Thrift Store Furniture and Why You Should Take Pictures of Your Home

I am sitting here feeling a little defeated as I write this post. It started as a post about this fantastic, rocking, rattan chair I got at the thrift store. 

Don't get me wrong, I do love this chair. It is super comfy and all it took to freshen it up was sewing a new cushion and freshening up the bamboo with Wise Owl Furniture Salve. (Get it HERE). I like the natural, boho look and the smaller size works better than what I did have here. But, yikes! In taking pictures of my home I realized I have stepped over the edge of eclectic boho to way too many styles and cluttercore. I guess the good news is that I recognized I have an issue.

Now, in my defense, I feel like all of my decor since we moved back to Montana is temporary because we have floors to refinish and walls to paint and new trim to put up. But good golly, temporary decor does not mean find a place for everything you love no matter the style or vibe.

I learned long ago that we see things differently in photos than we do when looking at it or while looking in the mirror. That includes how we see our home decor. When I started looking at pictures I saw the blue colonial chair in the background with the lodge looking, plaid, wool blanket on it. I have an antique school desk and an old school slide ladder because I live in an old schoolhouse. It is too much!!

This chair is sitting next to our big, clunky, leather couch. We had bought a new sectional a few years ago, but sold it rather than moving it back to Montana. We still had the leather couch and it will be replaced when we get floors redone. But, the couch looks like it belongs in a lodge too. The old games on the wall by the clock are cute and colorful, but add too much clutter. I have a metal washtub coffee table that looks like it belongs in a rustic farmhouse. UGH! 

We are headed out on vacation, but when I return I will be doing some serious editing of my home and the pieces in it. I will sell items, even some that I love, and definitely continue to hone my style and work to create a less cluttered space. I want a cozy and inviting home with unique pieces that have a history, but I also want a clean and cohesive look. I will share my progress. 

So, back to the chair. I typically try to cover the existing pad when I am updating something. But the pad that was on this was nasty and was so thin in the seat that I trashed it. I cute an oval from memory foam, covered it in quilt batting and sewed a cover from tan canvas fabric. I used strong, upholstery thread to take the foam inside in eight place on the oval cushion. it is comfy and I like that you see some of the bamboo back slats.

Next to my new ratan chair, I did add a round wicker table I bought at a garage sale. 

The top is a piece of plywood with water damage.

I painted the top a navy blue. It didn't get rid of the water damage of course,

But some strategically placed books covers that up for now. I do like the wicker furniture, especially for summer. I could see me enjoying something with more wood for the winter months.

So, there you have it--my new to me table and chair and why you should take pictures of your home, even if it does put a damper on your day.