I once had a random male room mate from Iowa for a summer. He acted like a 70's car salesman at all times and then kinda stalked me after he moved out, but was actually really nice, just a bit eager. That's my only real reference to what is probably a super lovely state. Wait, Chris Soules is from Iowa ...speaking of which, tune in to Men Tell All on Monday night because you might see this pregnant lady sitting almost DIRECTLY behind Chris Harrison looking pretty SHOCKED!!! and sometimes empathetic throughout the show.
Anyway, we trolled Iowa City CL and the trolling was good. Check it out.
1. $25 Vintage Love Seat. Girlfriend is cheap. Not amazing, but for $25 bucks its not bad at all. Could be recovered for $500 (maybe). Just get rid of that skirt and put on some mid-century legs and you have yourself a pretty darn good simple loveseat in a slate blue linen.
2. $125 Mid Century Side Chair Offer $80 for this bad boy and stick him in the 'home office' portion of your kitchen.
3. $165 per Vintage Bertoia Chair $165 is still pretty cheap for Bertoia chairs, but I do wish that these were cheaper. But if you are in the market, snag those guys. They come with little black motorcycle jackets, too, which is just adorable.
4. $175 Vintage Brass Bar Cart Offer $125 and you got yourself a very delicate and pretty barcart for your toddler to break instantly.
5. $320 Pair of Mid Century Dressers THIS IS A STEAL. Someone buy these right now. It's not that they are incredibly unique but to get that kind of simple storage for that price, in a height that is so easy to style with. Grab 'em.
6. $45 Pair of 60s Side Tables These need some help in the finish department, sure, but so do I today, so I can't really judge. Still crazy cheap if you have the time/desire to give them a new fresh coat of paint (or stain). They look like they could be really flimsy so probably not worth taking to someone else to have them done.
7. $30 Mirrored Vanity This is so beautiful and something that is absolutely worth shipping if you know anyone in Iowa City that can pick this up for you. Such pretty lines.
8. $50 Mid Century Sleeper Sofa Relax. I know its kinda hideous. but those lines are also really playful if you can handle that level of style. Plus you can refurbish the insides (if it needs it) for $700 (all new mattress, springs, etc). That's way cheaper than most sleeper sofas (although I was on CB2's site yesterday and their sleeper sofas are VERY tempting).
9. $80 Vintage Light Fixture Eh, is this vintage? Kinda looks like a West Elm fixture from a couple years ago but maybe its the actual fixture that West Elm knocked off. Not sure. I'd say check it out because if it is vintage its a great deal for $80, but could probably use a new coat of paint.
10. $50 Mid Century Danish Coffee Table I grew up with this table so it's a bit nostalgic for me. Just solid and classic, but nothing to buy a plane ticket to Iowa City for, certainly.
11. $50 Full Sized Bed Frame Not sure when you need a full sized bed anymore (apartment living, maybe?), but its really pretty and simple and a STEAL at $50.
12. $40 Set of Four Mid Century Dining Chairs. That's cheap and super easy to recover. A $10 chair isn't stick in the eye, then shove those suckers around a simple white tulip table and recover the seats in a solid gray linen and you have yourself a pretty modern little dining set.
I have A LOT of shopping to do this weekend, folks. We are shooting the whole house for Good Housekeeping Magazine next Friday - which means all those rooms that I don't really instagram about because I don't love them are getting FINISHED. Plus, the flea is sold out (almost) so I need to fill that sucker up from the flea market on Sunday.
It was one of those weeks that was totally insane (shooting 12 hours a day on camera), but incredibly satisfying - a lot of good hard work that makes you real proud of yourself and grateful for all the extremely talented people who help you. So today I booked a 'squeezing a toddler' day that really only amounts to 20 - 15 minutes max of cuddling before he wants to chase a cat, 'throw that ball' or read a 'boop'. He can't say his 'k's yet so he says 'milp' and 'boop' which is painfully adorable.
Have an excellent weekend. xx
YOU DID IOWA!!! I live in Des Moines, but that is less than 2 hours from Iowa City. This made me so happy. The only time Iowa gets any attention is for the caucuses (or, you know, when the Bachelor is from here). It IS a lovely little state, and pretty much has the nicest people ever–I can say that as a transplant. :)
Please tell me you’re trolling CL for Indianapolis soon :)
That’s a lot of good stuff for a fairly small market. None of it is good enough for me to drive 4 hours to go get it, but still.
IMO – I think full size beds are great for teens in smallish rooms. A little more bed space without eating up the room. That’s what I had (and it’s in my guest room now).
Full size beds are a great compromise – and perfect for both your scenarios.
Thanks for featuring Iowa City! (I live about 90 minutes from there). Love the Midwest, Big 10 University-towns.
I’d love to see you “come up” to troll Craigslist in Toronto. We’re the third largest city in North America. I’d imagine there might be some good finds?
It seems Toronto is fourth.
She did a while back actually – there was a brass three tiered table lamp that I had seen they day before, and out of pure laziness didn’t pounce on immediately, and the next day Emily does her Toronto post, features it, and poof it’s gone. Sad day for this gal and a huge lesson learned !
You didn’t do your typical “where to next, folks?”… but if you did, I would say Baltimore! ;)
Please please please.
I love that full sized bed!! Have been looking for one for quite a while, and can’t find anything I like. We have both our 3 and 5 year old boys in fulls. I find that to be a good size for kids because there is enough room for you to lay with them for stories at night or when they aren’t feeling well but still not too big to take up their entire room. My 5 year old keeps telling me he needs a ‘head frame’. Think he crossed his wires on headboard and bed frame!!
wooden chairs around a white tulip table is totally my dining game plan! i’m so glad i wasn’t crazy…..
wait, no one sleeps on full size beds? …that’s all i’ve ever known!
Yay!!! I’m a daily reader, but first time commenter living in Iowa City and this made me so happy! The thrift stores are also surprisingly great here.
These are awesome finds! It would be a dream to go thrifting with you one day!
Paige
DETROIT! Please.
Yay! So excited to see IOWA on your blog! I live in Des Moines, but am very familiar with Iowa City, which is a great Big10 town. Go Hawks!
Iowa is not exactly a destination state, but it IS full of nice, down-to-earth people …. if I may say so myself (born and raised).
Chris Soules is probably a nice person, but even I would not move to where-ever-it-is he is from. Just sayin. So maybe that show was good publicity, maybe not.
In any event, love your finds here! :)
Please troll RALEIGH/DURHAM!!!!!
I’m a North Dakotan who got transplanted in Iowa via marriage. That same bar cart sits in our living room thanks to a $10 price tag at a garage sale. Now if the teens would just graduate and move on so the alcohol wouldn’t have to remain locked up. In the meantime, it holds plants.
BOSTON BOSTON BOSTON!
please :)
Iowa City?? Craisglist? My area of expertise! I lived in Iowa City until about a year ago. The craigslisting is great because everything is cheap and people are so nice you can always talk them down. The problem is the turnover is crazy slow and requires a lot of patience if you’re trolling! Here’s the real Iowa City furniture secret… almost all rental leases in the city end July 31. You could furnish a small mansion with all the furniture that’s left by curbs in the neighborhoods near campus the first week in August. It’s good stuff too — the velvet and cane-backed chair I’m sitting on, my vintage dresser, all because some student didn’t want to lug it back home!
Thanks for the post/go Hawks!!
Rochester, NY please!
Went to college in Iowa City…fun seeing this pop up in my feed! That bar cart and those dressers!! xo
Iowa is a super lovely state and full of great vintage items. I’m one of your loyal fans Emily and love to decorate my home with unique vintage finds from Des Moines.
Hilarious- I was just watching the Bachelorette Tell All and was pretty sure that was you they kept showing but thought it surely couldn’t be!!
Emily–that was you, right? On The Bachelorette (not kidding, just watched The Soup and I was 100% it was you)