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Need quick help choosing thrift store console!

15 years ago

We bought a large flat screen (52") for our recently finished basement media room. I've been looking for some type of console/credenza to place under the screen (it will be wall mounted). I was hoping to find an inexpensive vintage piece with clean lines. These are getting hard to find, though, because lots of people are using them for flatscreens. I've looked at new pieces, but don't really want to spend hundreds and everything that I like is pricey.

The only furniture in the room is a big black leather sectional (not my typical taste but very comfy for all us to curl up and watch films). I have a brown multi-tone shag rug, oak laminate floors and a neat old MCM folding rope chair. Anyhow, the dresser that the flatscreen currently sits on needs to go to DDs apartment tomorrow, so I have two choices at the local Salvation Army. I was planning to buy the plain 70's era long dresser which I would paint (probably paint the frame and top black and keep the drawers stained--perhaps). It is NOT a well made piece, but for $30 and some paint I could make it look pretty decent and it would provide storage. But then this morning I spotted this cool burl/chrome/metal console. It was $35. It has a Thayer Coggin feel to it (I've seen similar stuff on Ebay and it is $$$). No storage though, and don't know where I'd put the DVD player. I'd be tempted to paint the metal black of bronze, but worry that I would destroy what it is meant to be if I did that. I did go ahead and buy the burl piece because I didn't think it would last and know I could resell it for what I paid. But I'm wondering if the repainted dresser would be more practical. Should I go for form over function and get the burl table until I find something totally perfect?? Need to make a firm decision before I drag poor DH into this--he has made it clear that there is no space left in the garage for my "mistakes" LOL!!!

Dresser:

Burl console:

Thanks for your honest opinions!

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Comments (15)

IdaClaire
15 years ago
Since you've already bought the burl console, I'd say go ahead and use that, but keep looking until you find something that's absolutely perfect. I don't think I'd buy the dresser, especially since you say it isn't well-made at all.
bungalow_house
15 years ago
I would go for the dresser. Perhaps it's just because I live in a small house, but where possible I try to avoid leggy table-tops, particularly if they're big. If I'm going to give up X square feet of floor space in a room, I want storage out of it!
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IdaClaire
15 years ago
Oh, I think a dresser would be the perfect solution -- but not this particular one. I think you can do better, for perhaps just a little more $. Just wanted to clarify! :-)
dilly_dally
15 years ago
Since your TV is going to be wall mounted and you just want "something" to put under it, I would just use the console table you have already bought. It looks cool.

I do not know what you mean by "where to put the DVD player". Can't you just set it on the table and try to hide the cords? Whether you get the dresser or keep the console the cord thing is still going to be an issue no matter what, right?
igloochic
15 years ago
form over function in this case. That piece is COOL!!!!
tradewind_64
15 years ago
OMG, I bet that table is by Milo Baughman. Only my favorite designer for furniture! Did you get this one? I see it's sold. Freaking AWESOME. Please tell me you bought it. Does it have a name or a store name??

I LOVE IT!

Joanna
tradewind_64
15 years ago
Oh you are the buyer! Yay! Don't worry about resale of that piece if you don't like it, you should have no problem ebaying that baby. Especially if the veneer is not chipped. Excellent score!

I have a rosewood case sofa and loveseat set, and now that Milo Baughman is hot, I shudder to think of what I would have to pay for those sofas if I found them now. YIKES.

Joanna
bellaflora
15 years ago
I would ebay that console for some profit and use the $$ to buy something that can house the DVD/etc & conceal the multiple cords. :-) That's a beautiful console however.

Try looking at buffet/credenza with doors. They work better as TV console IMO.
tradewind_64
15 years ago
OK, I was really happy that you had found a great thrift store score...but that led me to peruse 1st Dibs to see what they had going on, and now I have sunk to such a depth of self-despair that it is possible I will never recover. OK, not really, but who is paying these prices? Does deciding a 70's sofa is worth $17k give it more credibility than if it were, say, I dunno, a mere $9k?

Wow. No matter how often I look I am still astounded.

Joanna
lynninnewmexico
15 years ago
Being a gal who HATES clutter and HATES seeing wires and all the various pieces of equiptment needed these days for our tv viewing, I say use the console until you can find a credenza that'll work for you. You need doors, not all drawers to hold your stuff under that tv. Keep an eye out for a buffet or credenza that has a place for your DVD player, your DVDs, and that will house any other pieces you own. When I was searching for ours, I kept a small notebook in my purse with the dimensions of space I needed for our DVD player, sub-woofer, cable box, Playstation (it gives us BlueRay capabilities). I also keep a small tape measure in my purse to measure every potential piece, as I hate getting my hopes up. I want to know then and there if a piece will work in my home.
Lynn.
teeda_2006
Original Author
15 years ago
I'm back--thanks for all the advice! I decided to skip the dresser (DH just didn't want to mess with something that wasn't well made to begin with) and only brought home the burl/chrome console. Tradewind, I didn't get a chance to read your posts until I got home, but you have me really excited now! This piece is really gorgeous in a room with decent lighting. Very, very heavy and solid. Really well made. Thanks for clueing me in on who the designer may be--if/when I deide to resell it that will be a huge help.

I do agree with everyone that something with cabinets/doors would be preferable and I do intend to now take my time looking. The right thing will come along, I know it. But for now, I'm LOVING the look of this. The good thing is that television and console are on a wall that backs up to unfinished basement, so all the wires are fed behind the wall thus minimizing the ugly wire mess.

Oh yeah, while I was picking up the console at Salvation, they had just put out a pair of similar vintage rust velvet swivel bucket chairs. These things don't look like they've ever been sat in. They were $20 each! They're going in the room as well, and I love the way they look with the console. I promise to post pics as soon as I can--I'm finishing up staining/painting the dresser that is headed to Boston tomorrow for DDs apartment--that's coming out great and I'll post pics of that as well. Again, thanks for all the advice and encouragement!
tradewind_64
15 years ago
I am excited to see your chairs. Don't make me wait too long!

Joanna
scgrdnr
15 years ago
I would go with the dresser and check out the really awesome papers they have in craft stores now and then decoupage it to fit my room.
dilly_dally
15 years ago
I agree, that console table totally looks like a Milo Baughman. Chrome. Burl. Are there any markings?
elizgonz
15 years ago
That console is so cool. It's things like that that keep me motivated to continue stopping in my local Salvation Army once a week. What a score!

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