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

  4. Meg says

    It is SO so so easy to sew slipcovers for chairs like these. I did my first slipcover project on a swivel, rocker armchair that was very challenging – especially for a newbie like me. It had rounded arms and a scalloped seat. I even sewed piping on every seam…what the heck was I thinking!!?? But it turned out beautiful!

    A slipcover for a chair like these really is so easy! Have fun picking out fabric – that’s the fun part!

    Reply

  5. Missy says

    My mom had an Astre station wagon. A very small car! She got a round dining table plus six chairs into it and drove from Illinois to Delaware. She found the set at an auction and fell in love with it soooooo…
    I think she had more nerve than sense!

    Reply

  6. Andrea says

    Like others, I actually like the chairs against the deep teal of the built-ins… another vote for leaving at least a couple of them in their original, hotel/conference-center glory!

    Have you seen all the paint-your-upholstery threads over at Apartment Therapy? There are many, ranging from the spray-on dye (and I am relatively sure they had a deep blue, though I don’t remember apple green) to folks who actually (deep breath) diluted regular latex paint with water or a textile medium, and used that! Everyone seems pretty pleased with their results, happily.

    Looking forward to seeing what you do with it!

    Reply

  7. Monica C. says

    What a find! For anyone who is looking…we ended up buying a set of two similar chairs from Target (“Avington Parson”) and I DO NOT recommend them. They were fairly reasonable at 2 for $140 (that’s the sale price, but they are almost always on sale). They look nice and receive compliments, but are not sturdy or well-constructed. My husband ended up having to reinforce them because we were afraid they would break when someone put any amount of weight on the back. Just a word of caution.

    Reply

  8. lauren says

    I honestly think the colors go very nicely in the room! It’s a fun look if you ask me. Slip covers will be good because they can be cleaned and what not. I love them! We need something similar because our kitchen is tiny and our dining room table and chairs are HUGE!

    Reply

  9. Amanda says

    I have a pair of stylized curved-back parson chairs that were upholstered in an atrocious ’80s ivy chintz, but had great lines and beautiful piping. So instead of challenging my upholstery skills and losing the piping, I decided to paint them. I used plain latex wall paint in yellow, let them dry, sanded, and repeated several times until they were covered well and perfectly smooth. Then I “glazed” them with a tan paint and waxed them with floor wax. The result? leatherlike chairs that wipe clean for the cost of leftover paint and wax! Very eco-friendly too. I can send you pics and detailed instructions if you want to hazard it on yours…. Good luck, whatever you do!

    Reply

  10. Lindsay says

    My best craigslist deal was 2 brand new bar stools for $35! The girl got them to use with her counter height table, but they were too tall. Just perfect for my bar though! Oh and they fit in my 2 door Honda!

    Where did you get your vase? I have one that looks just like it from TJ Maxx!

    Reply

  11. Daphne Rhode says

    Since you are already at comment 480 as I type this, I won’t be reading back all of them to see if this point has been mentioned already!

    Like it or not, don’t you think the parson chair fabric pattern is Sue napkin friendly?! Just saying…

    Reply

  12. Jill says

    Awesome score! Listen, I know nothing about reupolstering, but by using some textured off white vinyl I scored @ 50% off at Joann’s I was able to transform my heinous dr chairs with only a staple gun and some nail head trim. The bonus is that the vinyl is easily wiped up after my kids make a mess! Maybe there is some apple green vinyl out there?

    Reply

  13. Katie says

    I can’t wait to see what you do with the chairs!! If I squint a little I can imagine beautiful apple-green chairs just waiting to be sat on :) On a side-note, I am uber-excited right now because I just officially purchased cloth diapers for my daughter! I knew you guys would be excited since you’re just as obsessed with them as I am :) After 8 months I finally convinced my hubby to take the plunge and I can’t wait until they arrive! I ordered everything from amazon-diapers, wet bag, and charlie’s soap. Now I just need to get the diaper sprayer and I’ll be all set! I decided on the bummis easy fit pocket diaper which is essentially the same as the bum genius style you use on Clara but with velcro tabs instead of snaps. My husband took one look at the dizzying amount of snaps and promptly said-no thanks! So to make it easier on him we compromised with the velcro. And thanks to an Amazon coupon and some free shipping I saved about $34…not bad! Quick question, did you guys wash your diapers numerous times before you used them? I’d love any advice on how you “prepared” the diapers :) Thanks!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Wahoo! Congrats. We’re 10+ months in and we still love the same 12 cloth diapers that we got before Clara was born and they still look like new! As for how we prepped them, we just followed the directions that arrived with them. Don’t remember them exactly, but I think it was just a few washes in a row. Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  15. Val says

    If you try to dye store-bought slipcovers, test one first. Just because the fabric is 100% cotton or another all natural fabric doesn’t mean that the thread is also. And you could end up with lovely green slipcovers with hot-white, janky polyester seams (and yes, that is the technical term, btw).

    Reply

  17. Jill says

    It really doesn’t look too bad. But I understand when it’s not what you have in mind.

    As for interesting car stories…a couple of years ago I dragged my oldest son (then 17) up to Ikea. I had carefully measured the room a couple of times to make sure everything I wanted would fit. Unfortunately, I didn’t measure the back of the truck. We have a 1/2 ton Toyota and I needed to squeeze an Ektorp sofa & chair, a Hemmes credenza, coffee table, and three bookcases, plus the splurge discounted glass front bookcase that matched, a bar stool, and a bunch of misc household items in the back. It didn’t fit horizontally and my son was getting frustrated. I called my superman (aka husband) and he suggested using my vertical space.

    Up went the sofa behind the cab and everything more or less piled in and tied down. No sooner than we were heading home on 95, when I could see something falling off to my left. The sofa took a nose dive.

    Fortunately, everyone behind could see what was happening and no one was hurt. A van kindly smashed into the sofa to push it out of its way and a cop came and stopped traffic for us to retrieve it.

    After much complaining by my son (rightly deserved). We squashed everything in and drove 45mph down rt 11 back home to RVA.

    With a few reinforcements and tape, the sofa works perfectly. (Just don’t sit on the armrest :-))

    Reply

  18. Megan Carlisle says

    The fabric is crazy, and I understand your want to change it – but at least it isn’t terrible,they aren’t even really that bad! For the time being they look just fine. If you LIKED that sort of pattern it would be great, so for now – until you get them covered – we will all just pretend that you like that pattern and be happy that they are sooooo perfect :)

    Reply

  19. Cara says

    Great deal! I got a chair from the habitat restore I’m reupholstering right now. It is easier than you would think. I’m taking a class for it so that helps.

    Reply

  20. leah says

    I’m so glad you’re leaning towards slipcovering or re-upholstery – I’m not sure that you really could dye those chairs! The fabric looks to be a commercial grade “Crypton” fabric by Momentum Textiles called “Schmooze” (funny name – quite appropriate for the Petersik Conference Center!) Crypton fabrics are moisture, stain and soil repellant – used in healthcare, restaurants, hotels – specified by interior designers anywhere extreme durability and cleanability is needed. Like it says on the Crypton website:

    “No spills. No stains. No surprises. Nothing can penetrate Crypton.”

    The fabric is also a rayon and polyester blend, so I am not sure if that would take any dye.

    https://www.themomgroup.com/momtex.html
    http://www.cryptonfabric.com/commercial/why-crypton/performance

    Thought I would let you know… BTW – slipcovers are always beautiful and can be taken off and washed! Bonus!

    Reply

  21. Tracy says

    I’ve been wanting glass doors for our fireplace forever. It’s safer for when the nieces and nephews come over, but it’s also neater (the tri-fold screen thingy we have right now allows ashes and soot to tip toe out every now and then). I found someone on craigslist GIVING THEM AWAY. So, instead of paying $300 plus for a set, I’ve got my slightly rusted, vibrantly gold freebies just waiting for a scrubbing and a good coat of high heat paint. Can’t wait!

    Reply

  22. Elizabeth says

    Oddly the fabric seems to fit in with the dark blue behind the bookshelf. At least they aren’t some other crazy color. I would just do slip covers and not try to dye them. Sweet deal though, because they do seem sturdy and well made.

    Reply

  24. Carrie says

    Chairs look great! I love the shape, and if they are anything like the Ikea ones I just bought, they are SUPER comfortable!

    I’m having trouble finding a link someone posted a few days ago. It was to a site that would “watch” for certain items on craiglist for you. Do you still have it?

    Thanks! :-)

    Reply

  26. Blair says

    We bring home our Christmas tree every year in my 2-door Acura, with the hatchback-style trunk closed, thank you very much! (We’ve only had to tie it closed one year.) I also managed to fit 7 people in that car in college when I was driving friends around town. Definitely not the safest thing, but come on – 7 people in a 2-door Acura? That’s gotta impress you, right? :)

    Reply

  28. jenn says

    i had a VERY similar experience just a few weeks ago with my first ever craigs list purchase. the guy was quite a strange dude who took us into his backyard where he had a giant shed filled with random things he was going to sell. i am still surprised the garage door didnt close behind me and my life did not end that day.

    Reply

  29. Claire says

    I haven’t read all the comments, so I’m not sure if someone has suggested it or not, but Ana White has a tutorial on her site for making parson chair slipcovers. She uses drop cloths (which actually look really nice) but I’m assuming you could just substitute some of that cheery green fabric you’re hoping for instead. Just a thought. :-)

    Reply

  30. Nicole says

    Random question that has nothing to do with this post but hoping you’re feeling chatty and will answer. Are your white frames white-white or creamy-white?? I can’t tell from pictures. I’m planning to spray paint some frames and can’t figure out what color to get….Thanks!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      They’re definitely an assortment of white and slightly cream tones. They’re all from Target and Ikea, but even the ones from the same stores tend to vary by size and style. But they all look great together!

      xo,
      s

    • Nicole says

      Cool, thanks! I don’t know how you guys do this all day long… answer so many comments, etc. Do you ever just relax and not worry about answering comments? Don’t get me wrong, I’m appreciative of your answer, but get mentally exhausted just thinking about how much time it must take EVERY DAY.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yup, we checked out that tutorial back when we first pondered purchasing the chairs. Since they’re treated fabric we’re not sure it would work though- so we’re definitely leaning towards reupholstering or slipcovering. We’ll keep you posted though!

      xo,
      s

  33. Erin says

    I am always amazed at what I can fit into my car! :) Once upon a time, I drove a Neon and I had fit a full-sized office chair, a 7-foot Christmas tree and two side chairs in it.

    My latest Craigslist steal was the Crate & Barrel Halo dining table (with 60″ top) and four Pullman chairs – it was a year old (the owner was relocating overseas) and in perfect condition. Over half off what we would have paid retail. I am thrilled!

    Reply

  35. kat says

    What a great deal! What a score!
    Have you ever painted fabric straight on the piece of furniture? It works perfectly! And lasts forever. It does not feel “stiff” or weird….
    You could always try one and if you don’t like it, then you could do the re-covering thing….

    Reply

  36. Stephanie B says

    Neato! I’d use craiglist if my hubby would go for it. But he just doesn’t. We move here to Richmond from a much smaller town so we are hyperaware of safety sometimes.

    Reply

  37. Carla says

    Those chairs are great. They kind of look like children’s furniture next to that mammoth table, though. How high is the table surface when you’re sitting down? My parents bought a dining table a few years ago that is too high relative to the chairs. I’m tall but feel dwarfed eating at that table and need a booster pillow. :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thankfully we got the chair measurements from him before I sent John out, and they matched up exactly with the other parsons chair that we already own (in the living room at our desk) so we brought that in and double checked that it worked with the table. They’re actually the perfect height! Because eight chairs that were too short or too tall would have been super annoying, even at $25 a pop. Haha.

      xo,
      s

  38. Ronda says

    Dye = VERY scary indeed! Don’t do it, how could you ever sit on a dyed chair, wearing white pants especially, I’d freak out!
    Honestly, I think I’d have bought them upholstered in a fabric I liked. It just seems like WAY too much work, when you remember there are EIGHT of them! I do not envy that job…

    Reply

  39. Christine Cooke says

    I have three chairs that I have painted the upholstery.Both of them have texture like your chairs. They have been done for over six year now and are in perfect condition. When they are done they will look like embossed leather. You need to use interior semi gloss latex paint. It will take at least three coats and the first two will not look good but be patient. The worst that can happen if you don’t like it is you can slip cover them. They are great with children because you can wipe them down with a wet cloth.

    Reply

  40. Caitlin says

    If you guys are looking for some sturdy fabric to cover the chairs, I am loving Dharma Trading Co. (they are online)
    The fabric is good quality and pretty darn cheap. You can find canvas for 3.99/yd, or undyed denim for $7/yd (or crazy kinds of silk for really good prices, but not so good for chairs). It’s usually neutral colored, but they sell dye if you are really ambitious.

    Reply

  41. lcg says

    I actually like the fabric–a lot :) Maybe you should have bought a 9th one and strapped it to the roof–for the “practice chair”. Wish I lived in Richmond–I’d go buy some chairs for myself. Good luck.

    Reply

  42. Brandi says

    this ebay fabric is a lil on the wild side, but when I saw it I had to show you, it sort of reminded me of your inspiration napkin. hope the link works

    Reply

  43. Sara says

    I kinda like the pattern in a way. (Is there something wrong with me?) But all 8 chairs in that pattern would be too much. Maybe dye/slipcover half of them??? The wood color matches fairly well with the table. The colors seem to work in the space. What a great find.

    Reply

  44. Kristine says

    I LOVE your new dinning room table, where were you able to find such a unique piece? I have been looking for a new table and have been debating between a round a large rectangle, how did you decide which to go with?

    Reply

  45. kathleen of the lushers says

    Great find at a great price! Those chairs are perfect & with green slipcovers, they will look great!

    My husband & I just last weekend crammed http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90181973 this mirror into a Hyundai Sonata. We had to take off all the wrapping, have one of us push down the back seats, while the other person pushed from the trunk & then we had to move the front seats forward & drive 3 hours home. Worth it! I love it!

    Reply

  46. Christina says

    We have been stocking craigslist like crazy and come out with some great deals. We bought 6 nice, very solid wood chairs for $25 each, (they used to be in a hotel at Disney World–FUN!)two nice Kohler toilets for $100 each, some wooden columns, 8 shutters, and a chair! Whew! That’s a lot! Safe to say we heart craigslist!

    Reply

  47. Kathy says

    I love that you found some nice, sturdy chairs that will look like new once you’ve worked your magic on them.

    My car loading story: Last summer, I was driving in our neighborhood with my 6 yr old in the backseat when I saw a great freebie–a wooden love seat porch swing–on the sidewalk. I tried to get it into the back of my car but with my daughter’s carseat, I wasn’t sure I could manage it. A friendly lady who was washing her car said, “if you need to make room, you could leave your daughter here and come back and get her.” I truly think that she was sincere and didn’t realize how crazy it would be for a mother to leave her kid with a total stranger, but my jaw dropped. Whaaaat?? Anyway, I managed to stuff the swing into the back and drove off with it AND my child! eek!

    Reply

  48. Marla says

    yay! I knew you’d finding something great. Honestly, if you had posted this and said these are our chairs and mentioned nothing about changing them it wouldn’t have fazed me. They look great in the room around your table with the color of the built-ins in the background. But it’s probably a different story in person. Can’t wait to see what you do with them!

    Reply

  49. Tammy h says

    Last year when we just got married I found some chairs on cl and bargained them down to $30 for all 4. We just inherited some nicer chairs for free so I put the old ones up for sale and sold them for more that I originally paid! We got to use them for a year, then turned a profit. My husband was so proud :)

    Reply

  50. Handy Man, Crafty Woman says

    woah, I got nervous when you told about the guy bringing out to a storage crate, yikes! *cue psycho music*

    AWESOME find. I love those type of chairs. we have similar chairs around our table.

    I’d bee too afraid of dyeing them though. slipcovers all the way! :-)

    Reply

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