When I shared the ironstone breadbox last week, I teased that I found something even better during my next outing to some thrift and antique stores. What I found wasn’t as rare, but it’s something I’ve been hunting for and I scored big time.
My mom and I have been enjoying going out together to check out some local antique, thrift, and second-hand stores lately and we’ve had such a good time! We have both found some treasures and we simply enjoy spending time together now that we’re 40 minutes apart instead of 20 hours! On this particular day, we hit an antique store (Memory Lane Antiques in Hagerstown) and then went to the Salvation Army, which is practically next door. I hadn’t been to this thrift store, but I had heard good things about it and the parking lot is always full and hopping! A swarm of locals is the tell-tale sign of a good local store or restaurant.
So, we walked in and I headed to the left to check out the dishes and housewares, and my mom went right to look at the furniture. She quickly came over to me to tell me there were some pool lounge chairs I should take a look at. She actually called them recliners initially, so I was a bit confused, but I know my mom knows what I like and I need to go if she spots something and calls me over. And, she was so right!
My first thought was they were perfect and exactly what I’ve been looking for since we bought a house with a pool. My second thought was that Jeff would probably hate the worn wood and would think they were junk. But, I had a gut feeling about these. As I was taking them in, my mom assured me, “I kicked them and they are super sturdy.” We both laughed at her sturdiness test, but she wasn’t about to crawl onto a pool lounger in the thrift store. That honor went to me and I gladly did it to test out the cushions and the integrity of the frames. They were solid as a rock and I could tell immediately that the cushions were not cheap.
Despite the wear, weathering, and lichen stuck to the wood, I knew these were something special and I would’ve bet they were teak.
I always imagined having two lounge chairs with an umbrella between them, so I purchased two out of three of the chairs for $50/each. We had our van with us and loading them would’ve been a little awkward, so I sweet-talked Jeff into going back over to the store with me to pick them up in the truck. I went out of my way to tell Jeff how nice these were and encouraged him to look past the weathered appearance, but to my surprise, he liked them and didn’t need convincing.
When we unloaded them back at the house, I noticed a tag on the back of the chaises for the first time. Solid Teak, Country Casual. I looked up the brand and found our exact thrifted chairs. When purchased new, they are $1600/each!
And that’s without the cushions. The cushions are an additional $592.
I loved these chairs anyway, but it was confirmation that my gut instinct was right.
I sent this information to Jeff and he said we needed to go back and get the third one. I was trying to restrain myself and stick to the original vision despite the bargain, but we went back first thing in the morning and bought the third one. He was right that it was a no-brainer. We ended up getting $6600 worth of pool loungers for $150.
And, they do look swanky! I really couldn’t love them more and I am so happy we went back for the third one.
And, aren’t the cushions the perfect color for me?
When I shared them on Instagram, the most commonly asked question was if we were going to powerwash and oil them to restore the teak. Teak is a wonderful wood to use outside because it doesn’t need to be refinished. It can weather naturally over time and the integrity of the wood will not be compromised. I think a lot of people look at it like typical lumber and that it needs to be sealed, but it doesn’t and that is the beauty of teak! I actually love the soft gray color and even the lichen growing on the sides. I don’t really want to powerwash all of that off. The armrests could use light sanding to prevent splinters and I might oil the wood just to hydrate it, but I don’t have any plans to restore them to look like new.
are the bolster pillows I bought to tie into the navy umbrellas, which my parents bought us as a pool-warming gift. I love the way they look on the loungers, but they are also quite functional, too. You can add more cushion behind your neck, under your knees, or use it as a soft armrest. We just got the pool up and running last week, but it’s quickly becoming my favorite thing to float in the pool, do a bit of gardening, float in the pool some more, and then dry off while relaxing in a lounge chair for a while.
I’ll be sharing more of the pool and the backyard next week, but it’s really coming along! We have more power washing and gardening to do and we’re planning on rebuilding the fence, but renovating a house is a long game and you have to celebrate the milestones along the way.
I wish I could tell you some awesome tricks to scoring amazing finds at thrift stores, but I just happened to be at the right thrift store at the right time. Prior to that day, though, I was simply patient. I had been looking at Facebook Marketplace almost daily and I’d searched online for new loungers as well. I hadn’t found the right ones at the right price, though. I knew they would surface and I just needed to be patient. It took about nine months, but I found the perfect set at an unbelievable price. Patience and persistence win the day!
What’s your best second-hand find?
46 Responses
Love the loungers and the glimpse of the pool! Looks like a really cool, fun summer is in store for you all.
Best second-hand find was 3 lamps that were left at the curb with a “free” sign on them. When inspecting them at home I realized they were Stiffel lamps — 2 table lamps and 1 floor lamp. Best find ever for me
I love these! Do you leave the cushions out or put them away when it rains? I am never sure quite what to do. Glad you are leaving the wood as is. So much character!
Girl, you have the best luck! LOL What an amazing find and they look fantastic on the pool deck. Getting the 3rd one was perfection. I love, love that now you and your mother can have that special time together on a more regular basis. That is priceless!
They are a wonderful find. And they look exceptional by the pool. The bolster cushions are perfect with them. The back yard is looking very swish. My best find was a pewter candlestick for $4 from the Salvos. They retail for$300 in Australia!
Wow, what a score and find!! Yep, it’ s all about being in the right place at the right time. Great eye and they really dress up your pool area. I think this might be one of my favorites of your finds besides the ironstone cake plates. With all this hot weather on the East Coast you and your boys must be cherishing that pool right now.
Patience did payoff big time and as always God’s timing is perfect. I have really enjoyed following your reno. Thank you for taking the time to post and all the good tips & tricks!
Major score! I have purchased solid teak years ago and it has always been very expensive. It’s durability goes unmatched for outdoor pieces. Before I read that you went back I was saying, please get the third one!! Enjoy your fabulous find.
I am so glad you went back for the third. What a find indeed. I figured they were a score just by looking at them! The backyard looks incredible.
I caretake a property with a teak table and chairs, and the owner does not want them power-washed. But he does want them cleaned and that kind of bums me out. I like the weathered look too. I’d also rather expend my energy on more meaningful things!
Oh, I’m so glad you aren’t going to refinish the loungers! I absolutely love the gray-and-lichen patina! And paired with navy, they are just perfect!
An absolute treasure of a find!! I love the cushion color and the weathered wood. The green cushions mixed with the blue and soft gray is beautiful. So very glad you went back and got the 3rd chair. I’m going to put that thrift store on my list of places to visit when I am out thrifting ~ Hagerstown is not far away!
Good eye Mom! Super nice teak loungers!!! A great find and they look fantastic around your new pool! I love the bolsters too – and just about everything you have done in your home reno:-) You are blessed to live close to your parents again – just those everyday visits and casual “come on over for dinner tonight” dates make the very best family memories!
You should try cleaning them with Tip Top Teak Cleaner; you will be amazed at the difference. Lucky find and perfect for your family. You will enjoy them for many years.
They are a wonderful find. And they look exceptional by the pool. The bolster cushions are perfect with them. The back yard is looking very swish. My best find was a pewter candlestick for $4 from the Salvos. They retail for$300 in Australia!
Perfect pool chairs and makes your yard work so much better to be able to take a dip in the pool between chores! So envious!
The best thing about having a pool is taking a float in the dark right before bed. It’s the summertime equivalent of a relaxing bath. Even better if the neighbors can’t see and you can do it au naturale!
Great find! The pool area looks amazing and so inviting. Your family must be enjoying it so much. You’ve always had great places to find incredible things. We don’t have very much in our area, but it is still fun to go even to the limited places we have. Today we picked up several small things at our monthly Vintage Market and nursery. Very fun.
My best find was a Bentwood Telephone Table that I got for $25 on Craigslist. As soon as I saw it, I KNEW it was worth more. I didn’t know WHAT it was – but I knew it was worth considerably more. I turned around and sold it for $450 – to a guy who thought he got a deal!
As soon as I read the original cost of the them, I yelled at the computer, “Go get the third one!”, so it was a relief when you said you did. Beautiful! I’m a big believer in given time, I will find what I am looking for, so I won’t settle.
I have had teak lounge chairs, yes, around $600 each ten years ago. I do believe in putting on teak oil. The wood is so thirsty and it’s a pleasure to see the rich color of the wood come out. To each his own. I also purchased heavy canvas covers so no worries about the weather.
What a. find. They are gorgeous.
When we downsized from a three story 4 bedroom house, we sold our mahogany dining room table that seats 12 to 14 (depending on how cozy). Just no room. I found a pedestal style oak table (with a leaf!) for $33. It was senior discount day. I had to sand and refinish the top due to lots of scratches. It looks fantastic now. Fits perfectly in our senior condo and we get lots of compliments on it.
No wonderful vintage buy, just something that fit our needs perfectly for very little money.
I’m thinking of asking your mom to start her own thrift/antique shopping class. I never find anything close to what you two find.
My best score was a set of 3 prints for $40 each. I found a gallery label in the back, contacted the gallery and found out they were original block prints by a relatively famous artist … the gallery had sold them several years previously for $1900!
So glad that you are already enjoying your pool area. My best find was a piece by a regional artist at a humane society thrift store. 27 cents for art that is conservatively valued at $300.
Those pool loungers are an amazing score! I’m a lot like you, in that, I am patient when there is something I’m looking for. I search my local haunts – resale, consignment, antique malls, and online. Used to be Craig’s list and now FB Marketplace and groups on FB. I just found a gorgeous persian rug at the right price. I’ve been looking for six months.
That was a screaming deal!
What a score! And the cushions are in fantastic shape. Puuurfect color!!
Marian, So happy for you and your great find ! And even happier you are closer to your mother to be able to shop with her on a weekly basis because you make a great team ! Enjoy your pool which looks so much better than when you moved in. I was not fond of the green but you made it look so much better with your pizzaz adding the blue umbrella and blue bolsters
I noticed from your pictures that the shells you have added to your garden beds go perfectly with the grey tones in your teak chairs. Everything works beautifully together, even the small touches!
Love the loungers! I got a patio table which expands to 12 feet and 6 arm chairs all in teak, have had 20 years and love the soft gray and lichens! They were a steal since they only had arm chairs left and no armless ones and it was the last table. Other than that, my best is for 25 cents recently at a Habitat ReStore I bought a Royal Albert bone china flower of the month bouquet in perfect condition and a few years ago I got a Herend Egg Bonbonniere in green for $1.00.
Love the soft gray and lichens and have never oiled mine.
What a wonderful find! I love the weathered look, too. Maybe you’ll luck out and find another, matching one online (although maybe a matching one with green cushions would be unrealistic) – even if it’s not as cheap, it’ll still be a bargain!
Blue Willow, by Churchill, I saw a box that had $25 marked on it, asked the kid behind the counter of the thrift store, if that was for all of it, yes it was. I got 8 plates, 8 soup bowls, 8 luncheon plates, a sugar bowl, [ found the matching milk pitcher later on, back here in Ontario ], a large platter, 2 serving bowls, and a divided serving bowl. All while on vacation in Halifax Nova Scotia. Best vacay ever.
I don’t know what my best find is, but I recently found a some wedgewood blue transferware plates and a jadeite mug at a garage sale- I think I paid around $1 for all! I’ve always liked blue and white dishes, but I got more interested in them from seeing all the greens and blues and whites and how you style them in your book 🙂
What a score and perfect color! So glad you got the third one, too. We had to evacuate due to wildfires, so we filled our vehicles with as many antiques as possible and my artwork. We had to drive out of state to get away from the smoke. We got tired of the nail-biting wait to see if we still had a home so we went to an antique store. I scored an antique spool cabinet for much less than it should have been marked. My husband said, “And how are you going to fit it into the car?” As any antiquing addict knows, one shall always find room and I did! The treasure is in our home which was saved. The fire came within 1/2 mile of it!
Lucky Gal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GREAT score even if they were not priced at what you found out. Don’t ya love that fluttery feeling when you find a good score? My feet can be killing me, I can be dying of thirst and I can be exhausted beyond belief…BUT if “THAT” score in within reach….I perk right up!!! Nothing else matters!!! Love it!!!
Love your fabulous find! What a GREAT deal! My best find thrifting was a black tall TV entertainment armoire I now use as a pantry. I went in the thrift store not necessarily wanting to buy a piece of furniture but I always love to look. A few months prior I had one of my friends over who is an interior designer. I wanted to tell her my ideas to extend our galley kitchen into our very small dining room so I could have the pantry I’ve never had in the kitchen. It would involve tearing down the wall between the kitchen and dining room. There was other wall work I wanted to do and she could tell it was most likely load bearing which would lead to a beam, etc. cha-Ching was adding up fast. So I decided it was too expensive to make those ideas come to life.so a couple of months later I’m in the thrift store and I see this armoire and my first thought was WOW I’d love to paint a piece like this even though I love and have other black pieces. I opened it up and it had great compartments, 2 large shelves, 2 drawers and two cubbies all inside its tall double doors and as a bonus a large drawer outside at the bottom. Yes this is a great piece but there is no way I can get it home. I turned to walk away and this thought came in my head worded just like this, ‘you could use it as a pantry’. I stopped and turned back to it, opened the doors again and thought I could use this as a pantry. I called my husband and said I’m sending you a picture of an armoire I want to use as a pantry and I’m going to book Two Men and a Truck to bring it to our house. My husband and I are older and there is no way we could get this piece to our house, up our front steps and up our stairs to the main level. The piece was $160 and when I went up to pay for it, it was half off because it had been on the floor 2 weeks. So I paid $80 for this gorgeous black huge armoire and it is the best pantry!!! LOVE IT!
What a find !! I too, hoped you’d go back for the third lounge, so
glad you did 🙂 Enjoy the pool. Your boys will have many years
of enjoyment swimming and floating. We had planned to down~
size but now the grand kids love to come swim. Keeps us young !
My best find years ago was a gold baby grand piano out to be
picked up for the dump. I had learned in piano lessons that a piano
has a heart and soul and if the harp inside is not damaged ~ do not
throw away. My husband lovingly and quickly made arrangements
to bring it home. It was refinished to a beautiful black, tuned and
our boys learned to play ~ best find and save for me 🙂
Marian, keep up the good work. Your journey and good taste is
enjoyed by all of us.
Wow. What a find! I have a teak bench my husband bought for me 40 years ago. Part of its charm for me is the graying wood. It reminds me of the teak benches we saw when we visited London.
Karen B.
I love that you are near your mama and you can shop together. I hope she didn’t go home and kick your dad to test him out! Great score. Patience and persistence are what gets the scores. I tell folks it is the thrill of the hunt. What a great find. They look awesome around
your pool. My best scores were a $15 white Featherweight sewing machine and a dollar HP calculator that was worth a bunch. Fun stuff.
Yep, that’s a major score, all right! They seem to be pretty high priced for a Salvation Army store, though, I am surprised about that. But still WAY less than you would ever pay even for some “el cheapo” variety! LOVE the green colored cushions. The weathered wood helps them to blend in perfectly with your backyard and make it seem like they have been there for a long time.
Fantastic!!!
I am curious as to the white pipe running from your wall into the pool.
We have Country Casual chairs that are over 25 years old now and still sturdy. We do put them on the porch in the winter but they are out in the sun and rain the rest of the year. We sanded off the lichen a few years ago because it was starting to look like bird poop, but otherwise, no special treatment.
hi marian. whenever l get a great find/score at a charity thriftstore l donate something back that l could have sold for alot of money. just makes it all feel good and thankful for what l just purchased.
Marian, did you have to clean your beautiful green cushions? If so how did you clean them? I bought the bolsters; I’m going to use them with a blue cabana striped cushion.