After lunch last week, I stopped by The White Attic, a store I wander through at least once a month. Usually, I peek around at all the gorgeous furniture and head out. This time, I became mildly obsessed by a vintage highboy, in a price range that was doable, but high, especially at the start of the holidays.
While I often see things I love and move on just fine without them, I couldn’t stop thinking about it all night and asked my husband to go see it the next day. After a long conversation and camera phone pictures sent to my mom, we decided it was worth it and took the plunge.
We knew it was worth it because, in addition to being beautiful and well-made, it could replace our IKEA BENNO that’s seen better days and is now, in all it's open shelved, media-equipment-filled glory, a favorite target for our curious one-year-old. If we move, the highboy is versatile enough to work as something else, from an entryway piece to a china cabinet. It's also from a local store with great owners. And of course, less practically, we both love it — a requirement for major purchases in our home.
We’re not alone — house tours are filled with pieces their owners just “had to have.” The home goods that make us the happiest are often those we thrifted for a steal, found at a local market, or made ourselves. But sometimes, even the thriftiest among us encounters something wonderful that seems worthy of a splurge. Perhaps it's a midcentury table we've searched out for years, an unusual chair that fits perfectly in our home, or a painting that ignites that soaring I-Must-Own-This feeling. No matter what your budget, chances are you’ve splurged on something for your home. What compelled you to finally make the purchase? Are you happy that you did?
Image: Kathleen Luttschyn
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Oh my gosh- I just splurged on that exact same dresser last week! I've been searching craigslist for months trying to get just the right dresser at just the right price. Then I saw this one and it was "have to have" at first sight, even though it cost a bit more than the rest I've looked at. It's so worth it!
That's a gorgeous piece! A thing of beauty is a joy forever indeed. If you absolutely love it and it's something you use and look at everyday, it's worth a splurge.
I know it's not furniture or anything but i had to splurge on a burberry scarf which makes me happy every time i wear it.
Something is worth the splurge when you believe you won't find anything of the same quality, or when it qualifies as "one of a kind."
We "splurged" on side tables because we love mid century furniture and as it is when shopping in vintage stores, when it's gone - it's gone.
Room and Board can make another bed - but unless you have a time machine, you can't get that exact 1960s walnut dresser again. Snooze, you lose!
That is truly a great piece! Worth the splurge!
I tend to get obsessed with items. I have to give myself a deadline if I can't stop thinking about it for a week and I can afford it and I have the place for it, then I can get it. I also try to find ways to pay for it other than just taking the money out of my checking out. I will then look around my apartment for something to sell on craig's/ebay.
That's a lovely piece of furniture. Was the front painted white?
I have an inexpensive (<$200) Bassett highboy chest from the early '60s in fabulous shape and have not had to tighten a single thing in the 2 years I've had it. BUt I would certainly pay more for something elegant and vintage that really works for my space.
I think when debating on whether or not to splurge, the feeling is, and you put it out there already: Obsessed.
When I become obsessed with an item and can't stop thinking about it for days, that's when I know. I've never been disappointed about acquiring an obsession. Congrats to you on your gorgeous piece! I'd love to see pics of the inside.
@EclecticDS - Yep. Hubby lets out a long sigh when I tell him we have to go to our favorite vintage furniture store NOW, because he knows that what we want might be gone (and they don't put holds on anything).
When you've researched it and taken a few days to think about it. If you're still obsessed with it a few days later, buy it.
But only if you can pay for it in full.
wow - beautiful dresser!!! enjoy it :)
may i ask where you got it!?
thanks
@clampers - Ditto, though I can see how it would deter a lot of people because a lot of vintage stores require you to pay in full, and it's hard to save up before buying vintage items. My advice to people who can't pay off a large credit card bill at the end of the month is to save the money you want to spend, then start looking for furniture. Don't start looking until you have the money in hand. You'll just torture yourself.
It's worth the splurge if:
-everyone who lives in the space loves it
-it's not going to empty your pocketbook (only pay in full - no credit)
-it can be used for different things since chances are you may move
-if it's still in fairly good shape
I am so glad you were able to go back and get this piece. It is beautiful. Sometimes, waiting and debating will make you miss out (like the night stand that I pined over at Danish Modern LA, I am still kicking myself).
My most recent splurges have been art related...buying 2 originals (a sketch for myself and a watercolor for my sister) from our favorite artist. They were worth EVERY dime!
Mmm, splurging. Like you, Kathleen, it has to be an item we both LOVE.
My husband and I recently splurged on a painting. The artist is established enough that the price tag hurt, and we could have purchased two or three paintings from someone just starting out for the same price. But... I'd been obsessing over his work ever since I saw it a year and a half ago. His artwork was only going to keep going up in price, so when we found one we BOTH loved, how could we say 'no'? Especially when we had the money right then to buy it outright.
It's not a practical purchase, but I don't care. It was a wonderful splurge, and I smile every time I look at it.
This has long been one of my favorite lines of furniture. It's the Brasilia line, made by Broyhill in the early 60's. If you search on Brasilia on craigslist, the pieces do come up on occasion, and sometimes at fantastic prices.
Definitely splurge-worthy.
First, I got the vessel sink I wanted, and we (meaning everyone in the house minus my 2 yo) appreciates it, oohs and ahs over it, and loves it. So while expensive, it was a success.
Second, I've been lusting after a chandelier for over two years. My husband understands the obsession, but refuses to bend until we're ready to do our Kitchen/Living Room. I'm totally willing to wait for it, but know when the time comes there will be some arm-twisting due to the price tag. However, he hasn't been able to fault my design sense so fingers crossed.
@Cashew - who says art isn't a practical purchase? It contributes to mental and emotional health!
I am so curious. How much did it cost?
There has been a Brasalia dresser at my local Salvation Army (Route 1 Saugus MA) for over a month. They're asking 20.00 for it before they send it to the dump. I guess nobody's wanting it because the top has quite a light scratches in it, but if you refinish it like this, it would be something lovely.
ditto oriontradr- that's actually a bedroom piece from the Broyhill Brasilia collection. We have furnished our dining room, master bedroom and part of our nursery with pieces from this line. We painted the drawers of our nursery pieces white because some veneer damage and we had duplicates of the pieces.
Sometimes a splurge is in order if you don't have the time or patience to wait for the right piece at a lower price. Or if you need something to complete a room. We "splurged" on our fridge because we really had no other option (we were limited by the size of our fridge nook and wanted something that was bottom freezer) so the fisher-paykel that never goes on sale it was.
I don't know how much you spent on your splurge, but I'm sure it's worth every penny, since it's a highly desirable Broyhill Brasilia chest from the early 60s. No wonder you couldn't stop thinking about it! Are you going to restore the doors to their original finish? If so, it will be even more valuable.
And, to answer your question, I have a rule of thumb for splurging. If I think about something obsessively for more than 24 hours, I know I'm supposed to have it. I don't have much trouble rationalizing self-indulgence. :)
@Pi - Yes, it does make me very happy. :) But I'm an artist, and our house wasn't exactly lacking art in the first place, which is why it wasn't a practical 'need.' We just ... wanted it. Just because. And I was pretty sure I didn't have anywhere to put it. That's the hardest splurge to make, if you ask me: you can't reason it out - you just want it!
My husband and I splurged on a sideboard. It was waaay over our price range (well into 4 figures and it wasn't even antique) but every time we went into the store we looked at the demo piece and pined. We did our due diligence - considered settling for something cheaper but nothing got our hearts aflutter like that piece.
After 2 years, we bit the bullet and put down our 30% deposit and waited the 3 months while it was hand made and shipped to Vancouver. Luckily, a week after we put the deposit down, the price of the piece went up by about 15%.
I've had the sideboard for 2 years now and I still occasionally stick my head inside and smell the solid oak it's made of. We ended up decorating our kitchen/lounge/dining space around it.
As splurges go, this one was definitely a winner.
I love White Attic and they do a beautiful job of refinishing but I just couldn't bring myself to splurge there when I was decorating recently. I got a Broyhill Brasilia credenza in good, albeit not perfect, condition on Craigslist for 15% of the price they were charging for the same piece at WA. At some point I'll want to touch it up but even if I paid someone to do it professionally rather than spending days on it myself (unlikely, I'm pretty handy so I'll probably DIY) it would still come in at half the WA price.
That said, if you love it, will get plenty of use out of it and you can afford it, a splurge is always justified in the long run.
Enjoy!!!!
This past spring, my roommate, a friend and I decided to take a maple syruping class. On the final day, when we were boiling down the syrup, we had a two hour break from tending the fire, so we went into "town."
It was there that we discovered the Almelund Mercantile. Half antiques and crafts, a quarter grocery and a quarter soda fountain/ice cream shop, none of us wanted to leave.
I found a really cool butter crock that I knew would make the perfect Mother's Day gift, but that's not why I'm posting.
In the back of the mercantile, under some old hand planers and a wooden duck, was an army trunk. It was worn. It had an address on it, and the address was half a mile from my first apartment. The lock is broken on it, and there are muzzle stamps in the top.
Just looking at the trunk, I knew there was a story. I didn't know what the story was, but seeing an item like that that so got my imagination wandering... I couldn't leave without it.
$40 later, I walked the trunk out to my Jeep Wrangler, folded up the back seat, and set it in. Its footprint exactly matched my trunk.
---www.bymaggie.com---
That piece is beautiful and I can easily see why you splurged on it.
This is a little off topic, but how do you guys feel about two-tone furniture in general? This piece is clearly beautiful, but I've heard others say it looks dated.
The reason I ask: On our last trip to Ikea, my husband and I bought a STALL shoe cabinet, which comes in two boxes. Well, he accidentally got two different colors so the frame is white and the drawers are brown. I didn't see it until he had already put it together, because he put it together by himself as a treat to me while I was at work.
I actually don't hate it, but I was curious to hear some other opinions.
I am of the rule that if I am not sure about something I walk away and think about it for a selected timeframe... if after the hour/week its its still on my mind I go back to get it.
If its been sold then it was never meant to be!
But there have been times that I've gone back and things have been in the sale - that's even better! (a Barcelona like chair 1/2 price a dkny bag 1/2 price... they make me smile even more than the splurges cause I've "saved" money! lol)
I don't know what you paid, but I think it must have been worth it. It is a gorgeous piece.
That's normally not my style, but I really like that piece!
So far we haven't splurged on any furniture because we're not sure how long we'll be living in this country, but in the future we'll probably splurge the most on designing a great kitchen.
Wow, you just bought PURE ARCHITECTURE!!!
Beautiful beyond words!! Oscar Niemeyer would be proud of you....!!!
For me, if I think about something as I'm leaving the store, that night, the next day, then yes, I will consider it and go back to get it, or order online later on. This applies to shoes, clothes, everything. But if an item is affordable and something I need and was looking for anyway, I will buy right away.
If I am lusting after something that is readily available in the mass market (like the Crate and Barrel Colette bed, in my case) I will sometimes ponder it for months or years, until the price no longer concerns me, or I have saved up enough money to buy said item, or I see the item on sale. (Sales do happen occasionally on even the staple furniture items at big box stores!)
k2yhe --
I hope you go get that Brasilia dresser, clean it up and sell it on eBay - You could get at least $250 for it, if not more!
I have one that I purchased for $500 - one of my best purchases ever!
We just bought the same chest a few weeks ago and love it. Got an amazing deal on it and couldn't be happier. It's one of the two Brasilia pieces we've always wanted.
Ours can be seen here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gonkedglookedslurped/5172144424/
It's too bad that someone painted yours. Are you going to try and refinish it back to the original state?
I splurged on bookcases made of recycled wood from Sundance. Each piece is 36" x 12" x 12", and I got six of them. With tax and delivery, the bill was $1,000.
I bought them only after searching countless furniture outlets. Their versatility stood out: I can stack them in any configuration. At the moment, they are in two stacks of three each, side by side.
I've used them as media storage, a china cabinet, and even as bookcases. It was their versatility, and their classic dark red painted finish, that made them a must. They are not scene stealers, but terrific supporting cast.
Wow! Good pick. Very beautiful.
I don't understand the appeal of mid-century modern. I wonder if it's a Gen Y thing. But I am about to splurge on hardwood floors. :) With pets and a child on the way, I want my home clean. :)
I can't wait for my husband to love it. He's a guy who would be fine living with fold out chairs, a ratty lazyboy and a dirt floor. ;)
Edward Wormley Walnut Surfboard Coffee Table - More than I wanted to pay that day while thrifting but I had been searching for something just like it for over a year and this one had design pedigree. I still sigh when I see it :)
My new studio is so tiny that indulgences like soft, super plushy rugs go a long way. It would be too expensive to cover the whole floor of a larger space.
I don't have room for lots of furniture, so I'm not minding spending more for a bit of luxe wallpaper and other decorative items.
Whoa! This is great - I love the Broyhill Brasilia line. Crazy enough, I got this exact piece [not with white paint], a matching credenza and 2 side tables down state about 6 months ago for 50 bucks. Ridiculous! Great find, holidays will be merrier with this baby!
I think it's hard to resist when you have maybe just a vague idea of what you want - something to fill that space or that function - and then you walk into a shop and there it is, that perfect whatever. Quality & price are of course important, but the desire has gotta be there.
Thanks everyone!
To answer some of the questions, yes, the front was painted by The White Attic, where I bought the piece. Two-toned furniture (which I happen to love) is a specialty of theirs. If I ever decide to sell it, I might stain it, but I love it the way it is now and it works well with the other dark wood furniture in our living room and the white fireplace it sits beside. Kudos to those of you who are considering redoing a Brasilia piece yourself – if you can find one on Ebay or Craiglist that’s fantastic!
I agree with the other posters about that keyword: obsessed. A few months ago, I went into a consignment shop that specializes in high-end mid-century modern furniture here in Dallas. There were two end tables that were gorgeous, but I'd gone in to look at two others from the shop's website. After sleeping on it, I went back and bought the gorgeous (and expensive) tables, instead of the decent but well-priced tables. I spent 3x what I had planned on, but I had the money for it, and I don't regret it one bit! The fact that I could not stop thinking about them was the tipoff that I needed them.
Between the time I purchased them and their delivery, at least twenty people asked the store owner if they could buy them (one lady told him she'd pay him twice what I had paid, if he'd refund my money and revoke the sale!). Thank goodness the store owner was an honest guy, and I got my tables!
I splurged on my couch and dining room table because they're such dominant pieces and it's unlikely I'll be switching either out any time soon.
I'm obsessed with a certain large mirror and will have it shipped from the U.S. to Germany although the shipping costs as much as the mirror itself. Fortunately, my husband loves that mirror too, so it's not only me. :)
I'm about to splurge on some good windows on my 22 year old townhouse. I love, love, love fresh air in the summer and any time the weather is decent. Those windows can be a pain to lift. I hate putting up plastic on windows in the winter, as I've done for the first two winters that I've owned the home. Even though there are any number of other things I could do with the money right now, and I only have half of it in my pocket, I am willing to make a short term debt for a long term investment. I think you should splurge when you can clearly see yourself enjoying a thing for years to come, and when the pleasure of it is tantamount to making your life a little more pleasant, whether it is functional or not.
Well, sometimes one just has to get that certain piece of furniture that simply speaks to you. I am smitten by Sarinnen chairs I bought in vintage condition and while I was on vacation I found the perfect table to match the chairs. I simply had to get it.
I just splurged on a royal blue Rangemaster Cooker with brass handles! I just wanted it sooooo bad!
http://www.rangemaster.co.uk/range-cooking/classic-90.aspx
It will arrive in about 10 days from now! I'm SO excited!
It was the only cooker I wanted, so since April (7 months!) I have been without any cooking device but a BBQ and an egg-boiler!
I was saving up for my blue beast - and it is so rewarding to know that it's finally going to happen :D
Christmas present will be a little less costly this year as a result ;o)
But I think it is well worth it for the investment.
I don't know which is more difficult; parting wth your money, or parting with your pride.....when I know I just got to have something-whether i'm in an antiques shop, or driving along BridlePath, I just have to give my husband ' that look', which means he knows he has to trust me on this one-let me Have it!
I saw the credenza once. It stopped me on my tracks, but I had no space for it, so I moved on. Wonderful piece. Congrats.
I have to chuckle just a bit. My folks have a large portion of the Brasilia line. Their bedroom, living room, and some of the dining room are furnished in Brasilia. In fact, my dad has the piece pictured above (though with the original finish) It's going strong after over forty years! It is so weird to me to know all the furniture I grew up with is highly collectible.
I have the same standard for home items that I do for clothes; I don't buy it unless I absolutely *love* it. It ends up being a pretty high standard; I don't take stuff home that is just "good enough."
I picked up a pair of Broyhill Brasilia twin headboard/footboards at a garage sale last summer. They were painted white but I want to get them back to the wood. What color stain should I use? Or do I just use Tung oil? Thanks!
I never really splurge - don't have the money. But if I ever do, it will be on a Noguchi lamp.
Your piece is really lovely. I love the piece painted white, I hope you don't refinish it. I'd love to see photos of it in your home.
I love the White Attic. I bought a high boy there last summer to replace two smaller Ikea dressers in my bedroom. I went back about four times to look at the piece, looking around in the meantime for anything else similar that would work with the space I had. Two Glogg slushies at Midsommarfest and one additional visit, and it was mine. It's perfect and I don't regret it at all. Congrats on your lovely purchase!