Monday, 3 June 2024

Shopping For A "Proper" Coffee Table.

 We went to a carboot sale yesterday to buy but not to sell.

It's good to go with a set of " wants" in your head when browsing they myriad of unwanted goods on offer.

I wanted a new to us coffee table. I recently dismantled one with a axe to use for firewood for winter.  I was amazed what the Scandinavian shop bought table was made from:

Egg box coffee table insides made out of cardboard.  Unbelievable!


We purchased our "new to us" coffee table for ten Euros and I bought 13 electric fence pig tails poles for segregating the pigs and ponies.

The table is solid and in future I will be buying old furniture that is robust and painting it bright and shabby chic.  New future especially  flat pack is a waste of money and great for making people lose their patience assembling the stuff.

It's good to do your shopping early on a Sunday morning before the stores open at eleven.

Have you bought any carboot bargains lately?



Up to date photo of "new to us" coffee table in our front room.

14 comments:

  1. Our car boot sales here are not that good, so we don't bother to visit them. I agree lots of modern furniture are poorly made. The electric fence poles look really handy.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Marlene. We travel 50 or 60 miles to carboot sales. There are very few down here. A lot new furniture is very shoddy and will not last long. I think second hand is best.

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  2. It's not long since we got rid of a coffee table!
    Don't knock the Scandinavian shop 100%...yes, there is the cheap range...for those on a tight budget wanting something smart...but check the labels and construction...some is solid wood...and there are different woods...

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    Replies
    1. The table in the picture cost 50 Euros GZ and it's like the stuff we use to buy from MFI. Pure rubbish. Shabby chic is for us from now on.

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  3. Our Scandi furniture has lasted years but it's no longer cheap. Used and shabby chic is the way to go

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  4. I have been in IKea in Loule in the Algarve Linda. It's very good and lots of vibrant colours are used. The coffee table reminds me of the veneered "sapela" doors we use to sell in a timber yard I use to work in long ago. We called them " egg boxes" because their innards are made of cardboard in the way like the table.

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  5. It is not fair! We feel cheated! Speaking on behalf of your adoring public - we very much wanted to see a picture of the replacement, more robust coffee table.

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  6. I will post a picture for you YP.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks. Planned legal action has now been withdrawn so you have narrowly avoided a hefty fine.

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    2. "Phew". I thought it was a : "Yoikes Scooby" situation.

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  7. Could you not make one out of the oil tank, or have you used it all now?

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  8. Green plastic coffee tables would be OK in the garden but not in the front room Tasker. Good idea though.

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  9. Dave if it's shabby chic you want I could have picked up several coffee tables for free at our local refuse centre (read 'tip') yesterday - fancy carved legs and all. It never ceases to amaze me what people throw out (or can't even be bothered to give away).

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  10. You should have picked them up and spruced them up and sold them Tigger's Mum.

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