Shopping Around: Local Love for a Little Lutheran Thrift Shop

Praise God! I finally found a thrift shop in AZ with vintage finds! Back in South Florida, two of my fave spots to shop thrift for furniture wasn't the Salvation Army or even Goodwill - it was church thrift (See tab: Let's Thrift!). They aren't large chains, so they aren't raising the prices too much and usually, the donations to a church thrift store are (sorry to say) from a generation who have past away. Since this generation is known to hold-onto pieces (for decades) you can find good quality furnishings at a church thrift shop. Many of the pieces are right on trend with what vintage rehab stores (like Room Service - which is now called ModShop) sell to designers today. This particular shop (called Lutheran Thrift Shop) I just happened to wonder into - after doing an about-face while looking for another Goodwill to hit in Mesa. I seriously need a bumper sticker that says: 'WARNING - I brake for thrift shops' because that's just what I did, and happy in doing so...

 

Above is an image of a pair of end tables I know "I shoulda bought it when I saw it!" Fantastic color, style - AND brass hardware!!

 

 

Even Pantone's Color of the Year made an appearance at the church thrift! 

 

Not one but TWO distinctive high-back | tufted back chairs!

Can you see these in high-gloss white? And re-upholstered in emerald or fuchsia for color or for print, in empire trellis. Thrift Tip: To get an UBER high-gloss finish on your furnishings, check out your local paint & body shop to paint it for you.

 

Not from church thrift, but from the Goodwill I was looking for when I wandered in here... GREAT shades of green!

 

GORGEOUS lines and fantastic hardware...

Considering it's thrift, this piece was (IMO) over priced at $650 + end table at $49, but maybe a little negotiating good get it down :) 

 

Great Scandi or Mad-men style!

 

Although brass is HOT right now, this light fixture could also be fabulous in a color (red, hot pink, turq - or even black)

 

Upholstered legs are making their way back again - This was a great petite love seat...

 

The iris paintings are perfect for Spring - but even if the colors don't work - the frame itself is fabulous! (could cover canvas with you fave fabric - like maybe something from the 

NEW Nate Berkus line at Calico Corners)

 

Another unique & petite seat - LOVE the over-sized tufted pillow back! 

 

I nearly fell to knees when I saw the tambor doors on this piece!

 

(aaaahhhhhhhh - angels sing)

I think I may have to pass by The Lutheran Thrift Shop again today on my way up to Scottsdale to check a few last local spots before buying some pieces online for a project... I'll also need to add this to my list of thrift shops up above in the tab called "Let's Thrift!"

"A charming little thrift store that is operated by volunteers."

 

The Lutheran Thrift Shop

4517 E Main Street

Mesa, Arizona 85205

480- 218-1425

Shop Hours:

Monday + Wednesday + Friday + Saturday 9 - 4

Tuesday + Thursday 9 - 7

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Shopping Around: Comp Shopping Good Better Best

Funny how after all the years I worked in retail, I won't pay full price for anything. Between shopping off season, sales, discounts and knowing which sources to go to, I find ways to save money and still create a stylish look for a home (or now an office) on a small budget. It's not about settling for less, but being flexible and creative when creating a space. Even when I planned floor moves at JCP, I'd present three options - Think Good - Better - Best. I see myself doing the same process when shopping around for a project - wanting to get the most bang for your buck. Originally, I had included a beautiful piece I spotted online at ZGallerie - Blossom Melody - good, but priced at $300. When I took my client shopping, and showed her, she really liked it, but I sensed she was taken back by the tag. Keeping that in mind, along with adding up the other items needed for the makeover, I kept an eye out for a lower priced replacement.

ZGalllerie - Blossom Melody - $300

 

 

 

REVISION TO POST: Found exact match for a $200 SAVINGS

 

Blossoms Wall Art at Bed Bath and Beyond only $99

 

World Market - Garden Party

I thought I had found the right replacement at World Market - Garden Party by Jodi Maas - a canvas, slightly smaller than the ZGallerie canvas, but better priced at $99 and on sale for $79. The colors are perfect (the shades of green/blue) and the organic lines will be a great contrast to the Bradstreet Slipper chairs I found at Wayfair. But Saturday, the deal got even better...

 Lowes - Ode To Spring

While out Saturday, I popped in Lowes. No joke -- Out of the corner of my eye , while on my way to the restroom, I noticed that blue-green color in a box I had just passed by. I walked back to it and pulled up a great looking blossom canvas, even better than the one at World Market (because it had more blossoms, less branch and no orange) -- but the BEST part was the price: only $39.98 for Lowes - Ode To Spring Would you believe, I put it back... walked away... and said, "No, I'll regret it." So I went back and got it. When I put it in my holding space with the other items I've collected for the makeover, I couldn't be happier! This gives $200+ back into the budget to put towards something else (like a console table).

 

The colors keep changing in the light...

 

The Bradstreet Slipper Chair has blue + Green + Grey in it - LOVE it!

The picture on the floor is of 2 olioboards I printed to one cardstock for my notebook.

Patience pays and again, not all great deals are online. NOT that I'm knocking e-commerce at all: great to "know-before-you-go" shopping, what stores are  charging for the item you're looking for. Than you'll know if/when you're getting a good deal at a brick & mortar store. Some other finds I spotted at Lowes...

 AWESOME Greek Key pillow covers at Lowes...

 

Yes - Only 6.98!

 

Window panels with fretwork banding...

 

Since the blossoms canvas will be in the reception area, these two smaller canvas pieces can work on the bookcase in the office to give it a little color...

"IF" there is extra money at the end of the project, or the client decides she REALLY wants the ZGallerie one (and won't mind going over budget), I'll gladly go do an exchange run. And there is a pretty cool connection to the ZGallerie Blossom Melody wall art: the artist, Lynlie Carson, is from Arizona. In the meantime, its become an inspiration piece along with her existing Tao wall art to remain...

 

Client pieces (above) inspired the original concept (below)...

 

UPDATE: Space has been installed since post - and client (plus her clients) are THRILLED with the end result! Post + tour coming up shortly!

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

 

 

Shopping Around: Local Love & Fab Finds at Potato Barn

Over the weekend, I headed out for two days of sourcing finds at thrift shops, discount home stores and local shops for the office makeover. I already had done some online searching for prices, but even some places who had a lower price, would have a $55 shipping charge which to me is just throwing money away. That $55 could be used to buy a lamp. The main item I was looking for was a pair of dining room chairs - preferably with oval backs. Traditional in their style, you'd think that might be easy to find at a thrift store, and also a popular trend you'd think stores like Homegoods or even Ross would carry -- but no. I did spot a pair in TJMaxx, but they weren't the right finish (white-washed) or fabric (zebra print). I even contacted the owner at Sweet Salvage to see if any of their vendors had oval back chairs, but at this time they didn't. Come Saturday evening, I felt a little discouraged but tried one last local shop called Potato Barn.

Ding-Ding! Jackpot!

The Potato Barn is a family owned and operated home furnishings store in Arizona, established in 2002. Their showrooms (located in Gilbert and Scottsdale) are filled with unique home furnishings, featuring many one of a kind pieces imported from all over the world. The Potato Barn has everything to furnish your entire home, with a large selection of sofas, sectionals, chairs, entertainment centers, dining room tables, buffets, cabinets, dressers, headboards, accent tables and accessories such as lamps, pillows and candle holders. They carry an assortment of a wide variety of styles from olde world and rustic to shabby chic and even a few modern pieces.  Within their eclectic mix, they specialize in heavily distressed finishes and reclaimed woods.

 The least expense oval back dining chairs online are at Home Decorators (also linked to Home Depot + Amazon). They sell at $169 each PLUS $55 to ship and do not come in grey. A last resort is Target where they have a pair for $199 and free ship, but again, not available in grey. These local finds have more character. And the added bonus of a Parisian feel, which I discovered is my clients favorite place.

Since moving here, I had only gone into the store one other time, and thought they might be too rustic for what I was looking for -- but I actually spotted the mother load of oval back chairs, in a variety of finishes AND on sale! I may need to "tweak" the styling of my project just a little bit, but that's where being flexible in designing a space comes into play. When you find the style & price you're searching for, you think "how can I make this work in the space?"  

 

Chairs by Steven Shell.

Originally, I was thinking the chair frame would be black and the fabric in print. The chairs I found are more solid - with only a slight herringbone print and the wood finish comes natural, distressed black or a milky white with grey finish - which I am actually leaning more towards. Considering the chairs I found online were priced at $449 each (high), $600 for a pair (medium) and $169 each (low) PLUS shipping & tax - these local finds are only $95 to $125 each and no shipping expense. The two options to look into to 'tweak' their look is either to have them re-upholstered (which since their new I'd rather not do) OR just have nail trim added to them (which I think that's where I'm headed).

 

So comfortable and the crushed velvet texture 

can work well to layer the greys in the space.

The store also had a really good selection of that one special chair for the doctor to use during a counseling session. At first, we were going to keep her existing chair - just update the finish and re-upholster it, but then I found a new chair at Pier 1 in a cool print (center pic below). I snapped a picture of it to share (she liked it) and suggested she go give it a comfort test since it was nearby. I gave it a comfort test on Saturday, but to me it felt too firm. While at the Potato Barn, I found some other options - much more comfortable, styles that would work with the space, and one chair in particular that was lower priced (AND more comfortable) than the Pier 1 chair.

ABOVE: Chairs at Pier One

BELOW: Chairs at Potato Barn

Love the more traditional & tailored looks!

The Potato Barn showrooms are only open Wednesday thru Saturday from 10-6. Considering I popped in there at 5:30 Saturday, that's a good thing. It means the chairs will still be in the store Wednesday for me to meet my client there: she can give the chairs a comfort test and we can make the final selections for her office makeover.

P O T A T O  B A R N - G I L B E R T

4900 S. Power Road

(on the NW corner of Power & Ray - just off the 202)

480-279-5500

P O T A T O  B A R N - S C O T T S D A L E
9190 E. Indian Bend Rd, Scottsdale 85250

(off the 101 freeway & Indian Bend Rd. in The Pavilions)

480-745-3240

 Tip when shopping here: Bring your tape-measure, snap pictures and bring other room samples with you because unlike specialty chain stores, you can't do returns.

Other finds spotted while at Potato Barn - Gilbert, AZ...

 

 

 

 

 

(I literally laughed out loud in the store when I saw this!)

While out and about I saw so many wonderful finds - from new items at Ikea to Spring assortments at Homegoods,, a new store that opened here called DownEast Home, thrift finds at Goodwill and another (new to me) thrift shop I found nearby... plus a few other local stores I pulled into to check out. I want to share them all, but doing one post would be too long.  So this week (may need to be this month!) I want to do a series of posts focused on "Shopping Around". It's easy to have an unlimited expense account or larger budget to work with, but trying to pull together a comfortable + stylish space on a budget ($5000 or under) can be challenging -- but it CAN be done, if you know where to shop, what to look for or just hire me to do it FOR you!

Thanks for stopping by!