Everything I Own I Bought At A Garage Sale

When we moved to the Caribbean, we got rid of all but a handful of our things.  So moving to Kansas City was an adventure in furniture accumulation.  It was hard to have things (clothes, toys, books, etc.) but nothing to put those things in.  We garage sale-d like mad to accumulate chairs to sit on and a table to eat on (we did manage to squeeze bunkbeds for the boys and our rolled-up memory foam mattress into the van when we moved here!).

I think my sister gets a kick out of the fact that our house is basically one big garage sale - she keeps asking me to post pictures.  So here it is, our garage sale house:

This kitchen table we scored for $40.  The table top especially was in pretty rough shape but my man sanded it down and restained it for me.  I painted the backs of the chairs and all that's left to do (on my "I'll get to it...someday" list) is to re-paint the table legs.  My handman Jaron also built the bench.  I love having the bench since it leaves us more space to walk around the table and we have squeezed up to four children on it!

 In the living room adjoining the kitchen we have a lovely microfiber couch ($65) and chair-and-a-half ($35).  I think this'll be my first and last microfiber set - I do not love how every handprint, footprint, etc. remains on the upholstery's surface all the time.  But I do feel like we scored a great set for our price range.  The big black dresser ($20) stores our kid games, our family night supplies, and, of course, our swimsuits.   :-)  I love the big white lamp ($7) but it needs a new, more modern lampshade in my opinion.  I also am not loving the mirror ($3) above the couch.  I hoped it would bring light into the room but I feel like it's too small for the space.

 This end table ($10) next to the couch was a nightmare.  I liked the shape of it but when I began stripping it, I discovered there were three coats of paint and a varnish on it.  Then I discovered that the top was not all wood - the middle section is particle board.  Needless to say, it didn't strip fantastically.  My neighbor was nice enough to say it ended up with a "rustic" look. :-D

 On the opposite side of the living room we have our "office" with a fantastically old desk and chair that I got for $30 together at an estate sale.  I envision myself stripping the desk, restaining it, and putting new handles on it...someday (are you sensing a pattern here?!).

 And our last wall houses our most expensive purchase - a $100 armoire.  I love armoires because it means the TV is not always the focal point of the room.  They also serve as a nice way to protect electronics from little hands, feet, balls, etc.  As functional as it is, It's a particle-board piece so it probably won't move away with us when we leave the city.  I love, love, love old, real-wood furniture but I do not so much love the newer, flimsy stuff.

Don't mind my seriously unfinished photo wall in the background.  It has improved since this picture - the frames now have photos but I still need to spray paint some of them.  I love the photo wall but if I were to do it again I think I would space the pictures a little farther apart.

And that is my downstairs.  The upstairs is still in much worse shape and has yet to come together whatsoever.  I'm planning on tackling the upstairs as the weather cools off and we are forced to stay home more. :-)

I need some advice.  I think my downstairs is begging for some color but I'm just not sure how to add it.  All of the furniture we've accumulated is just so dark!  I have thought about painting the black dresser into a lighter, fun color.  I've also thought of adding some bright throw pillows to the couch.  Ideas, anyone, PLEASE?!