thrifty thursday: a craigslist tufted velvet sofa

I have been so excited to share my newest find with you this week {could you tell??}.

It all started when my little girl decided to color on our white sofa last weekend. I love my white couch, but not when it comes to wandering crayons in the hands of a 2 year-old.

our living room

We'd been planning to get another set of slipcovers for the couch, but I didn't want to spend the extra money {$50} for just the convenience of an extra set.

So anyway, on Friday, my mom came to stay {and brought blackberries and a BOX of peaches with her!}, and she and my Granny watched the kids all Saturday afternoon.

With our free time, Rob and I {okay, okay, I} decided we would go furniture shopping for fun. Oddly enough, we had never really done major furniture shopping in our 12.5 years together! We have had three brand new pieces of real furniture in our marriage, a leather couch, a desk, and a set of bunk beds, and they all came from Sam's. :)

So, we go furniture shopping. First to the La-Z-Boy store, where I walk in the door and immediately choke when I see the first fabric couch on display for $1300. $1300?? For my kids to destroy? I'd have to be crazy, or wanting to hide some money from the government or something.

And oh my goodness gracious, who can afford a $2000 recliner anyway? What?? A chair that costs as much as my first car???

We did one round and quickly made our exit. Ahem.

That was pretty much the story for every store we went to. Go, sit on a few car-priced sofas, try to avoid the salespeople {impossible}, and leave thinking new furniture purchases truly might never be an option.

And what's worse is that I didn't actually find a sofa I liked. I must be weird, because I didn't see anything I loved out of hundreds of couches.

The best deal I found by far was online from a local furniture store:

source

And for $700, she apparently was a real steal {remember the 2k recliners???}. But she only came in cream fabric. I'm not daring enough for that risky business.

So I mentally give up on buying new furniture. And after seeing what was out there, I was more than okay with that. We need pre-owned furniture. And something cute. :)

The shopping exercise was a good thing for me.

And so, what do you know, I search Craigslist again and find this just listed:

The seller says it's 8 feet long, in great condition, and no stains.

And it's $50. 

$50. For the price of new slipcovers, I can get an antique tufted velvet sofa. That looks like my favorite couch.

I email, expecting it to be sold, and to my surprise, get an email back saying it isn't yet.

I show the hubs, and he is in love, people.

If you ever want a used piece of furniture, it seems that all you have to do is take your husband shopping for the new version. He will have never been so happy to fork over $50.

Rob loves the picture of it. I love it too. But is it comfy? Will such an old couch really be in good condition? I mean, it's old.You know Craigslist people.

We arrange a time, and go to see it the next morning.

And it's not just in great condition, it's in incredible condition.

I went in almost hoping to find something wrong with it so he could come down from $50 {I'm cheap, I know}.

But it was perfect.

We sat down.

It was softer and more comfortable than 90% of the couches we sat on last weekend. And did I mention it was in perfect shape? ;) It was 50 years old, the owner told us.

Velvet. Tufted. Sofa. For $50. Not $700. This was like a blessing from Heaven!

We were sold. :D

And if it weren't good enough, he asked us if we wanted this {for free}:

Hmm...why, sure, we will take a free antique headboard. :)

We brought them home, and I loved the sofa even more:

I know it's still a light color, and it's not washable like the other, but for $50, I think we'll see how it fares in the living room.

Right now the kids have the white couch and the leather couch, and the soft couch belongs to mommy and daddy. :P

I'm debating whether to sell the white sofa. I still love the way it looks in the living room. And all three pieces still fit well. And all the crayon came out with bleach, which is the biggest benefit of the white sofa.... :D

Hmmmm.....

Decisions, decisions. ;)

Do I sell the white sofa we bought used as well and pocket the difference? Or do I keep it on standby for other rooms? I'm not sure yet.

Either way, I'm glad furniture stores exist. Someone else buys new, takes the hit, and I get to save {sometimes 50 years later}. :D



Q: Have you found a great furniture deal on Craigslist? I love a good find!