I recently made my first Facebook Marketplace purchase: a desk. I needed a new desk because the one I was using didn’t have enough storage — my fantasy replacement was an old teacher’s desk. I wanted something small that would fit in the same space as my old desk, but ideally with three sizable drawers for storing knick knacks, bits and bobs, paperwork, extra cords, and the like. More importantly, it needed to be wood.
After about a month of active searching — including sending numerous messages that went nowhere — I finally found a desk that I haggled from $50 down to $35. The desk is great. It’s not perfect, and it’s not quite exactly what I was looking or hoping for, but it’s functional. I was able to refinish it from a warm orange to a deep walnut and switch out the knobs.
Most of my home furnishings are secondhand. I had the great privilege of holding on to numerous pieces that my former roommate didn’t need when she moved out. I’ve also gotten extremely lucky with thrift store finds in the past, or friends getting rid of items during a move. But this was really the first time I went secondhand shopping with a specific vision, and it was the first piece I spent a significant amount of time searching for.
The experience made me realize that shopping secondhand is mostly fantasy — you see something online or in a store that makes you feel things, and you want to recreate that in your own home. But because shopping secondhand can be grueling and full of disappointment and dead ends, you also need that fantasy to sustain you.
Shopping secondhand can take an immense amount of practice. And not just the real-world practice of going to different shops, inspecting pieces, learning how to tell real wood from particleboard, and negotiating prices. It also takes practice in the sense that you can spend an endless amount time scrolling Pinterest or interior design blogs to learn to identify the time period of a piece, how to style it, and whether or not it would work in a specific space. There is an infinite amount to learn about furniture and design.
An arts-and-crafts Asheville charmer from 1910
This beautiful Asheville, North Carolina home spans 2,178 square feet in size and is host to four bedrooms and two full bathrooms. Originally built in 1910, the abode features hardwood floors, lighting fixtures, window details, and fireplaces that evoke early 20th-century charm. The kitchen has undergone updates and features stainless steel appliances. Covered front and back porches are ideal for enjoying the warmer months with loved ones. Downtown Asheville is less than a mile away, making it a perfect choice for anyone who appreciates both walkability and privacy.
The home is on the market for $625,000 with Sotheby’s International Realty agent, Holly Martin.