Dangerously infatuated with bentwood chairs

Someone please stop me. I am in danger of doing something involving bentwood chairs that may be hazardous.



I'm sure some of you have been in a similar predicament. There you are shopping for something you need when you suddenly come face to face with something you don't need at all. But you want it. So bad.



To be honest, I'm not sure exactly what I was looking for at the thrift store yesterday but I can tell you I stopped, stared and even sat on one of the five bentwood bistro chairs I saw there. Each had a price tag of $10. I didn't check for a pedigree because they looked fairly new but I did consider that $50 wasn't a bad price to pay for the five Thonet-style chairs to replace my current dining room chairs, which I've loathed almost the entire time I've had them. They are dark wood, super-heavy and have lots and lots of grooves where the dust likes to settle.



A light, modern chair would be a terrific substitute, thank you very much. We bought our dining set shortly after moving into our current house seven years ago and were under pressure to furnish our dining area quickly so we could have a party. A bad move, but I haven't felt an urgent need to correct it because we eat mostly in our kitchen dining nook.



I thought maybe writing a post on bentwood Thonet chairs would be a cathartic way of saying good-bye to them. Instead, I am plotting what color(s) I'm going to paint them when I bring them home now that I've seen so many cool possibilities.


Somehow, I managed to walk away from the chairs and the store without buying anything but haven't been able to get those chairs out of my mind. I am thinking I may return tomorrow to see whether they are still there. I am thinking I will let the gods of fate decide whether I should buy them or not. I am thinking I should listen to the tiny voice of reason that says hubby may not be pleased.


I can imagine what hubby would say. "Another painting project? Don't we have enough stuff in the garage?" I am really quite fortunate because hubby gives me carte blanche to decorate however I want and to buy whatever I want so this scenario has never happened but the tiny voice of reason inside my head asks these questions nonetheless.
So what do you say, are five bentwood Thonet knock-offs in good condition for $50 worth the potential trouble and an overly full garage? Or should I finish my current projects and wait for another good and perhaps even better chair bargain to come my way in the future?

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8 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Minnie!!
Haven't seen you show up in my reader for a while. I think you should get them if they're still there. $50 is not a huge investment. If you find something better later on, you can always use these in other areas of the house. It's such a versatile chair type, no?
xo, Mary

Tina said...

Hello dear Minnie!! It was with great delight that I saw your post pop up on my blog roll today! I have not posted regularly for quite some time and like you, have not had a chance to regularly pop onto Blogger. I have just caught up on your recent posts and as ALWAYS, I am so inspired by your love for your children and the effort that you go to in providing such wonderful creative spaces for them, within your home!! As for this post...'Bentwood' and 'hazardous'...two words that can never be used in combination ;) I looooove Bentwood chairs and my advice, if you should wish to take it is...5 Thonet chairs for $50...you go back and get 'em girl :) I have missed your posts so much!! Wishing you and your sweet family the most wonderful weekend ~ Txx

Minnie said...

Well, I'm sorry to say I missed my chance for those Thonet bistro chairs due to my indecision. But it might've been just as well. More on that in my next post.

Tina and Mary, I'm so happy to hear from you. Tina, I took a peek at your other blog and I'm so thrilled with how well things are going for you on the teaching front.

Tracey from Central Coast Seachange said...

Oh Minnie, I am so incredibly happy to have found your blog. I love everything about it. I just read one of your posts about how you needed to reassess your life and considered if blogging was part of that.

I too, have a blog which consumed me for a while and was getting in the way of my real life. I've come to terms with the idea that I don't have to post every day or every week and that it should be organic rather than a contender in the blog competition that seems to surround the blogging world.

Thank you for creating a blog that has a point of difference.

Minnie said...

Tracey, Thank you for your kind words and for taking the time to leave such a nice message. I do so appreciate it. It made my day. :-)

Bridget said...

Oh lala hope they are still there, these chairs!! It is hideous when we resisted, hesitated, thought, made the decision and then... nothing. The fate! Finally, the suspense remains whole...

Bridget said...

I didn't read your comment above, sorry!!!So no more suspens and may be another time!

Heartfire At Home said...

Oh no! No chairs! You weren't meant to have them for whatever reason. They do look superb in all those pics don't they.

Linda. xox