A New Backdrop

It's not too often that I find this many great things in the dead of winter. I spent $45 on everything in this post. All from charity thrift stores.

My favorite find is the Goodform aluminum office chair. These can fetch a lot of money for mid-century modern furniture collectors. I found a great website that shows many of the models of Goodform chairs (this one is #3325), and some history of the company that makes them, General Fireproofing Company. This is the second aluminum office chair that I've found on my junking journeys. You may remember that I bought a similar chair last summer - the one that I accidentally dropped on my foot.

I also found a 1950's strawberry tablecloth with 4 matching napkins, an ironstone brown/white transferware pitcher, a black painted parlor chair and a brown and blue plaid wool throw. I originally thought that the throw was new when I saw the trendy color combination, but then I noticed an old fabric label from "William Ayres & Sons, Philadelphia". It's an oldie.

The silver ice bucket is not marked - I have no idea how old it is. But is looks damn cool, even it is a circa 2002 tarnished bucket from Homegoods. I also bought the glass tea canister, the French vocabulary book and the 1939 illustrated book called "Where Did Your Garden Grow"?

Here are a few of the colorful pages from that book:

 

These books are from my local thrift store that offers a bag of books for three bucks. I made out pretty good this time. I looked up a few of the books on eBay, and found that five of them sold for $15-$25 each! The book titled "Stillmeadow Kitchen" seems to be worth the most.

And now, let us address the big fat orange elephant in the room. Yes, we painted our family room last week. I love it - Chris is still warming up to it. It is hard to tell from these photos, but it is an orange creamsicle/tangerine color. I found the paint chip at Lowes - it is an Olympic paint called Mandarin.

I was inspired by the colors in the pillow below (formerly a napkin) and decided to use the orange/green color combo in my family room and kitchen. It actually looks good with the dining room colors, too.

My neighbors have already started joking that our house looks like a crayon box. Screw 'em! Neutral isn't in my vocabulary.

PS: That rooster weathervane lamp is the first purchase I ever made in a thrift store (12 years ago)!

Comments

[Monkey Giggles]

The chair is very cool.

[julie (jane's apron)]

cool, cool office chair...and I love the orange.

[Rosemary]

Love the orange walls! I wanna paint one of our rooms orange too :) Rose

[Mitzi]

What a great bunch of scores! And I love the orange, with the pretty white trim... if only I were so industrious!

[nikki]

Love the orange! Very fun color. I've always wanted to paint a room orange but I just don't have the right place for it.

[Janelle]

Those are some seriously terrific thrifting finds! And I love the orange, it looks so warm and friendly.

[Joy]

Wow, those are some very cool finds - good for you!

[Chantal]

Words cannot express how awesome that colour is for your living room. I cannot believe that you and I have the same taste in vintage things AND that we have both picked the same kind of colour for our living room- I'm painting mine hopefully in the Spring a pumpkin shade...

[Sue]

You scored well!!! And I say "dido"! You can paint your walls what ever you like, it looks cool, and they are just jealous!!
Sue

[sharron]

The colors are so you!! Livin' Life out loud!!!
I may have to arm wrestle you for that ice bucket......
Thanks for making me/us smile today..
Have a Great week!!!

[Rosemary]

Who cares what the neighbors think!!
I love color!
You found some great stuff as usual.
Have a great week,
Rosemary

[junqueygal]

I love thrifting and am due for an adventure! Thanks for the inspiration & may you never be neutral! Kelley

[Sue]

Hi again Colleen, I have tagged you, please check my blog!!
Sue

[Deborah]

I love it all!

I'm having a giveaway - I hope you will come over and check it out.

[Meredith from Merchant Ships]

I used the exact same Mandarin paint on the inside of my dark green armoire, which I keep open for display.

To me, it looks like a ripe melon cut open.

The more I live with these natural colors, the more I grow to love them.

Here's hoping you will too!