Why persistance pays off

I've got this thing against fake wood furniture. I despise it. The laminate board/press board/particle board stuff is just plain garbage. Sure, when you're on a budget (like, oh say, because you're a dirt poor graduate student) it can, at times, look appealing. But in all likelihood, it'll fall apart before you even get your degree, and it just plain looks bad. Not to mention you have to assemble it yourself nine times out of ten. And besides all that, I'd like my home to be formaldehyde and formamide free. That press board and particle board stuff is full of such chemicals and they give off fumes. Sure, you can't smell them, but they're killing you slowly. (Just ask FEMA. All those cheaply built trailers they gave the New Orleans folks after their homes were destroyed were made out of that stuff. And their interiors...where the people live, test positive for formaldehyde vapor levels over twice what is deemed safe. Way to go FEMA.)

So that being said, I'll now brink you to my quest for a desk. I'm a graduate student. A desk is a must-have piece of furniture. Mind you, I can't afford to go to the local furniture store and buy a solid wood desk. And I don't fancy the idea of spending hour after hour sitting at a cold glass or metal desk. I'd like something a little warmer and more inviting. Wood.

After checking out a few nice wooden ones...well...let's just say that that particle board laminate desk was beginning to look pretty attractive again. None the less, I had time in my quest, as school doesn't start until the end of the September.

After several weeks of searching, I finally found the desk. Check it out at this website: http://lonewolfreviews.tripod.com/unfinfurn.htm

In the search bar, type "shaker 18 desk right"

The first link to appear should be the desk. It's the "Shaker 18" Desk with Drawers Right." It's selling for $465.88. It's made of solid alder wood with brushed nickel knobs. It's from the Maco Home Office Collection and is made right here in Portland, OR. Ain't she a beauty?!

Now before you begin to think I'm crazy...there's more to the story. No, I didn't shell out $465 for a desk. I have scruples, but I'm not crazy. I found this desk at the Salvation Army. It was probably sent there because some kid had written in red marker all over the side of it, and gotten huge black ring-like stains on the top. Not to mention some really sticky glue-like substance. If it was my kid writing all over a $465 desk, I'd have left him at the Salvation Army along with the desk!

Anyway, I digress. So there's my desk. Of course, at the time I had no idea it was a $465 desk. I only just found that out today when I went to refinish it. It's in absolutely perfect condition except for the marks. Looks to me like the artist did his deed when the piece was very new. I couldn't leave it as is, so I sanded it for several hours to remove all the marks, and then spent another few hours staining it a dark walnut color. I like wooden furniture, but not light or natural colored. Anyway, while staining it, I noticed this sticker on the back:

And that allowed be to track it to where it was made, and subsequently sold for $465.88.

After an entire Saturday full of TLC, my desk is looking all dapper and graffiti-free. Go ahead and admire her. I didn't pay $465.88 for her. I paid 94.6% less than that. OK, I'll do the match for you. I walked away with this desk for a mere $25. Persistance pays off.