I love the 1950's wrought-iron patio furniture. Had a loveseat & a chair & just this week I got a table & 4 chairs FREE on craigslist. They're in beautiful condition & even have been re-upholstered in cute weatherproof fabric. I am so thrilled & wanted to show my friend/neighbor how i'd set it up on patio. She looked & said "Is that NEW?" I said "No, they are vintage... from the 1950's." So she replies " Oh, i'd never buy old stuff; I only buy everything brand new". I felt kind of hurt but also thought (but didn't say it) that it's awfully "common" to buy something that every 5th. person probably has the same, identical thing.... give me old, odd, vintage, any day. What do you think?
I agree with you - new isn't always best by any means. Your neighbour obviously doesn't appear to realise that there is real quality in vintage pieces.
It is surprising how many people consider new the only way to go....most of my aunts and their kids are that way. Your vintage stuff has already outlasted anything she has ever bought and looks so much better than too. The only things new in our house are the electronics, our furniture is either vintage family hand-me-downs or thrift store finds. I get most of my clothes at thrift stores too, the new stuff is just not my style, to say nothing of the outrageous prices for new.
LDHands... Enjoy it for yourself, Don't worry about what someone else thinks..It IS new, to you! But there are people who have a psychological issue with having "used" items in their possession. Maybe it is a childhood issue with never having anything new, everything was hand me downs. I figure if something hasn't broken by the time it gets to a thrift store, and if I buy it, chances are it isn't going to break while I own it, either.
Don't feel bad, I'm on your side! I once worked with a gal who hated antique furniture. She called it "someone's old stuff" or some dumb thing like that :-? I like things with history. I want something that has a story to tell, something that has been loved before. Like Toni said, the new styles don't do much for me. Actually I don't think it's any kind of "style" at all I have gotten some killer deals at thrift stores, resale shops and the classified ads! Plus, I don't feel as guilty spending $100 on a chair that someone paid $800 for originally, know what I mean~jelly bean? As for the neighbor, some folks just don't have any class :-| I bet your mid-century vintage/retro patio set is awesome!
Glad there are others who appreciate the charm & quality of the old. My first husband was a very, very wealthy man. I could have the very best of everything..... but I still shopped in thrift stores! I think it's the thrill of the hunt! Never know when you'll find that rose in the garbage heap!
I think that lady has 'keeping up with the Joneses'. Never did understand why something should be replaced just to have a new thing. Heck my mobile phone is 9 years old and working perfectly.
Hi, your neighbour has no sense of style or taste it seems,or she really likes your lovely old stuff and is too jealous to say she does. Second hand in a garden looks just wonderful....take no notice of what anyone says! An old gentleman who lived just around the corner from us died recently and his daughter told me to help myself to the garden...furniture, plants and garden ornaments[solid old concrete].It took me awhile but i pushed, dragged and towed it to our garden, it looks great and when I sit on the beautiful white fancy loveseat I think of our dear friend Alf. His daughter didnt want the 'old stuff' she was going to 'revamp' the garden, not a true gardener, true gardeners can blend it in and it looks stunning usually.
Don't let people like that get you down. My own sister is like that ... "I don't want other peoples old junk, I buy NEW" I find it very materialistic and it drives me CRAZY! I prefer the old stuff ... it has character and is built to last. Enjoy your patio set luvdirtyhands and don't worry about what the neighbor thinks!
Well, it's unanimous--you did well getting your vintage patio set, much better than you did getting your neighbor! She was rude, plain and simple. I love antiques--when we lived in upstate NY I was on a first name basis with every antique dealer in a 50 mile radius and dearly love the old pieces we have. The good gardeners here are also good with their home decorating and like vintage pieces inside and outside. You enjoy, and let your neighbor sit on her rickety, garish, soon-to-be-trashed patio furniture!
The things you got might be "old " but they are built of better quality than her "new" stuff and built in this country where the company suppied jobs to it's workers!
I like vintage and antiques too. Sometimes can be gotten for a song and when I was younger and furnishing my first apts. those are what I could afford. I have many vitage pieces in my home. My sons girlfriend also likes vintage clothing.
I get 80% of my clothing from Goodwill. On certain days I get things for 25 cents.Last week got top for that price-had tag on it $79. My Aunt owned second hand clothing. She would call us when RICH person brought things in. But my garden full of OLD things steel wagon wheels,2 man saw etc. Heck I bought my kitchen cupboards from customer. They was remodeling. Will be doing it again-doors and drawers falling apart
I did the same thing, koszta kid! I asked on craigslist for free kitchen cabinets & a contractor gave me cabinets from a model home that had been lived in for only 6 months. New owners wanted an "upgrade", so I got basically brand-new cabinets for nothing! One of the thrift shops locally has "family day". Everything except furniture is 50% off. Plus, I get 10% senior discount on top of that. I clean up sometimes!
One of my customer. Didn't like color of storm door.So asked how for it-free.About $300 door.And I also going to ask contractor for cup-boards for mud room. And they are tearing down a house.See about Ginger bread trim. And taking down barn -see about boards that are good for birds houses.
