7.11.2012

.Craigslist Steal.

Before I say anything, just look at these beauties:
I had been keeping my eye out for new dining chairs and to tell you the truth, I had my heart set on these from West Elm but when we went to order them, we found out they are on back order until January 2013 on top of being so pricey.

So I kept looking and found this offer on Craigslist:
I was intrigued and showed Adam. Then Adam was intrigued...

Any guesses what happened next? :)

We went for a spontaneous date night to Charlottesville last night, an hour and a half away, to visit these lovely chairs--eat at Chipotle--shop at Whole Foods--and visit Anthropologie for the first time.

It was a ridiculously good night.

The chairs were exactly how the seller explained with original tags on each. They are Calligaris Isola Dining Chairs, made in Italy, currently selling on Amazon for $562.99 a pair, that is $281.50 per chair! See here and here.

We bought eight chairs--YES 8--for $380!

I am still in shock.

Adam and I cannot believe how comfortable they are and truly love their style. The only set back is the cherry finish and cream leather seats. They do not entirely "fit" in with the rest of our decor but for the price and quality--we had to take the deal!

The size of the chairs are a perfect match for our Ikea table allowing us to seat 6 comfortably.
Here is the part where I need you! 

Please tell me your honest opinion about the cherry finish with the rest of our house--does it clash? Match?

Should we keep the chairs as they are?--Should we refinish them?--Should we sell them and make a profit?

Adam and I are really torn because of the cherry color but LOVE how they feel while sitting in them. It's a close call, we would really appreciate hearing your thoughts.

Also, while we are on the topic of asking for help, what style rug should we buy for under the table? 

Okay I'll leave you with a 'before' and 'after' photo, simply tell me which you like best!

Before:
After:
Thanks for your help :)

P.S. Can you spot the one new addition (besides the chairs) in the after photo? Hint: My very first purchase from Anthropologie :)

25 comments:

  1. AFTER!!! love love love the new chairs!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I LOVE THESE NEW CHAIRS! The cherry finish is beautiful and the sleek lines of the chairs match your decor perfectly!

    ReplyDelete
  3. LOVE the chairs!!! They pull in the red from your bookshelf and your curtains, too. I think they totally fit. Plus, when people come to visit and complement your chairs you can say "Oh, these old things? I mean, who doesn't have Italian furniture?" They are gorgeoous :) Hope you enjoyed anthro, too!

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a fabulous find! I love them and they fit your style SO perfectly :o)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think the chairs look great! Maybe if you had some cherry centerpiece thing (yep, being pretty creative here!) it would help tie it together (if you feel like the cherry is out of place). Plus, you can't beat the price! Craigslist is a winner :) Even if you start hating it in three month or something, you can always jazz them up!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love, Love, LOVE the new chairs! SOOOO much better than the plain black ones! And the new ones really pull the pop of red/orange from your curtains. I would look for a rug that has that color in it too (just a touch, don't want to overwhelm!). What a great find!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I agree with Erica. The red tones from the chairs pull in from the curtains and the picture on your shelf, so they don't seem out of place. At first I liked the "Before" picture more, but looking at it in depth, I think that the black might have been too harsh. The cherry chairs give a nice dark accent without being overbearing, and since they are lighter, they open up the room more. Great find!

    And I hope you liked Anthropologie! It's one of my favorite stores, though sadly mostly out of my budget. I did just buy an apron there that wasn't too outrageously priced though. They occasionally have great houseware stuff on sale in addition to their clothes.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ooooh, I LOVE them! Your whole house (well, what I've seen of it at least) is amazing. I LOVE your style. Want to fly out here and help me decorate? ;-)

    I like the cherry color, actually. And if it were me, I'd be way too scared to try and refinish them. What about just reupholstering the seats in a fun color/print? That might help make you feel like they fit in better without making any big, permanent changes. They look fantastic as they are now, though!

    ReplyDelete
  9. The chairs look great, do not try to change the finish on them. I agree with everyone else that they make the red color in the curtains pop. They are neutral in tone. I would try to find small little shades for the chandelier with a beige or something with a reddish tone to have it all blend. Are they comfortable? I guess will have to plan to come down and try them out. Good find.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The mum vase! I've been coveting that for a while too, but like you, our closest Anthropologie is about an hour away. Sad. Oh, and I have to say that your new chairs are fantastic! I like them much better than the old ones because of their light and airy feeling. I don't think the cherry clashes at all! In fact, when I first saw them, I just thought they were red. If it is really going to bug you, though, there's always spray paint!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I loveee the new chairs just as they are! Amazing steal!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love the chairs! What a steal!! They look amazing in your dining room. I did get real Eames chairs for $35 a pieces on craigslist, but it still amazes me when I see steals like this!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your new chairs are fab!!! Love the new vibe they bring just as they are!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. The mid-century modern style goes well with the Scandi style you have going on. The cherry brings in an eclectic vibe. Maybe if you used a centerpiece or other decorations that gives a nod to the cherry so it doesn't stand out so much for you.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I clicked on your blog & couldn't believe what I saw, I had looked at those chairs on craigslist! They look great in your DR. I would have bought them because I love Danish design but it wouldn't go with my decor. Good for you!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I just scrolled up and down probably 10 times and couldn't find the Anthro addition. Bummer. I never was good at those sorts of puzzles...

    Great deal on the chairs! Dining chairs are so expensive, so less than $40 a chair is awesome. And how can anything be backordered until January 2013?? That seems a bit absurd.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Absurd in the sense that "What takes so long?" not absurd in the sense that "Katie has no idea what she's talking about." Just to clarify. I know you know what you're talking about. :)

      Delete
  17. Chairs are perfection in your home - ten points to you for PERSEVERANCE on craigslist : )

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love Craigslist! Bought some of my favorite furniture there. They are gorgeous. When I first saw this post I thought maybe you bought one but wow a whole set! That is phenomenal!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Keep. Love. Jealous. ;) Congrats on your find, they look really comfortable and I'm sure they are very well-made.

    ReplyDelete