Secondhand Furniture

Most of my furniture is secondhand. Some it was purchased from a thrift store; some was handed-down from friends or relatives; some was scavenged from the alleys.

It’s not because I’m poor or sloppy or have bad taste. For the most part, I think my collection is rather nice—and contributes to a unified bachelor-pad aesthetic.

I like old stuff because it has history. I like to speculate about the former lives of my couch and dining room table. Did they belong to a nice old woman, or maybe a family of four? Were they proudly purchased for a young couple’s first home? Maybe they sat in somebody’s basement.

Part of each piece’s history is the way it captures the design idioms of its time. My faux-wood–paneled television may not sport the latest technological wonders, but I prefer it’s homey charm to the sleek black boxes in stores today.

Then there are the prices. You can’t beat a $20 armchair or a free end-table. I can also satisfy my anti-consumerist impulses by recycling, or buying from garage sales and small thrift stores.

My furniture doesn’t come with the chemically-charged aroma of “newness”, but I wouldn’t trade it for an entire catalog of Ikea merchandise. Besides, my stuff is sturdier and more comfortable than anything made of pressboard and styrofoam…even if it doesn’t jive with the latest trends in home decor.

Here’s an inventory of my secondhand furniture and appliances.

Reclining Chair
My buddy Gabe sold me this chair when he moved. It’s a plush tan recliner. I like lounging next to the window in the summertime.
Price: $25
Status: Great condition, still in use

Wheeled Kitchen Cart
It was left behind when I moved into my apartment. I wheeled it into the living room, where it acts as a mobile shelving unit for my electronics equipment.
Price: Free
Status: A bit wobbly, still in use

Television Set
My friend Tom sold me this late-80s beauty from his college dorm room. It gets perfect reception, and has a faux-wood paneling on the sides that looks hella cool.
Price: $20
Status: Still in use

Lime Green Couch
Love it or hate it, you gotta admit it’s unique. This thing is straight outta the sixties. The colors are modern, but the styling is traditional.
Price: $65
Status: Still in use

Leopard Print Bar
In my old apartment, this freestanding bar held a place of prominence. It looks a bit out of place in its current position, but it’s a handy surface for sorting mail, writing bills and of course mixing the occassional cocktail. Like the TV, it has a shiny fake wood top.
Price: $65
Status: Poor condition, but I keep it for the utilitarian value.

Antique Singer Sewing Machine
This is a strange thing for me to have, but it makes a great side table when folded up. I have a lamp on it. My mom found it in somebody’s garbage.
Price: Free
Status: Still in use

Early 90s Microwave
Again, with the faux wood surface. Do you see a pattern here? I guess I like my technology to look like it isn’t. This was handed down from my grandmother.
Price: Free
Status: Still in use

Early 80s Microwave
This sat in my kitchen for a while, but I never used it. I was too afraid of radiation leakage. This monstrous unit was about 4 times larger than today’s microwaves, and weighed about a ton.
Price: Free
Status: Returned to its previous owners, 1999

Orange Swivel Armchair
I still sit in “Old Orangey” every day. This bright orange chair is ugly and raggedy, but very comfortable. I like it so much, I gave it a name. It sat in a childhood friend’s living room for years, and now it sits in mine.
Price: Free
Status: Getting old, but still in use

Wooden Desk with Chair
My sweet sixties retro desk belonged to my mother in high school.
Price: Free
Status: Good condition, still in use

Wheeled Metal Filing Cabinet
Nothing particularly special about the filing cabinet, other than the price. It has a beige finish, rather than the usual gray.
Price: $10, garage sale
Status: Still in use

Dining Table
I found it in an alley. It’s sturdy and durable.
Price: Free
Status: Still in use

Two Matching Table Lamps
Handed down from my great grandmother. I have one in the living room and one in the kitchen.
Price: Free
Status: Shining

Window Air Conditioner
Price: $100
Status: Still in use

VCR
Price: $15
Status: Still in use

Mini Fridge
Price: $25
Status: Retired, 2002

Weight Bench
Price: Free
Status: Working out