Okay...I just posted this at the end of trailrunner's post...but when did I ever object ot repeating myself...?

This one came out of an old state office building, and was an unpleasant, featureless mid-toned wood with green vinyl upholstery.
I bought it for $15 or $20, painted it black, and had the upholsterer use a leather remnant I had from another project. There wasn't quite enough of it, so I added a heavy tapestry fabric for the back. It's still a simple, inglorious chair, but fine for our home office.
(And it's considerably less orange than it seems in the photo...really a rich warm brown.)

Beautiful chair Bronwynsmom!

I don't have before pics, but this was just a run of the mill pine butcher block top table. I found it on the side of the road, sanded it down, painted it white with leftover floor enamel. Paired it with $2 old school chairs and it works great as an art table up in the girl's room.
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My potting shed area is still not finished, but most of these items are curb side finds.

All road side finds : The old enamel sink, which I sanded down the bottom and I need to repaint with enamel. The crate under the sink, which holds bedding for the chicks and bunny and stall-dry. The potting table bottom is made out of old decking lumber I found and painted. The top of the table is a little bit of cherry flooring I found. The shelves are also made out of scrounged lumber I found beside the road. The lights, that are still not hung, were also curb side finds. Plus the door that goes into the chicken coop, still needs to be painted.

Yeah .. I need to get busy out there :p

The type of 'curb side find' my DH specializes in .. he travels all over for work and sadly he's always finding 'finds' like this in need of lots of TLC and a new home.

Found dumped off, emaciated, covered in ticks, infested, heart worm positive and had been used as a puppy mill breeder.

Before .. these pics don't do justice to how bad off she was.

After .. A happy, healthy, heart worm free, chicken hound :D

His find before her .. Found soaking wet on Christmas Eve at a Shell station :

She was 'repurposed' to a kind couple in Charlotte and is well loved addition to their home! :)

zipdee - I am amazed at your potting shed, and there is a special place for you somewhere for taking in those dogs. :)

Such beautiful, lucky pups. Breaks your heart to think of. Your chicken hound sure looks like she has some dignity now, doesn't she : )

WOW great work all around. What a good idea for a thread. I am going to keep my eyes open more. I bet I have missed a lot of really useful stuff. c

Thanks, zipdee...
I have just developed a huge crush on your DH.
There is a special place in hell for people who abuse animals, and a deeper, hotter part within it for people who abuse animals for profit.
At least there would be if I ran the universe.

No curb finds, but my husband pulls things out of job site dumpsters. :0) This had "no" seat, a blackened leg, broken front dowels. I had to learn rush seat weaving to bring it to it's current state. My first attempt, so it's not perfect.....
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nicole, I'm impressed. That's not easy to do.

Nicole .. that turned out fantastic. It's very cool you taught yourself to repair the rush seat, what a neat skill to have!

Bronwynsmom .. I'm so with you, people that do this to animals totally disgust me. I can't imagine what's going on inside their heads that they some how justify it as being okay.

I found 2 of these chairs just as someone in the neighborhood was hauling them out to the curb. Joints were loose, finish was gone and the cushions were just plain ratty and nasty. I told him I'd be right back to load them up and he was so afraid I wouldn't come back that he put them in his truck and delivered them to my front door.
Some gold paint and recovering the cushions totally transformed them.

This buffet was in an upholsterer's workshop and had water marks and cigarette burns all over the top. It was buried under bolts of fabric. I asked if he were willing to sell it to me. He said he would and was $50 too much. I kinda hesitated (I don't know why) and he promptly offered to refinish it for me and deliver it to my home for the same $50 price. I jumped at it...I have no idea why he wouldn't have refinished it and kept it for himself.

So many of the pieces in our home just are somebody else's trash and now I consider them our treasures.

Best finds: by zipdee's DH. He should get a big g'web hug today :)

And the furniture/lighting finds are pretty amazing too. I miss NYC--I found several pieces of modern furniiture on there. I've given them away now, paring down in a move from a bigger NYC apt. to a smaller Philly apt for grad school, but every so often I see one and they'd be worth thousands now, evidently.

Here is a link that might be useful: here's one I found...mine could have used Nicole's attention, though

Wow you all have some amazing finds. Around here we don't have bulk pick up days so there's not a chance to find such awesome things beside the curb, though I did find a child's wooden rocker once when we lived in a townhouse that someone was throwing out. I tore off all the vinyl covering and recovered it in a pretty red with red and white heart trim for my niece. I have photos, but sadly they are from my 35mm days.
The find below is a $10.00 Craigslist find. At the time I found it I wanted a desk for my computer that could close when not in use. I've changed my mine and have yet to finish it, but here's the befores and what it looks like so far.
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Love seeing all the finds. Zipdee! I am in love with your DH! Bless you both. Your potting shed has a spare elegance about it. Add a cracked creamware jug of roadside daisies, and it's a Martha Stewart potting shed, fer sure!

Another great deal from Craigslist for only $15.00.
A little refinisher, some stain and poly, spray painted the hardware and we have an updated chest of drawers for our daughter's first apartment. It looks much better in person.
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And yet another Craigslist find. This one for $25.00. I removed the funky top, added trim in its place. Painted it to look a bit like Wenge wood and added paintable wallpaper antiquing it and here are both before and afters.
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I am amazed at what people can do, you all are so talented.

That potting shed should be in a country magazine, no question.

I am not a DIY person but I use to be. For some reason I decided years ago that I no longer wanted to do anything and that I wanted to have it done. I think I am going to try my hand again at it. ttodd gave me wonderful directions on how to shabby chic an armoire. Ya'll are so inspirational, thank you.

This is not just very creative but it is economical. I am so impressed with all of you.

.....Jane

Here are a few of mine: before of desk that picked up from the curb.I will paint and use as sofa table in my LR. After and before of freebie end table that is now in my LR and holds Dh's electronic junk! After of free rocker that was going to be thrown out by my coworker. the original color was dark brown and a rocker was broken. so DH fixed it and painted it and new cushion cover. after and before of freebie wicker loveseat. 7 cans of spraypaint and fabric.
after and before of chairs neighbor getting rid of. actually the before is a similar chair.
I also picked up a bright blue Ikea bench with no seat and it is holding up my peonies outside- thru the seat. I am getting too many befores!!

Such amazing finds and transformations!

Well not found on the curb but I am sooo happy with my first CL purchase! I have been looking and looking for furniture for my sunroom. I figured I would never find anything....

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$300 for a like new super sturdy set (the pic is at their house)

I am picking up the rest friday. It was in such great shape (one seam needs to be fixed) that it didn't even seem worth haggling. It will fit perfectly in our sunroom so we will have more seating for visitors this summer coming over for a dip in the pool. I currently have nothing in the sunroom for seating.

Of course now thanks to Aunt Jen I want to paint it some fun color. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: CLad

boop, that was a steal. I wish I could find a set like that.

monablair....those gold chairs are BEAUTIFUL!!!

zipdee...thanks! Love ..."LOVE" the sweet little hound!!! She has those "eyes"!

justgotabme....WOW! Mahogany chest? Nice desk too....WOWSER!

Everyone put a LOT of themselves into these free pieces!