apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Weren't Joanie and Chachi characters on Happy Days? With their own spin-off show? Great finds, however!

We had those same folding seats in my church when I was a kid. Uncomfortable!

In my apt everything has a story and people are amazed when they found out how much I paid for each item. I feel it shows more of my character rather than ikea finds . Do not get me wrong I have ikea pieces as well but I always try to accessorize them.

I wish I could do this as a full time job.. :-))

I am a thrift-o-holic! My current favorite find is a danish modern couch that I picked up for twenty bucks. Have fun hating me! I hate you for finding that awesome sad eyed girl for just two dollars. ;)

Mine would have to be this (http://tinyurl.com/32y54w) amazingly amazing cabinet in PRISTINE condition.. it wasn't $20, but oh well. I adore it.

I'm still waiting for matching danish sidechairs to magically appear for $20. I've been checking weekly for a few years now....still chairless.

We're on a constant-search for old mirrors to hang on the fence in our yard. Most we've found have been less than $5. We're going for that old English brick-a-brack garden look and were sad today when the municipal government reminded us we can't have a fire pit on our patio.

We found a Jens Risom 2-door cupboard for $20...the top is pretty scuffed up but the rest is near perfect. It had an AT&T sticker on it, so I suppose it was used at an old AT&T office originally.

OOOh I have a "sad eye" Keane that I found at a Goodwill for $2.00 too. It is one of my favorite finds. Thrifting is a bit of an obsession.

My walnut Decca hi-fi that I got at Goodwill in Cleveland for $25. (It even works!) They actually had a huge console hi-fi there as well that was just as cool (if not cooler) but the smaller one was the only one I could figure out how to get home. ;-(

My mom bought me a Swedese Lamino Chair & Ottoman set for $35

Just blogged some recent thrift finds at Living Small! Gotta love a good deal, and a sweet piece of castoff treasure.

amen! (going with the church bench theme). there are so many thrift stores in chicago but i don't even know where to start. i'm so envious when i read house tours and the owner says, "i got these heywood wakefield chairs for $1!" or better yet, "I found this eames rocker in the alley!"

Love love thrift shop finds. Scored a sofa $45 and an armchair $35 at a Salvation army and had them reupholstered. Great post! I literally love going from thrift shop to thrift shop in search of different things. Totally addicted to thrift shopping!

Not furniture, but I found a beautiful vintage silk cheongsang from the 60s. It was tagged at $5, but there was a sale at the thrift shop that day so I got it for $2.50.

I'm constantly on the lookout for great thrifty deals. I recently purchased a desk for $20 which was featured in an AT post last week. I also found a folding end table that was most likely used as a traveling shoeshine station. I've loaded up on plenty of great picture frames too, and I even found a terrific leather trunk...in the alley behind my house!!!

So the next question is: where are the BEST thrift shops in Chicago?

I had to post when I saw this. I too am an admitted thrift-a-holic...not ready to be cured yet...but at least I can admit it ;). My first find was in college. Two old medical cabinets (using them as night stands/end tables) from the 1950's...wood with laminate tops....$15. Found an Eames style chair at a thrift store for $10. Four Gunlocke chairs for $50. The biggest deal of all...vintage steel credenza, large desk, and two 4-stack barrister cabinets...already stripped down to the bare metal....$300. This one was a bit out of my normal shopping budget...but couldn't pass it up.

I love that feeling of finding treasures...even if someone else thinks it's trash.

I found nine 1949 and 1951 Thonet chairs at the Habitat for Humanity Salvage shop- they were $15 each, but I bargained the guy down to $10. Aside from a few tiny paint splatters on one, they were unscratched too.

I also found a walnut and cherry midcentury modern long oval coffee table with a drawer with the date 1959 on the bottom for $50. A very similar round one just sold on ebay for about $350.

Ohh good Topic!!

Favorite Find:

1972 Marimekko "Tuuli" original, perfect condition...

I love seeing the reproductions at CB2, and knowing I have the real thing....Its beautiful.

My entire blog is dedicated to my favorite thrift store finds -- mine and other people's. Chicago is such a fertile ground for thrifting, as is Milwaukee! My favorite thrift store is the Unique Thrift on Sheridan, with a close second being the Unique Thrift on Diversey. I'm sad that the downturn in the economy is forcing a lot of "mom & pop" thrift stores out of business. Those were where you could really find amazing deals.

Even though some of you are talking about furniture, i think i can beat anybody out on a good deal. I am a thrift store addict as well and where i live anything over $15 at a thrift store is expensive. Here is what i found:
A $500 Burberry kilt or skirt
About $75-$100 juicy couture knit cardigan
Aeropostale Coat that is brand new and still at aeropostale which is $100.
I also found a marc jacobs bag but is was marked with pen so i deciede not to buy it.