seam has to be cut and sewn.

  19. Jennifer K says

    What an awesome find! I don’t mind the fabric too much, but I bet you guys will make them look even awesomer (totally a word). Can’t wait to see the process.

    Reply

  21. Rebecca L M says

    The pattern’s not terrible, but definitely a bit “busy.” I was wondering how they look next to your inspiration napkin.

    Reply

  22. Rebecca @ the lil house that could says

    I ordered my 8 parsons chairs from Target.com (they have great prices on new ones!). They came 2 in a box so I was anxiously awaiting my 4 boxes of chairs. However, UPS couldn’t leave them on my doorstep and we’re at work during their delivery times. So they told us they would only hold them for something like 3 days. I had a coupe at the time and my husband has a sedan…we could only fit one giant box per trip. So everyday after work, my husband would stop at UPS to pick up a box of chairs and on the last day (when they called me and threatened to send them back) he was able to get his brother to follow him in his car to snag an extra box!

    Such a nightmare. Needless to say, when my beloved 10 year old cavalier coupe died in July, I got an SUV….

    Reply

  24. Tracy says

    Yeah, I really liked the fabric on the closeup. But eight of them is a bit much. Anyway, congratulations on the great find!

    Reply

  25. Amanda V says

    Heck, the pattern really isn’t so bad. I do agree with the others that 8 chairs in that pattern is a bit “whoa there!”

    I think y’all should probably skip the dye-ing job and go straight for the reupholster. These cahirs would not hard at all to recover, plus you could keep the leftover fabric for some fun pillows tossed here and there.

    Just a thought, what a great find!!

    Reply

  26. MissCaron says

    LOVE IT. I actually like the fabric pattern, too… think it really is not bad. Live with it a bit and see. If anything, I’d make slipcovers but not try and die the fabric while it’s on the chair. I have a feeling that won’t turn out too well. Good luck!

    Reply

  28. Amber V. says

    I have never really been a fan of light wood floor but yours look gorgeous in these pictures.

    I’m looking forward to the chair makeover. Best wishes!

    Reply

  29. Sarah says

    I used to own a Ford Explorer, which you can cram soooooo much into.

    In college my then-boyfriend and I ran a small business selling used Apple laptops, which we picked up on the cheap from the Maine State Surplus Warehouse. On our biggest run, we fit 195 laptops in their cases into the back of that car! We drove extra slowly on the highway home that day :)

    Reply

  30. Melanie says

    I always wonder what on earth they were thinking when I see upholstery like that en mass. BUT… those chairs have great bones and will indeed look great with a little love.

    Reply

  31. carolyn says

    Great score! I agree the pattern is not really my style but it’s not horrible either. Just looks like hotel furniture.

    Reply

  32. Kris @ the expat diaries says

    I actually don’t mind the fabric. It’s not a keeper, per say, but they definitely look OK hanging out in there until you figure out how to green them up. Great find! I love the style and lines…they look fab with your table.

    Reply

  33. Sara B. says

    The fabric is not terrible, kind of a muted “Sue.”

    Dyeing could be dicey. I wonder if the batting under the fabric would hold up. Slipcovers would probably be a safer bet, plus you can guarantee the outcome.

    Great price score!

    Reply

  34. Lara says

    Wow! Great job, guys! The color certainly could have been much worse. I know you’ll come up with something great for the covers, and in the meanttime, you have a ton of practical seating!

    Reply

  35. Nicole says

    Nice find guys! No Craig’s list horror story, but I did drive accross Canada in my 4 door Acura, with all my belongings and my husky in the back seat. On my way out of town I stopped to say goodbye to my mother in law, and she tried to give me some homemade jam to bring for my husband. It honestly didn’t fit in the car. I had to leave it with her. I couldn’t have fit a pencil in that car, if it was worth a million bucks! What a road trip!

    Reply

  36. Addie says

    Great score, John and Sherry! How do you check out the construction on something like that, to make sure that they are well made?
    Thanks!
    –Addie

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      He actually included more info in a follow up email we sent asking about them (he named the manufacturer which we googled around for – and found that they were extremely well made with a high weight limit – makes sense that a hotel would get “good solid chairs” to last for the long haul, but it was nice to be sure).

      xo,
      s

  37. DebInNYC says

    I heard the “psycho shower scene” music playing as soon as I read, “large storage crates in his backyard.” Glad you are home safe and sound with those awesome chairs.

    They look as if the material has a textured swirl pattern as well. Would that show up after the recolor?

    Reply

  38. Debbie says

    Yeah, I agree with the others. The pattern isn’t bad until you group all 8 of them togheth. But what a great score! I can’t wait to see the end result. Oh and I think you meant “muchas gracias!” :)

    Reply

  41. BarbaraB says

    omg I can’t tell you how putting chairs at that table changed the entire look of this room to me. That table stuck out like a big empty spool of thread. But NOW, now it looks gorgeous! And call me weird but I actually like the crazy pattern.

    Reply

  42. Mitzi says

    I am love, love, LOVING the shape of these chairs around your table–can’t wait to see end result. oh, and way to go on the bargain!

    Reply

  45. Meghan, UK says

    Oh, wow. Kudos on the long-term vision – I wasn’t sold on your round table until I saw those chairs sat around it. Congrats! They look fantastic! Having fit a solid wood table and 6 chairs into our car before, I also want to high-five John for managing it alone! Will you be leaving the chair legs dark, or do your envisage paintwork in the future?

    Reply

  46. brandt @ NewHouseOnTheBlog says

    Honestly, I might be a bit weird, but the color isn’t TOO bad. Yes, it has a bit of that hotel conference center look, or the look of chairs that are used in business meetings, but the colors aren’t HORRIBLE. They actually bring a bit of life into the room, compared to sucking it out (which many of those chairs do).

    That being said, we moved our entire apartment (just my wife and I) using brains, braun, and a 2003 Chevy Tracker. Mind you, we had to make a ton of trips, but it was a crowning achievement in our then-newlywed state.

    Reply

  47. Andrea Phillips says

    my hubs and I just scored a four poster mahogony bed from craigslist for $250 and somehow we were able to haul it home in our camry station wagon (the trunk may or may not have been tied down with a slightly sketchy rope and one of the legs could have been sticking partically out of a window)…it was a grand friday night adventure!

    Reply

  48. Carole says

    yay, chairs!

    we traded in our minivan for a 2010 Mazda 5 (better fuel economy, drives more like a car, but *6* passenger capacity). We always get oohs and ahhs from people at Lowes/Home Depot about how much we can fit in it. (no, I’m not a mazda dealer :)

    For longer pieces of lumber, we’ve been able to stick things out the sunroof. Last weekend, though, my husband was lazy, and put some lumber lengthwise so that it rested against the gearshift. Unfortunately, he hit a pothole, and the lumber shifted him into neutral! He was able to coast to the side and readjust. I always tell him that there are some stories he should just not tell me :)

    Reply

  49. Hannah says

    Awesome find! Did you think about getting 10 or 12 chairs instead of just 8? I know that you guys have mentioned that your giant table can fit 10-12 people for when you’re entertaining family, and having extra nice chairs (instead of basic folding chairs) could be nice.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We did consider that but we figured that once we have our island in the kitchen (and have opened that wall) we’ll have additional seating for about 4 more people. Plus we could set up a kids table in the office. Or bring in chairs like the office ones and the brown leather parsons one in our living room to add around our big round table. So instead of storing a ton of extra matching chairs we’d just rather use the ones we already have in other rooms.

      xo,
      s

    • L says

      Do 8 chairs actually fit around this table? It looks like the seats of the 7 already almost touch under the table. There is no way 10-12 chairs would fit around this table. I would love to see a pic of the table with more chairs around it if it actually does. Why would you want a random chair stashed in another room the rest of the time?

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes, I promise I’m not lying. Haha. Eight fit, they’re just angled & pushed in a bit less (since when people sit in chairs they’re not tucked under as much, and therefore not nearly as crowded). You can see eight other chairs (two of them much bigger with arms) pulled up to our table here. As for the other chair, it’ll live at our desk in the living room (see our House Tour page for that visual) since it’s the perfect spot for the extra parsons chair once its reupholstered (it’s just in the playroom until then since the pattern is too crazy to stare at in the liv. room while trying to relax). Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  50. heyruthie says

    as a few other posters suggested–as much as i dislike the fabric, i have to admit as a “temporary” fabric, a lot of the tones are eerily reminiscent of Suem if not a dated and uglier version….long term solution? no….in a pinch? honestly, they could have been hot pink. these actually work with your decor until you get them “fixed.” go, Craigslist!

    and should you ever need, like 1 or 72 more….you know whose door (er, storage shed) to go knocking on! bonus!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha, it’s true. We love that if we decide we need ten it won’t be a stretch to get those two extras now that we know there’s a giant storage container full of them!

      xo,
      s

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