I am super excited to hvae my first guest blogger! Dr. Sally was my favorite picker partner! But, she up and moved to the east coast on me and now I only get to see her a handful of times throughout the year. We still share our awesome finds, though. And, when she found the MOST AWESOME coffee table last weekend, I told her she HAD to blog about it. In her words…
I found it in a barn…
As you likely have learned about Michele, she can see the potential in what looks like trash on the side of the road, at a flea market, a garage sale, or even in a parking lot full of old construction items. For many years we enjoyed visiting the Rose Bowl Swap Meet together, and it was no surprise to me when she opened Knot Too Shabby—turning what seemed like Sunday afternoon fun into a business.
After moving cross-country and abandoning my swap meet partner, I still see furniture on the side of the road and have to resist the urge to pick it up and send it Michele’s way. I don’t want the furniture on the side of the road—I tend to find my furniture on floor model sales at Pottery Barn. But, after a visit to Northern Virginia in February, Michele inspired me to seek out something new for our coffee table situation.
Now, these side tables, put together, with one refinished and one in original found form have been good to us. I got them at the Rose Bowl Swap meet for $25 for the pair years ago. But, they just weren’t working as a coffee table combo.
So, last Saturday, my husband and I set out to find something new. I had discovered the Chartreuse and Co monthly barn sale. We trekked out to rural Maryland with some ideas of using a trunk for a coffee table or building something from an old door. They had these all in the first barn.
The second barn was frankly a bunch of minimally interesting items (aka junk) that was relatively overpriced.
But, barn 3 was the jackpot. As I usually do when I am not planning to spend money, I started taking mental notes and photos on my phone for Michele. Nothing like some East Coast shabby chic inspiration, right? And in the midst of that, I walked right past this:
It was right at the entrance to the barn, and only caught our attention on the second round through the barn after considering a trunk, an old cart, and some other items. I sent a photo to Michele, but as items were disappearing right from under our noses (I lost two items I had my eye on because I didn’t carry them around with me!), on an impulse I went up to the counter to ask to buy it. While standing in line to pay, Michele’s texts of her dripping drool over the item came through. I can honestly say it was the wheels and the detailing on the side that sold me.
The sales woman told us it was an early 1900’s furniture factory/warehouse cart. It has certainly taking a beating in it’s lifetime.
We loaded it up and hauled it home (this thing is HEAVY!) and planned to spend the next day getting it set up inside. However, it wasn’t quite ready for our home—it came from a barn after all. Several spider nests and other creatures needed to be dislodged, and a fair amount of dirt and grime needed to be removed. We also sanded the top a bit to make the surface smooth enough to make t bearable as a foot rest and not a hazard for guests.
It made it in the house, and I think it looks pretty good with the addition of some homemade accessories and a few things I had around the house.
Thanks Sally! For the record, I’ve been looking for a coffee table like this for a very long time and am not settling for one of those mas-manufactured, authentic looking knock-offs. I’m so jealous! But, congrats on the great find! 🙂
So jealous. An actual cart, and not a reproduction of the same. Love your accessories, too.
Jealousy is inadequate to describe how I feel about this table. ARGH!!!! it is awesome!
Thanks to you both. I made the accessories–styrofoam balls wrapped in yarn, and an old candy jar filled with buttons. I also got a piece of brown muslin and sewed it into a table runner.
I saw the same cart (not as old and from a different location, but the same furniture co) at Home Goods here in VA not long ago…for $100 more than I paid at the barn. It didn’t have nearly as much character and had different wheels. But, I about tripped on it in shock. Guess it is two of a kind.