Treasure Box Wednesday: Sofa, So Good

Red, velvety goodness... I was looking for a comfy yet vintage-looking red sofa to take the place of the old black Ikea couch I'd had since right after college, and which is currently wearing a fashionable red couch cover in my livingroom.

An antique store had one I loved, but it was pricey, plus I'd have had to figure out how to get it to my house. Online catalogs, like the Victorian Trading Company have great stuff, but way more than I'd wanted to pay. Magnolia Hall had lovely sofas, but also, expensive, and a bit too Victorian-rigid to really invite guests to sit and be comfortable.

And then, as I was at the Salvation Army Superstore by Century III Mall, I came in the door and there was this baby.


I wouldn't quite say beams of light shone down and a chorus of cherubs sang. But it was close.

Actually, they were just gearing up for the first chord when this elderly man-- who was looking at the wood frame sofa opposite it-- came wandering over and started to tell me an involved sojourn about Historical Sofas of His Past. How he had a highly-carved wood-frame couch, and how it had plastic on it because his dog loved it so and...

Ordinarily, I would have been really excited about talking vintage sofas with a person. This day, however, I really just wanted a quiet contemplative moment to figure out should I buy this red velvet sofa courtesy of Lady Luck, and if so, how the heck was I going to get it home?

Eventually, my brain figured out how to multi-task and the older man decided to buzz off to other sections of the store. I understand he'd cornered someone near the book section and was telling them about his collection of National Geographics or something.

And in that time, it occurred to me I'd once heard the cashier at a different Salvation Army make recommendations to customers about someone unaffiliated with them who was willing to move furniture like this. Could it be this store could do the same?

In moments, I had myself a name, a phone number-- and a new couch.

Now, folks buying large furniture pieces like this at the thrifts should know-- they'll only hold something for you for approximately five business days.

So last evening, I waited outside the Superstore looking for my connection with the truck.

Minivan?... nope. Low slung Corvette?... nope. Pickup truck? The truck pulled into a space, and a round bald man got out. I looked at him with a hopeful gaze. He looked at me. Our eyes met.

He got creeped out and went into the store.

Sorry dude. Wrong guy.

Ah, but my sofa mover came after all! Big Red will go into place once I can move the Ikea sofa into the room my housemate Scoobie currently has.

She'll be moving in about a month to her very own home, and so the blue room will be new domain for me. Until then, Big Red sits topsy-turvy downstairs waiting for its final resting place.

Interestingly, according to its tags, the sofa is a current replica of a 1940s couch style. This place called Funkysofa.com has all sorts of odd, hip, retro, custom-order sofas-- many of them named things like Marilyn, Valentino, Garbo and Desilu. Mine is called Montana. I'm sort of curious why.

So, until things get straightened out again here at Waterhouse, I will pop into my diningroom and pet the tilted vintage-styled sofa.

You'd think after all this many years of thrifting I wouldn't still get this thrill; but to this day it amazes me. When you enter a thrift store, you really never know what awaits you.


Happy hunting!

13 comments:

Greg said...

Oh, it DOES have beams of golden light shining down upon it! Nice find. Looks like the fabric's in good shape and everything. Congratulations...I expect the two of you will be quite happy together!

: )

Jenn Thorson said...

Greg- Heh, thanks!-- yes, it's in great shape. There's one button that could use a little touch with a red fabric pen, but really that's it. It needed to come to my house.

Chris said...

Nice score. It doesn't even look disgusting! I mean, you know what can happen to red velvet furniture.
The ones I've seen on the street seemed to have attracted misadventure.

chyna said...

Montana?! Weird, maybe it refers to the endless hills/valleys/mountains of stuffed velvet on the back. Great find though! The couch goddess was very kind to you.

Jenn Thorson said...

Chris- Heh, yes-- fortunately this one has been, um, uncorrupted. Unsullied and unscandalized :)

Chyna- Maybe-- hey, that's a good of a guess as any. I can't find a 40s actress or actor with that name, though I did find a popular country and western singer from then. Somehow that doesn't fit, though.

Jaffer said...

It's beautiful - love the colour - looks like Ruby-Red to me :-)

- It won't fit my decor anyway - It's all green ! LOL

Jenn Thorson said...

Jaffer- Yup, it's a deep ruby red. But hey, green decor is lovely. Very calming and neutral!

Unknown said...

The salvation army? You found that at a salvation army?

OH MY!

what a find :)

JD at I Do Things said...

It's beautiful! And it brings back fond memories of a red possibly velvet-ish sofa I had when I lived in Ireland. We lived in a pretty skanky flat, but the red sofa lent an air of shabby elegance to the place. It helped take your mind off of the mice and the peeling paint.

Sigh. I miss that sofa! The mice, not so much.

Down Pillow said...

Congrats on your yummy find :) I love the beautiful rich fabric.

Jenn Thorson said...

CrazyMom- Heh, yes indeedy. It's a first for me too, actually, buying a LARGE soft furnishings item at the thrift stores. I've done tables and cabinets, but not anything like a bed or sofa. PS- are those Pyrex bowls in your avatar? :)

JD- All this time, I didn't know you'd lived in Ireland. I'd love to talk to you about that sometimes when you have the chance! It's a place I'd always wanted to visit. Mice, peeling paint and a plushy sofa... yes-- sounds like youth doesn't it? :) Me, I had lived in the "post-college eclectic" style for a while.

DP- Hey, thank you for sharing in the sofa glee.

Rust: Vintage Inspired Design said...

Love your blog...thrift shopping is my favorite hobby!!!
xojanis

Jenn Thorson said...

Janis- Thanks and welcome!!