I’m getting a new sectional for my Mahalo Lounge, so I had to get rid of the sofa we’ve had in the living room for the past 15 years. Boo hoo. We loved this sofa. And when the furniture maker came to talk to me about my new sectional, he said this sofa was a really good one — with eight-way hand-tied springs, a super solid frame, all that. I decided to put it on craigslist and that, if it didn’t sell there relatively promptly, I would donate it to a local charity. But howdy hudee: Within 10 days had a bite on my craigslist ad. Hey: This is the first time I’ve ever sold something on craigslist!
A very nice young man who knew mid mod bought it from me for his apartment. I like knowing it went to an appreciative house. He sent me this photo of the sofa in its new home sitting happily under a Charley Harper travel poster. Remember that story from a while back? I checked a few links — and you can still >> buy some of these posters direct from the U.S. Government — free shipping even! A great deal!
Bye bye, sofa, we loved you.
P.S. I have not restarted painting yet. But I’m going to start today. That’s because: I also have to get my taxes done. Yikes, I’d rather paint than work on my taxes! So now, painting now goes to the top of the list — and procrastination: to tax prep.
tammyCA says
I’ve gotten some sturdy well-built old furniture from thrifts & the re-store and had them recovered & replaced with new long lasting foam. I always look for 8 way hand tied coils (you can feel them with your hand from underneath) and good legs. It’s pricey to reupholster but it’s worth it to get exactly what you want & the upholster can make changes that suit you..basically it’s custom furniture. I always call these my “molly makeovers”..fun to see the transformation.
Eric says
OH Now I am kinda Bummed Out. I would have taken that right away. Needing a more 50’s style couch for my living room. And I live in MA, it just was not on my radar to look out that far in Western MA on Craigslist.
Oh well there will be another one found somewhere.
Congrats to the purchaser.
I have good luck with CL from time to time. Just has to be the right item at the right time. But yes when I do sell I price things at a reasonable price and get the “low ballers”. I have gotten to the point of stating in the add that not to bother to contact me if you are going to low ball me a what I am selling. It has helped with lowering the number of people contacting me.
Laurie says
I’ve never had problems with Craigslist (except for people not showing up) until last week. A man emailed he wanted our sofa ($200) & would send me a cashier’s check & a delivery company would pick it up. I told him he would have to be responsible for paying the delivery co. & he said he would. Imagine my surprise when a cashier’s check arrived for $2,000! I emailed him & he said I should pay the delivery co. with the rest after I cashed the check. I told him it wasn’t worth $2,000 but he insisted. Then I started looking on the internet & found this was a common scam – a fake cashier’s check that would clear in 2 days, but weeks later would be found out to be fake & the person cashing it would have to repay everything. I took it to the bank to see what I should do – turn it in to the police or what, but they said it was so common, just don’t have anything to do with it anymore.
Pam Kueber says
Yikes!
Jay says
Congratulations on your success with CL, I have never ventured there but I understand that you can get some great buys that way. I laughed, I thought you would say you’d rather do your taxes then paint. Keep at it, that new sectional will be finished and ready for delivery before you know it.
Karin says
What a gorgeous sofa. How cool that it went to an appreciative home and that your buyer sent you a picture. We have been selling on a local site for a while now with good results. We live in a neighborhood where people throw out a lot of good teak furniture. We repair, clean and refinish, and sell at a reasonable price to people who love this stuff as much as we do. It’s a win-win. We have met the nicest people this way. Some have sent pictures and thank you notes. Seeing preloved vintage furniture and objects in their new homes is seeing them being given a new story. I once had a curved sectional with wide flat arms as well. They would come with removable cleanable matching arm rest covers to minimize wear and tear. Where do you get that now? Can you get that now?
Pam Kueber says
Look close at the photo – my sofa came with removable matching arm covers. We had it recovered — the upholsterer made them! I need to be sure to ask for them with my new sectional!
Karin says
Pam, thank you for your reply. Now that I have taken a second look with my boomer eyes, I do see the corner seam of the covers, especially on the left side. Very handy to have. It adds years to the life of the couch and would save on having to reupholster the arms. BTW, I once priced having a custom sectional made by a high end local manufacturer. Mama Mia! I am sure it would last a lifetime, though.
Good luck with the sectional, I can’t wait to see it in the big reveal.
Nikki says
Quick comment on my experience with the Charley Harper posters from the government.
I ordered all of them (which you pay for up-front) and it took over a year for all of them to arrive on my doorstep (I had about given up hope of ever getting them). They sort of tricked in one after another…
You don’t know which of the posters are currently available, so its best to have lots of patience (and no plans on moving) LOL!
On the flip side – they are beautiful and I can’t wait to get them framed!
Pam Kueber says
That’s interesting… mine came tout suit! But, that was when the story first ran… don’t know if things have changed.
Karen S says
I ordered 5 or 6 of them when you first ran the story and they came right away. I had 2 framed and hanging in my LR and the others are stored away till I have a chance to get them framed. I love them.
Robin, WA says
This is my Craigslist story. A few years back I had a washer/dryer set that didn’t fit in my house. I’d bought it used and it wasn’t perfect, aesthetically, but it ran fine. I offered the set for $150, which was a steal for the two huge appliances. I got a ton of looky-loos and low ballers (one lady offered $50 for both) and literally weeks went by with no bites. Finally, I got a call from a guy 60 miles away. He wanted to come see the set so we set up a time and I totally felt like, “great another no-show, I’m sure.” So the time for the meeting comes and goes and I feel like I was correct in assuming the guy’s not going to show up. Then I get a phone call from him. He’s lost. He missed the turn to my town and has ended up 100 miles away. So I give him directions back to my house, fully thinking, “now he’s REALLY not coming.” So an hour and a half passes and the doorbell rings and low and behold here’s a nice young man on my doorstep with $150 in his hand. He takes the washer/dryer set and is on his way. Poor guy, it took him nearly 4 hours to find my house but he stood by his word! A LOT of Craigslist stories don’t end quite so happily.
Chris says
Nice couch…I’m moving next door to you, you have great stuff!
Ha ha, I can totally relate – taxes vs projects. Somehow the projects always seem to win.
Janet in ME says
It looks perfect in its new home and congrats, Pam, on a successful sale. I have a similar one in my living room with the wide flat arms and same legs which I believe is from the late 50’s or early 60’s. The sellers left it when we bought the house in 2013; those old sofas are so well built, they last forever. Since the house is from 1957, it is perfect with the original end tables they also left. It is starting to fail after all these years and I am thinking of having it reupholstered, but the nylon fabric is perfect and I keep thinking why replace it? I may just have the cushion inserts replaced and see what we can do to reinforce the sagging deck underneath. It took us until this year to realize we can’t get it out of the house anyhow! It is a long four cushion sofa and its length is a problem. It can’t be turned or put on end and will not go out the front door, nor will we be able to get it out through out the side door. It had to have been brought in before they put on the side porch and we would have to chop it up to remove it, which I would never consider. So I guess it definitely won’t get replaced or reupholstered! I think the style is timeless and I love it, and since it is the dog bed for now anyhow, it stays with us forever. I can’t wait to see your lounge when it is all done!
Mary Elizabeth says
Janet, now you know why they left you the sofa! Couldn’t get it out of the house. Don’t you wonder how they got it in?
I’ll tell you something, though. Some upholsterers will do a house call. And definitely some people who make slipcovers will come and measure in your home.
Replacing the sofa cushions and using a board over the springs also works.
Darcy says
Check out this product from Vermont Country Store, “sofa saver boards.” This sounds like what you need. They are boards that go under the seat cushions.
https://www.vermontcountrystore.com/sofa-saver-boards/product/54185
Carolyn says
Funny how inanimate objects become integral parts of your life. Aah, but it’s going to an appreciative home.
I, for one, have been spoiled by “old” LR furniture. I’m not very tall so sitting on today’s furniture is challenging. I can sit on the edge of the cushion or have my feet sticking out from just below my calves. And then try crawling out of the over-stuffed-edness.
Congrats on you first sale and get to painting – WI weather today is sleety and rainy so by the weekend yours should be crummy too.