I'm on the market for an interesting entry-way piece of furniture, and of course I have no intention of buying new so I'm relying solely on Craigslist to find the perfect item. This is the only way that I house shop, basically. Lately I am really into Tansu chests, and am just waiting for the perfect piece to appear online to commit to at this point. You can find asian-inspired Tansu chests in a variety of colors and shapes, but the key feature is the hardware. The more the merrier. In some of these pieces every drawer seems to have a lock and bracket. The whole point of antiques is letting your furniture tell a story, and with that much hardware on one chest there are a ton of stories to be told.
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| Sure this is a hotel bathroom, but you could recreate this on a small scale in a powder room via |
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| Incredible hardware details. I am just blown away by how intricate these are via |
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| I wish I had never seen this because now any Tansu chest I find will be unable to live up to glory that is this red perfection via |
Items up for consideration? I have found a few options on my internet exploration that are possibilities, but I just can't seem to take the plunge yet. Holding out for "the one" right now, but I am sorely tempted by my local options.
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| Tansu Chest featured on One King's Lane (but event has since ended). |
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| Craigslist find. I'm just not sure about the burled wood pattern -- it almost looks like this is not real wood so I would have to check these out in person. |
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| So this isn't exactly a Tansu chest, but I am also quite smitten with this Craigslist find. I just can't quite stomach the $450 price tag. I am a real cheapskate sometimes. Also, if you want me to buy this, please don't style it with white doilies and sad ceramic figurines. It makes me question how cool and modern this buffet could be in my imagination. Sometimes these Craigslist posters are just shooting themselves in the foot. |
I know decorating with antiques isn't everyone's idea of modern living, but I love the idea of mixing antique furniture with modern updates. Old furniture (even from just a few decades ago) was just made so incredibly well. It is hard to remember, but American furniture was once a truly great enterprise, and nothing makes me happier than hoarding up discarded Drexel or American Drew or Lexington pieces and giving them a new life. Old furniture is typically solid wood and made with incredible craftsmanship -- it's a beauty that you just aren't going to recreate at Pier One. Luckily sites like Craigslist have really made it easier to bring these incredible pieces of furniture into your home without spending a fortune (and usually you can find items for great deals this way -- $500 for an entire dining room set? $50 for two end tables for the den? Yes, these are common prices if you are patient enough to wait for the true values on Craigslist. Just search for the furniture brands you love, and let Craigslist do all the work for you.
