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Friday, April 30, 2010

Start The Car...Start The Car!

After making SuuUCH a big deal over my frugal find at IKEA in my last post.  I became worried that when I told you what it was you would be all....Really?  That's what I came back for?  

Big Whoop Dee Do Da?  

Yes it's true. I imagine you all that way, wearing bib overalls chewing on some wheat stalk.  
It's The Agronomist's influence in my life over the past 17 years, I can't help it.  So please don't take offense.

So, for you to truly understand,  I decided you needed the background story in order to truly appreciate how amazing this find was for me and Bungalow'56.  It is going to change my life.

I am beginning my story now....

A few years back we decided we needed a new dining room table.  

It was time to say goodbye to my parents original 30 year old dining room set.  In an attempt to spiff it up my aunt and I had painted it all dark chocolate.   But the chairs were falling apart and the paint was chipping.  Plus it wasn't big enough for us to invite another family over that was larger than 4.

It was decided. I was going to the Big City to pick out a beautifully oiled Harvest Table.  I knew exactly what it would look like.  A Pottery Barnesque beauty was what I was after.

But once I got there, my frugal nature kicked into high gear, I just couldn't hand over several thousand dollars for a table that my children were going to spill on, craft on, and hot glue on.  Plus none of the Harvest Tables could be made larger.
As I was pondering the cost we decided to go to IKEA to pick up a few things.

Well? That was the end of that. The table above was the one we came home with instead.  It was solid wood, it vould seat 12 comfortably, and it cost about the same amount a chair did in some of the higher end Harvest Table stores.  I felt good about our decision.  I wouldn't have to worry about every little scratch and permanent felt marker accident I knew was in our future.  
I came across our table several times during my four hour stroll through IKEA.  I like it in white.  A color that was not available a few years back.  In fact I always imagined painting it.  And It just so happens these are the chairs we purchased also.  They were sixty dollars a piece.

Here it is in our home.  Do you notice something is missing?  Chairs perhaps?  At least enough of them to seat a family?  You're right.  We decided to buy the....
BENCHES instead.  

But as the years have passed I've begun to dislike them.  I cannot use the word HATE here, as we discourage the use of that word in our home.  But I really, Really, REALLY don't like them.  It has become so bad, that I no longer invite visitors for supper.  Don't get me wrong, the kids love them, but for adults they are the biggest pain in the butt.   Especially if you are over, say? 5 feet?  We try our best. We pull out our old yucky office chairs and the piano bench along with some little stools for the adults.  

Can you spell embarrassment?  I really, really wanted chairs, but I couldn't justify the purchase so soon after buying the benches.
that is.... until I spotted these in the AS IS section.

These chairs were used in the cafeteria and have since been replaced with a newer design. 

There were six left.  And yes they are well worn, and there is some petrified ketchup I will have to clean off, but that doesn't bother me,  it's nothing a little elbow grease can't fix.

I like their shape and they are surprisingly comfortable and sturdy. 

The wood can easily be removed from the frames, and I plan on painting them some really fun colors.

Because... are you ready? 

For $5 dollars a piece it is sooo worth it.

PS If you are math impaired?
That means I just got a whole new 6 piece dining chair set for  $31.80
and yes it's true, I couldn't help myself. 
I yelled for The Agronomist to... "Start The CAR!... Start The CAR!"

    xo


I'm joining up to Frugal Fridays with LifeAsMom where you can find many ideas for saving money, as well as The Finer Things In Life
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19 comments:

  1. All the back story just makes this story even better. I can see them painted some fantastic colors, and wow! 31.80? Who could resist?
    You can always find a place for benches--outside, kids' rooms, anywhere! Find of the week!

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  2. Thanks Jen. Now I just need to figure out if and what color I should paint the frames?

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  3. I love IKEA, once I went it was like some sort of spell had been placed over me. We've found several things that work in our small spaces. I also think those chairs are amazing & agree with Jen. Can't wait to see what you do with them!

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  4. First, I love your kitchen--those tiles, that counter (peninsula?), love it!

    Second, SCORE OF THE WEEK! For sure. I once bought some used restaurant chairs for $5, and I am so upset that I only bought 2. Sure I was with my husband and three kids in a VW Jetta and we drove home with them on our laps... but still.

    Good for YOU!

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  5. No wonder he is so madly in love with you. I must stop my husband from EV-ER reading your frugalista posts, or you'll have a bonafide lovestruck stalker in your front yard, planting a GPS on your car so he knows your every frugal move.

    Curses, woman...way to make me look like crap.

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  6. What a find! I, too, live too far from an IKEA, so try to load up anytime we go. The last time it was in Florida - we live in Wisconsin- and I smushed several yards of fabric into my carry-on and carted a child's play tunnel to the overhead bin. We didn't even have a child yet - it was for the dog! Can't wait to see them when you get the ketchup off of them!

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  7. You are smart--and wonderfully foresighted! There is no better investment than a table and chairs. Holidays, parties, friends, relatives, memories--absolutely everything worth doing in this life happens around a dining room table. Think of all the pictures you will be taking for this blog with the table and chairs as a background. You are very smart!!!

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  8. What an Awesome, awesome trip you had at IKEA! Those chairs are perfect! and AWESOME!

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  9. Okay, first, that Start the Car commercial is one of my favourites! Second, that has to be the steal of the century. Those chairs are fantastic and $5.00 each!!! I so, would have been yelling start the car when I went out with those.

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  10. i am addicted to thrifting. with that said...i LOVE those chairs! they are so unique. and 5 bucks is a freaking steal, sista! now, please post them when you get them arranged in your dining room, k?

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  11. Oh you are too cute! Lucky you, you were able to score some new chairs! And at $5/each? AMAZING!

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  12. you are amazing! what a great feeling to score on those chairs! fun, fun, fun!

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  13. Wow! $5?!?!? That is awesome! I am so jealous that you have an IKEA where you live. Of course it may be a good thing that there isn't one around me or I might be in a whole lotta trouble.

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  14. OH HOLY COW! THAT'S awesome! $5 bucks! I love that you can scrape off the petrified ketchup, paint them and make them LOVELY and YOURS for soooo cheap! YOU are a fabulous FRUGAL FANNIE, DANA! ;-) WAY TO GO!

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  15. That is such a score! I have had the same dilemma and wrote about my Pottery Barnesque table I got for $400. Now I can seat 12 comfortably BUT I am in need of chairs for my kitchen (that was another post too) and well I am having a hard time swallowing paying even $60 for each BUT $5 -that would be amazing. You can even spray paint the frame to match the seats or just go c+R-a-Z_y!

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  16. I like chair better than benches. I had benches growing up. Stopping from Mom Loop.

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  17. I LOVE that ad!! My hubby and I always say that when we find a great bargoon!!! LOL

    Great find..love the as is...we got BOTH our big Ikea kitchen units there (the ones with the butcher board tops)..and last year we found a great stainless steel table/unit in the As Is also...we use it for the garden kitchen :-)

    LOVE Ikea!!!

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  18. AnonymousMay 02, 2010

    A steal of a deal ! the 40 plus people who sit at your table will be most appreciative for the backs! Awesome find my friend :)
    M.C.V ~via facebook

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  19. Chairs are always the most expensive part of the set. Great score!

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