Soooooo smething crazy happened. Here’s a little hint:
It all started when John and I were lying in bed one night talking about what we’d love to do to make the sunroom more useful slash function slash awesome (it’s currently packed with secret book projects, but come fall we can finally clear it out for a charity auction – and hopefully start working on making it a room that we actually hang out in). We came up with the idea of a long chunky floating bar/counter made from rustic imperfect wood with a few stools pulled up to it along one currently unused wall. You know, sort of like this one or this one (but not exactly like either one of them for reasons we’ll get into down the line).
A chunky little wood bar along one wall in there with some simple pull-up stools would be super functional for us because:
- we wouldn’t have to put a big table in the middle of the room for reading the paper, sipping drinks, snacking, and general chillaxing (which means the daybed won’t be too cramped and can stay in there – yay!)
- when we have Clara’s annual party or just invite people over to hang out, we usually set out food and stuff in the sunroom (so everyone can mill around in there, on the upper patio and on the lower patio) so having a built in bar for setting out all the food and drinks instead of dragging various pieces of furniture into the room and tossing a tablecloth over them would be really nice
SOLD.
So the the next morning I dove into a daydream about how it would be fun to make that cool chunky wood bar/counter for the stools ourselves with some old hunk of wood and some simple brackets – just to add some rustic edge to the space and to make it less precious at parties (no real worries about drink rings since we’d stain it dark and seal it to protect it). And then I started thinking about how I’d want the stools to be counter height since the ones in the kitchen have worked out so well (they’re not as high and teetery as bar height chairs) so I mindlessly just typed in craigslist.org and searched “stools.” And then – I kid you not – the top entry made me suck air. Audibly. They were the. coolest. stools. ever.
You think I’m kidding. Check these babies out:
Forty bucks a pop, retro slatted wood with molded seats, cool dark iron hardware on them, and get this – THEY SWIVEL! The funny thing is when I googled around for similar stools, a few nearly identical versions popped up, like href=”http://guffonline.blogspot.com/2010/02/vintage-wood-and-iron-barstools.html” target=”_blank”> these for $85 a pop, and these for almost $120. So to get them for $40 each really saved us a ton (we got four for about the price of one and a half).
So… SOLD FOR SURE.
Well, actually not sold until I showed them to John (we both have to sign off on things, so sometimes things are dead in the water when the second person nixes them) but lo and behold, John didn’t just like them, he loved them. And actually demanded (nicely) that I call about them “right now before they’re gone.” All the good stuff is always snatched up off of our Craigslist within the day things are listed, so I ran my buns to the phone and made that call.
So then they were SOLD FOR REAL! To us. Wahoo.
When we got them into the house we were chatting about how wood stools with a chunky wood counter/bar would be a lot of wood – but it would be a huge shame to paint the chairs since they’re so cool and slatted and vintage and all that jazz. So we decided we could make a sleek white counter instead of a wood one in the sunroom. But then a better idea came into the play. That’s when the bright idea to bring them into the kitchen popped up (duh, there’s already a white counter in there).
SOLD!
Long story long, John and I loved them so much in the kitchen that we decided that our fun blue metal stools would be awesome for the rustic sunroom bar. Rough chunky wood sounds pretty fun paired with sleek boldly painted metal, right? So it’s totally weird that I ever even went on craigslist to look for stools… and then the fact that I found some, fell in love, chain-reactioned John into falling in love, and ended up with them is all kind of a whirlwind. We’re taking it as a sign that they’re meant to be.
They’re just so darn pretty in the kitchen with the rich cork floors, our chunky wood cutting boards, and even things like the woven light and the wood mirror by the fireplace. So… SOLD ALL OVER AGAIN.
And now I will wow you with how many angles I can photograph our new stools:
We love our blue guys too, so who knows, maybe they’ll come back in the spring or something when we’re feeling flirty. Haha. And who knows, maybe once the sunroom’s done we’ll ultimately love the wood stools in there and the blue guys might end up back in the kitchen. Either way, it’s pretty hilarious that we have two stool sets going on, but at least they were both really affordable (we got the first set from an online school supply store for $32 each) and we’re truly in love with both of them… and have a functional use in mind for both sets. Just don’t ask us who our favorite stool baby is. We love them all equally. Although if they’re jockeying for most comfortable, the new guys definitely have a bit of an edge with the curved seat and the swivel-action. Dinners at the peninsula just got more fun swivel-tastic. As for what Clara does, she has the yellow highchair I painted for her, so we just move that around to various places (peninsula, dining table, living room pedestal table) and she eats in that. Girl gets around. Haha.
In short: Party at our house. We’ll bring the stools. And probably say SOLD a lot.
Oh and we just used these things on the feet. Just to make sure they don’t do evil things to our cork floor. So far, so good.
Now that we have more natural wood in the room, we’re thinking about bringing some up onto the floating shelves on the other side of the kitchen, just because the wood mirror and our new (old) swivel stools have warmed things up and added so much texture and “homey-ness” that we’d love to add some to the open shelves too. Maybe just in the form of some rustic wooden salad bowls…
Have you guys gotten ahead of yourself and ended up getting something for a future project just because it was too good to pass up? And once you got it home did it end up shifting other things around in surprising ways? So funny how things mutate as ya go. It’s like our house is a ninja turtle.
Pssst- Our newest addition of Clara Conversations is up over on Young House Life. We might be biased, but we think she’s is pretty hilarious…
Jessica says
ahhh I love them. They look so warm, and surprisingly, and great. I love them in the kitchen. Big improvement (IMO :)) from the blue stools! yay to new stools!
Lindsey Rockers says
love these in your kitchen! great find and great idea to make the switch!
Anna Sebok says
To be completely honest, I didn’t really like the other ones you had. They were so industrial-looking. These are WORLDS better…and they are so much more your style!
Stephanie Trick says
I love the way your house is evolving. Beautiful!
Ashley says
I was scrolling around on picclick looking at Craigslist stuff and saw stools just like yours and loved them. Then I got to your post and I was like wait did I really just see stools like this or….so funny!
Love the stools they look great!
Vintanthromodern says
Okay you two – this is just too much of a coinkydink! Yep, I just used that word. Anyway YHL is my go to source for designer inspiration – we are redoing our kitchen at the moment and recently scored some penny tile from craigslist. As luck would have it the seller also got the penny tile idea from YHL and was selling a leftover box. I was shocked and excited today to see that you guys just got the same stools we bought a month ago – again from Craigslist. Ours are the ones with the iron bases – but still. And try not to be jealous…but we got ours for 25.00 – FOR ALL FOUR!!!!!!! Thanks for the inspiration and in this case – validation!
YoungHouseLove says
Woah- that’s amazing!!
xo,
s
Allyson M says
Um.. can I just say that we’ve been looking for stools for ages (and I had given up on craigslist). Buuut, I after this post, I just decided to check it out again.. and GUESS WHAT! The SAME exact stools are listed around here for $20!!!! I can’t even believe it! So strange!!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s awesome!!
xo
s
Allyson M says
lol, I was so shocked that I didn’t even proofread what I wrote! Sorry for the parts that don’t make very much sense! :)
Susan says
Here are some cool stools: http://charlottesville.craigslist.org/fuo/3225457769.html
YoungHouseLove says
Fun!
xo
s
Katy says
The new stools, wooden framed mirror, basket lamp, and twin rugs have added such warmth to your kitchen! I’m in love with this stool switcharoo…and I can’t wait to see the blue ones in your sun room!
Julie S says
Sherry, I love LOVE the change. I liked the blue painted metal stools by themselves, but not so much in the kitchen. The room was starting to look a little bright-n-plasticky to my eyes (though I am fine with the fact that tastes differ). Also I love the idea of the turquoise stools with a rough and rugged wooden counter. Nice going!!!
Jamie says
LOVE! I love these so much better than the blue ones. I mean, I like the blue ones, but these match the big mirror over the fire place and go so well with the wall color. It makes the room feel so much more rich and cozy! I’m jealous these are not mine.
Sarah @ St. Paul Haus says
I love them! Something so nice about hints of natural wood in a white kitchen. Love how it picks up on the floor and the mirror over the fireplace. I have to admit that I like them better than the priors. They will be lovely in the sunroom though…if not, you should be able to find a buyer on CL super quick.
Ve says
The hanging lights in your kitchen make me happy. Someday I will have a place to hang a pair just like them. :) LOL
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Ve!
xo
s
Amanda says
These are perfect! They look so good. Meant to be for shizzle
Christine C. says
I cannot get over how perfect these look! You guys really completed the look here.
Chrissy says
The new stools look SO GOOD!!! I bet the metal ones will be really cute in the sunroom. Hope you’re feeling better :)
Jessie @ Cape 27 says
Oh, those are gorgeous! Love how much warmth the wood brings to the room. Craigslist is the most genius site ever. We just scored an amazing chair on it ourselves! Given your recent obsession with egg chairs, thought you might like it! (http://www.cape27blog.com/2012/09/craigslist-find-bentwood-rattan-chair/) Can’t wait to see what you guys do with the sunroom!
YoungHouseLove says
So cute! I love her!
xo
s
Amy @Five Kinds of Happy says
These are absolutely perfect in here. I think that room really needed the warm wood tones to balance out the sleek-white-modern look. Can’t wait to see a few more wooden elements!! I was just thinking how much I love the wooden dresser next to your bed too – it adds a little warmth to the room. :)
Woop!
jess says
Love em! And like I said before, don’t stain the mirror frame! I love the lighter wood with the darker floors. These stools just add to the beauty of your kitchen giving it such a warm vibe! LOVE it!
Mary K says
I’m so glad you guys are bringing more warm wood tones into your bright white kitchen. It looks like these changes are really making it feel more like home, not just a little model kitchen. Obviously it’s your house, you do what you want, but I’m very pro-new stools! Glad you guys love them.
Danielle @ 2 Little Superheroes says
I have these same bar stools. Love them. But I wasn’t so lucky I have been searching forever for them. Found 1 at Goodwill and 1 on Craig’s List and still searching for 2 more.
alicia sturdy says
GIRL – I got chairs exactly like those for the same kind of deal! at a resale shop, 4 for $100…looked online, 6 going for $1200…SAME designer (Arthur Umanoff). They look SO great in your kitchen! And love the shell bowl in the fireplace. Very nice recycle.
Sophie says
I have to admit that your style sometimes seems a bit too *painted* for my taste… love to look at it, but not for my house, you know? But your kitchen now looks perfectly homey! I love the warmth the natural wood adds! And I agree, a rustic wood bowl on the shelves would be gorgeous! Yay for your craigslist find!
jenn says
Hey FYI- Ace Hardware sells good little felt pads that are attached to plastic with a metal ring, so you nail them into the bottom of the chairs/stools. I use them on all my chairs, so I don’t have to worry about them getting unstuck and coming off with all the movement that chairs go through. Did that description make sense? Probably not…here’s a link:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1286725
YoungHouseLove says
So smart! Thanks for the tip Jenn!
xo,
s
Tricia says
How lucky of a find is that? It’s like it was meant to be! I’ve been wanting some metal industrial stools but I know it’s not something I’d ever find on Craigslist!
Maureen says
I absolutely love the warmth these stools add to the room — and they really are the perfect size. They also look more comfortable than the other ones. You were so lucky to have found them!! Love the upgrade!
Jenny says
Omg LOVE them!! Such an awesome score. I was just saying to a girlfriend–who was complaining her shiny new kitchen felt cold–to add some WOOD. It truly warms things up. Love it! xox
Krys72599 says
Here’s my stool story:
http://krysworld.blogspot.com/2012/08/barstools-during-transformation.html?m=1
The price of our stools? FREE!!
Yeah, we need a bumper sticker that says “We stop for stuff!”
YoungHouseLove says
So cute! I love those colors!!
xo
s
Amanda says
LOVE the wooden bar stools, it totally makes the kitchen. Swoon, in love.
Annie says
Sherry!!! You have no idea how happy this post made me! I was browsing on Craigslist for a chair the other day and I came across two stools that are exactly like your’s but they are counter height. I’ve been looking at them for days and keep talking to my boyfriend about them. I have no place to put them right now, but I just loved them for some reason. I slept on it for a few days and found myself day dreaming about them all the time so last night I just decided I’d email about them and then figure out what to do with them later.Then I got on today to read your blog and learned we both loved the same stools. Just confirmed that I wasn’t going crazy the past couple days day dreaming about the stools!! I’m going to get mine tomorrow !! PS – I think the stools look AWESOME in the kitchen! Hope you’re feeling better!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so funny! I’m so glad you went for it!
xo,
s
KBella says
Dude. I had these exact vintage stools in my old house! But alas, a divorce and selling of the house meant that these beauties got sold in a tag sale… and I sold them for much less than $40 each! I suck. But the stools do look fab in your kitchen. Yay for happy accidents! ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw man, I hope they’re being loved and appreciated by some lucky soul out there!
xo,
s
Natalie says
LOL! I actually have these that I inherited from the previous owners and I have secretly always wanted to get new ones (even tho these are in great shape). Now I think I am sold on keeping them bc you made them look so super.
Cassie B says
I TOTALLY LOVE THOSE STOOLS!!! I usually love absolutely everything you guys decorate with but I have to admit, those blue metal stools never sat well with me there in the kitchen. Which obviously to each his own, and if you love them that’s all that matters. But I think they’ll be really cool with the wood bar. Gah. I love the way you guys makes me think about different options I NEVER would have though of! Thanks for sharing your world with us!!
Lauren says
Oh boy! I have so many of those felt pads in my apartment. My landlord handed them to me with my key when I moved into my place. He is quite protective of his wood floors. Someone brought a piece of furniture into my house and I had to stop them! WAIT IT NEEDS FELT PADS!!!!!!!!!
Danielle says
I liked the blue stools, but these really are so much better in the space. I love that you guys never settle. A room can always evolve. Love!
Belle says
Love them!
What about dipping the legs into white or a bright (so they don’t get lost in the white of the counter) to make them stand out from the floor a bit?
Belle says
Sorry – I mean just the bottom say 4 – 8 inches, depending on the height of the stools?
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes that’s always fun! Right now we love them as-is, but we’ll have to see where we end up!
xo,
s
Whitney T says
These add the perfect texture to make this room come together.
Debbie says
Veeery long time reader, absolutely first time commenter.
I was waiting for the photo of the stools taken from above! C’mon, I’m sure that counter is way strong enough to stand on – that’d be such a cool angle! :-)
Totally unrelated – one of my girlfriends and I knew we were destined to be friends when early on in our relationship we found our mutual (previously established) love for YHL. It’s funny when we go shopping, see ceramic animals and say ‘Sherry would love that!’ Especially since we’re in Australia, the other side of the world… :-)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, that’s so sweet! And you’re right, I totally should have hopped up on that counter. Next time. Haha.
xo,
s
Mrs. Renegar says
So glad you didnt paint the mirror, these chairs are like magic with them. I mentioned you might find something magical that matches the mirror….
Krysti says
I love them! I should hope so..we have the same ones! My husband’s family had them when he was just a kid, and now they are in our kitchen. Is it totally weird that I’m geeking out here seeing my chairs in your awesome kitchen? It’s like my chairs just got invited to the cool kid’s party.
Kel says
Lovin’ the stools!!! :)
Claudia says
Good on tou for beinging in some nature/wood into the space! Looks great! I’m actually curious to see how they look with your dinning table. :)
Angela says
Definetly gives it more texture in there and a designer feel. They look expensive and the kitchen looks magazine worthy. Good eye!
Kris says
How did I miss this post?! Glad you referenced it again! I LOVE LOVE LOVE those! And the chair backs are so money. We splurged to get ones w/backs b/c we eat our family meals at the counter (two stools are occupied by high chairs) and it’s so much more comfy. And safe- at least I feel like they’re more grounded for the high chairs) I’m totally jealous you got yours for a steal, luuuucky!
Emily says
I feel like I will be just repeating the same thing everyone else has which is that I love those stools. But I really do. I gasped (in a good way) when I saw them.
I am curious to know that since you have brought in changes to your decor in the kitchen that you may think of changing the wall color? I love all the changes that have happened but to me it seems like the wall color is a bit out of place now. I’m no expert though and I hate putting a negative spin on it. So to finish on a positive note..your house…I want to go to there.
YoungHouseLove says
Yeah, the wall color is the biggest bummer because it’s amazing in person (everyone who comes over loves it, we loved it the moment it went up, etc) but it never reads well in pictures… which sucks when you’re a blogger! Haha. So we have even mentioned that we might repaint, just because it’s annoying to have to work in photoshop to try to make the walls look true to life (and frustrating when you can never get them to, haha). We’ll have to see where we end up!
xo,
s
Judy R says
You know, you guys really have a gift. I’d really like to come to your yard sales…hehe.
Emily Morrice says
great plan! I think, especially for Fall, they warm up your modern kitchen. I love balance like that :)
Alice says
I was thinking the same thing about the wooden salad bowls on the shelves. That’d definitely tie everything together nicely. Happy accidents are the best!
Sheila @SZInteriors says
I looooooooooove your new stools! They are WOW, wow, WOWWW!!! Great find :-)