Furniture Bargain Hunt: Pasadena, Los Angeles

By Mary M

Furniture Bargain Hunt: Pasadena, Los Angeles

GREAT THRIFTING FIND!

I love visiting Pasadena. Best advise to avoid the traffic…make a day out of it! Yesterday, I made the long drive out there so I could have lunch with my dear friends, and fellow interior designers at Ederra Design Studio (we all received our masters together from UCLA), catch up on their practice, and get some advise as I am FINALLY starting my own. I also arranged to meet up with another friend for happy hour and in between I did some thrifting research!

Lunch was at Mike and Anne’s. Their fries are out of this world. They’re the shoe string type with a hint of garlic, the ones you cant put down!

My friends told me if I was going thrifting I MUST stop at The Huntington Collection and Annex. She said the profits go to the hospital so all the ‘well-to-do’ Pasadenan donate the ‘good-stuff’ there. I looked up their website before I headed out and was skeptical about their prices. I had never been and, always a sucker for a exploring new places, I decided to go. Happy to report, they have sales! So don’t let the prices online deter you. At the collection, items have two prices listed on their tags, after 27 days the starting price reduces by 1/5 the cost.

I loved these two upholstered slipper chairs… and the sofa was as good as new!

In the market for antiques but don’t have a big budget? These are some of the best prices I’ve seen on quality pieces. The bench is perfect for a Spanish Revival or Arts & Craft home. The Baker Cabinet even had letter from an appraiser inside that described the history of the piece. 

Some of my favorite vintage shoes to find are Ferragamo. They flatter a women’s foot so beautifully and are so well made they last forever, as you can see. What I love even more? The price!!!

Precious vintage children’s clothes and Karl Lagerfield Jumpers…Oh my!

At the Annex (which is in the same building but has a separate entrance) the special was 50% all tags marked with a ‘D’ (which means ‘donated’) and hand written tags. Other tags marked with a ‘C,’ meaning consignment, were not on sale. The special changes everyday so check with the attendant before shopping so you can properly assess the price.

My picks…The iron patio table & chairs, rattan table & chairs, and secretary desk (yes I checked for dovetails! see photo below) all half off these tagged prices!!!!!!!!!!!!….I fell to the floor!

This place is wall-to-wall furniture…

Most important thing…Let me know when you’re going…I’ll go with you!!!!