Fantastic Finds

We've spent the last few weeks searching kijiji for anything that might be suitable for the new house.  With the cost of the electrical looming as soon as we move in, we know that we won't be able to buy a lot of new furniture, and this is a big house to fill! Part of the problem will be getting the right mix of furniture, lighting and accessories.  We love antiques and they suit the age of the house, but we know that too many will make it feel stuffy and old.  We don't want that!!  One of the things that I love about our current house is that we have found some amazing antiques, but with mixing on some modern pieces it still feels fresh.  I really hope we can achieve this same look at the new place!

Here are some of our most recent finds:

Duncan Phyfe Dining Room Set:  
We knew that our old harvest table, black press-back chairs and black buffet would be too small and not the right style for the new place so we sold them. I was really sad to see the table and hutch go.  The table had the most beautiful turned legs, and the hutch was one of the first DIY pieces that I completed, taking it from a 1970's nightmare to a more transitional piece with style.

To replace them, we purchased a large antique set from a lady in Markham.  If this set doesn't fill the new dining room, I don't know what will! We didn't take any pictures of our new set, so the ones below are the closest I could find.

 

The set consists of a double pedestal table with built in butterfly leaf, a large buffet, 12 chairs (6 with shield backs and 6 with square backs), a china cabinet and a small sideboard.  That's 16 pieces, and we paid $575 for it all! That's my kind of deal!  It won't all go into the dining room, and we will eventually get modern upholstered chairs, but for now, it will work for us.

Antique Mantel Clock
We have both always wanted an old mantel clock that would chime on the hour and fill the house with its beautiful sound.  When we went to look at the dining set, the lady who we purchased it from took us on a tour of her home and showed us many other pieces that she was looking to sell.  One of them just happened to be this clock.

We researched a little bit about the New Haven Clock Co. and discovered that they were the first clock makers in the USA.  This model, called the "Harmony" was made between 1915 and 1930.  We had looked at many other mantel clocks that were broken or missing the key, but this one is in beautiful working order.  When she said she wanted $50 for it, we took it!  Unfortunately, the chiming has kept us up all night on more than one occasion, so we aren't winding it.  Maybe we'll find a spot for it in the new house where we can wind it and not hear the chiming all night long!

Wicker Chairs
One thing we have seriously been hunting for is wicker furniture for the front porch.  Although we haven't found the right porch set yet, we did come across these beauties last week.

 
They are Ikea's "Byholma" chair with the "Mariberg" cushions, also from Ikea.  Purchased new, these chairs cost $120 each.  We lucked out and got 4 at $50 each.  They will go on the back patio (once we get it built) and will be great outdoor dining chairs.  We think they will look awesome with this table from Target.

Williamsburg Chandelier

I've been spending a lot of time contemplating the lighting in the house, and how to update it affordably. When we saw this little chandelier for sale last week, we figured it would be a good piece to get.

We don't know what room it will end up in, but I think it will be great in the office, our walk in closet, or even the main bathroom.  $35 seemed reasonable, and the style will suit the house well.

As we renovate and decorate each of the rooms in the house, I'm sure there will be more fabulous finds to share with you.