You guys. Have I got a story for you!
I’ve been on the hunt for a vintage leather couch for what seems like my whole dang life. The search was kicked into overdrive when the orange couch was moved into the storage unit. 2 weeks ago an ad popped up in the nearby area section of Craigslist (you guys have seen that right? When you have a specific search typed in it will pull things from the Craigslist in surrounding areas)
This was the listing:
It was one of those running around the living room screaming moments because I have not found another colored vintage leather chesterfield since this horrible tragedy in ‘12.
The problem was that it was located in Bullhead City AZ (about 4 hours south from where I live). I contacted the seller and told him that we would be in Vegas in 2 weeks and asked him if he would be willing to hold them for me. (It never hurts to ask!) He said that he couldn’t, and the reality was that I couldn’t make it down there to get them, so I had to have a broken heart about it.
THEN last Friday I sent him a text (because the time had come for our Vegas trip) and asked if they were still available.
THEY WERE!!
What??!? WHY?!? EEEEEEE! (That was what I was thinking). I asked him if he would be willing to go down on the price (because you always do that) and he said to make an offer. So I was like “How about $250?” and he said yes! HOLY MOTHER OF ALL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPY AND JOYFUL AND FULL OF JOYFULLNESS!!!
So Court and I ventured out in the wee morning hours to take the trip for the couches.
You guys. They are so good.
The only issue that they have is that the big couch has 2 buttons that are coming out. You can bet that I will be figuring out a way to fix it (even if that means taking it to an upholsterer). And lets be honest, for $250 I wouldn’t have cared if there was a possum family living inside.
But, the story doesn’t end there…also, don’t hate me ok?
Seriously, why does my craigslist suck so badly? Those couches are gorgeous, I’m so glad you were able to snag them, and for such a great price!
Was just thinking that though too, Tara. My local craigslist sucks – a buncha crappy microfibers, never awesome vintage.
From what I see from other blogs the southwest has an abundance of awesome on CL. It almost makes a road trip seem reasonable. One empty truck and endless craigslist options …
Nice find!!! Sometimes persistence does pay off!
these are so fun!
these are gorg! You totally socred!
Holy crap! You practically stole those! Good for you!
Steal. of. the. century. So jealous of you and your amazing Craigslist!
The seller’s photos didn’t do him any favors! Those things look so much better in the light! Wow!
Holy amazingness!!!! They are gorgeous!! I am even more excited to see the new room you create around these bad boys!
What a find! These are amazing. My local craigslist is terrible.
They are beautiful!! Great deal. Looks like #COLDDEADFINGERS to me.
Niiiiice. They look so much nicer in person, so unless there were other, better pictures in the listing, I’d say you made a leap of faith. And it paid off BIG TIME! It’s so infrequent for attractive, good quality vintage to last any amount of time, so these couches simply must be your destiny. My guess is that the back leather panel will have to be lifted in order for the button tufts to be retied or reinforced. This is not a super complicated process, but I don’t think I would personally mess with it simply because I wouldn’t want to chance messing up the leather, and then you’d also be stuck hammering all the nail head yourself. I doubt it would be too costly to have an upholsterer do it, though!
GORGEOUS! Can’t wait to see what these inspire.
I would say it was fate that caused you to lose the previous couch…you were meant to have the green set. Good for you!!! BTW, my Craigslist also stinks!
Dude. $250 bucks? Dude.
To.Die.4!!!! Oh my lord, how i love chesterfields…Congratulations!
You are world champion of CL forever now
You…..those….LOVE!
OMG, how did you know from that ad that they would be that beautiful color? They look sooo gross in the ad pics. Congrats girl, I am excited to see you rock some green leather sofas!
It was meant to be! I am so thrilled for you, you deserve this score! Can’t wait to see how they look and inspire you in their new home!
Holy crap! They look so much better than the picture would have me think. High five, girl friend!
Holy balls! Hate you? Not even in the least. Those are gorgeous and you are lucky to have found them!
Those couches are amazing!!! Good things come to those who wait!!
Can’t help it, gotta hate you! Love them!!
Please post about how you fix the buttons in the future!!
I love that they didn’t bother to dust them off before posting a pic! That is probably why they were still available after a few weeks 🙂
Mixed feelings, I like and don’t, I am not sure, are they comfortable. Anyways, great find, $250 for both is great. The color well, I am not sure, but I can learn to love them.
LOVE your new couches!
Totally hating you!! Those are divine! They are lucky to have you 😉
How come this kind of stuff is never available in my neck of the woods???? Those are awesome!
Your killing me smalls!!!! What?!? What was in it? Was it a hanging wicker chair like the one that walked out of DI on you? You never know those cushions run deeeeeeeep. Hurry hurry hurry. This next post better being sitting waiting for you to push the publish button or I will drive to St. George and make you tell me!
Who lives in my neck of the woods where the Craigslist is virtually a “FAIL”, there is not one livin’, lovin’ flea market or junk shop to be found a one hundred and twenty mile radius and our ONE thrift shop is a Goodwill!
I’ve been wanting a pair of Chesterfields since the very first time I saw one! You lucky ducky!!
You just have the best luck! They certainly are amazing!
Wow! Usually things look worse in person than they do in pictures, but these don’t even look like the same couches! The leather is in great condition!
These are so awesome! Nice score!
Soooo lucky! These couches look perfect. Adore the color!
I LOVE this story. The story of two couches… I love the to be continued even though I just hissed at you for leaving us hanging…:)
I LOVE this story. The story of two couches… I love the to be continued even though I just hissed at you for leaving us hanging…:)
Yeah, um, totally hate you right now! lol Such a score even with the drive. Can’t wait to see your plans for them. 🙂
You hit the jackpot with those beauties, we’re in love!! Great find!! Can’t wait to see them styled!
Love your style! So glad I clicked the link from the nesting place and found you!
oh my goodness what finds! I’m in love!! I’m going to look on my craigslist now, thanks for the encouragement!
Holy.Mother.of.God!!! I am now hoping that Karma will turn me into a possum in my next life just so I can live in one of those shiny, emerald-colored beauties!! Dying, just dying.
Umm, ya, totally hating you! That gorgeous green color, the shape- how lucky are you! I’m green with envy as we have nothing cool in my area 🙁
I’ll be in St. George in two weeks. Are you willing to sell and make a hefty profit? I always ask questions like, “Can I pay you more?” 😉
I’ll be in St. George in two weeks. Willing to sell them for a hefty profit? I always ask, “Can I pay more?” 😉
I found a Chesterfield chair at a local thrift store. It was so filthy – it looked like it hard been sitting in a garage for 20 years – that I told them they needed to come down on the price and I would take the chance buying it. I got it for $65. It took Murphy’s Oil Soap and 7 buckets of clean water to clean ‘er up, but the gorgeous burgundy leather now looks great! I found another English style chair at the curb. I thought it was dirty vinyl by the feel of it. I was going to clean it up and give it to my sin for his apartment, except when I cleaned it out was all leather. Cheap is good -free is better!!! 😉