Tuesday's customer inspiration - Brooke and Jeff's beautiful Chi Town home!

Hello! How nice of you to stop by to see this week's Tuesday's customer inspiration - I have the gorgeous Chicago home of Brooke and Jeff's to show you!

Their place is really amazing - let's get started!

Brooke began her email this way: My husband and I love Jubilee! It is quite a hike from our home, so we don't get there as often as we would like, but that is probably a blessing in disguise because I am sure we would buy so much stuff we would soon have no where to put it!

This lamp was purchased with an older shade. I just replaced the shade with a custom made one that I bought off of etsy. I like it because I doubt anyone has a lamp quite like this :) {I agree, Brooke - and I LOVE how you added a ton of pizazz to this already amazing lamp!}

The minute I saw this couch online at Jubilee, I emailed the pic to my husband. We raced over to Jubilee that night and bought it. It was delivered a few days later {note: we're no longer offering delivery into Chicago - sorry!} and I couldn't be happier. It is extra long and comfortable, too. I love the shimmery fabric and although you can't see it, there is criss cross wood on the sides - so cute! {I remember this sofa and it is super nice!}

This picture shows our black chair that we purchased at Jubilee for an amazing price - I think it was 10 dollars {do you see it to the right of the sofa?}. I think we purchased this on our first trip ever, and we were like "OMG". It is in perfect condition (as is everything) {maybe everything isn't "perfect" but I always tell it to ya straight if there are any issues!}, with a chrome base, wood arms, and great black fabric. Love at first sight.

Here are 2 of the 4 orange chairs purchased at Jubilee. Again, saw these on your first trip there and we couldn't believe our eyes - they are so cool. We love chairs to begin with, and we had never seen such amazing chairs at such an amazing price. Seriously, they were 5 dollars each. Jubilee, I feel the need to formally thank you here - so , Thank YOU! These chairs make me happy on a daily basis :) {You're welcome, Brooke. I'm glad you like 'em so much because I've, a little, wished we hadn't sold them. You see, they're part of a grouping we got from an area church and we use the conference table and remaining chairs (that are identical to yours) for Friday dinners and Saturday lunches with my volunteers - and sometimes we need more chairs and I dislike pulling up ones that don't match - I know, I'm weird}

This is a pic of the other 2 orange chairs in use at our desk. Oh, did I mention how comfortable they are??? {Now you have and I totally agree - they are comfortable!}

Up close and personal :) {I love people who use a lot of :) when they email - it makes me :-)}

Thanks, Jubilee - you have helped make our home a place we love to spend time in - a place unique to us. {you are very welcome, Brooke! :-)}

Isn't it so much fun to take a peek into someone else's home? I love the unique shade Brooke put on her Jubilee Furniture lamp. I probably never would have thought to hang the wide-framed mirror horizontally - yet love it! I also really like the black and white pillows with the sofa - and probably wouldn't have thought that combination looks good - but it does! I also like the artwork layered and leaning on top of the radiator (I take it, you don't use it to heat your place, Brooke?). This is what I love about Tuesday's customer inspiration! Thank you so much, Brooke!

And I think Brooke has given me a new Jubilee Furniture tag line -

Jubilee Furniture: helping to make your home a place you love that's uniquely you!

What do you think, dear reader? :-) :-)

Tuesday's customer inspiration - Sarah's sweet wee little studio apartment!

You can thank Sarah for saving you from a post of me writing incredibly stupid, and probably pretty lame, stuff - since the final room in my house - my daughter, Abby's room - is in disarray since she doesn't live there right now (is moving home next month) so I didn't want to take photos (yet) and it's the only room I haven't already shown you! Close one, huh. Thanks SO much for emailing me, Sarah!

YOU could have saved the day if you had only emailed me (sgalbraith@outreachcommin.org) photos of how cool and wonderful all your Jubilee Furniture finds look in your home (either exactly as they looked when they went out our door - or - how you've transformed 'em!), but alas you didn't. Oh well, there's always next week!

Here's Sarah's email:

Hi Susan,

I bought some furniture from Jubilee this fall when I was downsizing and moving into a studio apartment. I always enjoy the "inspiration" photos you post of furniture in use, so I thought I would share mine. {Note: I did not pay or threaten Sarah in any way, shape or form to write that she enjoys my Tuesday inspiration posts - but she is now my very best friend in the whole wide world!}


The little drop-leaf table is absolutely perfect for my tiny setup, because I can leave it dropped and it fits nicely on that wall, but I can unfold it for a larger work/eat surface. (I found those chairs for $10/each on Craigslist). {I remember that cool retro table - really like it!}


The tiny chest of drawers is probably intended as a night stand, but it tucks so nicely into my mini kitchen, and provided the only drawers in the place, so I can store my silverware and kitchen utensils. {LOVE that piece - especially the square knobs!}


The typing table was my find-of-the-day. There is no counter space in my tiny kitchen, so I leave the stand mixer parked on that typing table, and then wheel it into place and prop the side leaves up for additional prep space. {very creative - my best customers can see past the obvious use of an item and re-purpose it - yea!}


Finally, I am including a photo of my antique murphy bed. I didn't get it at Jubilee, but it is my most prized thrifting find and I thought you might appreciate it! {I do - love. it.} (I found it about 2 years ago off Craiglist for 80 bucks). {amazingly excellent price!} In fact, with the exception of 2 small bookcases from Ikea, everything in my apartment, from the day sofa to the lamps and every table, is a thrifted, trash-picked, or hand-me-down item. {Sarah, you're my kind of woman}

I always enjoy your blog {be still my heart} and my trips to Jubilee {Sarah, how can I love you more?!}, keep them coming!

Sarah

Wow, not only did Sarah send fabulous photos - but she wrote such great, descriptive and nice stuff too - and no, Sarah is not related to me!

So, there you have it, dear reader - a wonderful glimpse into Sarah's creative, lovely, thrift-filled home!

Enjoy your week and I'll see you back here on Friday!

Tuesday's Customer Inspiration - Trish's buffet!

What a difference a week makes! One week ago, the blizzard of 2011 was already coming down and everyone was scrambling to determine exactly how serious it was going to be and whether or not businesses should close early. By 12 or 1:00 p.m. I decided to reschedule the donation pickups which were scheduled for the next day and to cancel a Jubilee Furniture volunteer leadership meeting that was scheduled for that evening starting at 5 p.m. Both good calls - in retrospect (though as I was debating what to do, Dan - Jubilee Furniture Warehouse Manager - emailed me, "It's just snow Susan, welcome to Chicago!" and I felt like a wimp for cancelling! Na na na boo boo, Dan! :-).

And today, though cold, is filled with sunshine and nary a snowflake in sight!

But let's not tarry! It's Tuesday which means today's post is about something someone's purchased from the furniture store and how wonderful it looks in their home and - surprise - someone actually sent me a couple of photos (wonders never cease!)!

Trish and her husband made the 2 plus hour drive from WI because Trish had seen something on the blog that she thought would work in their home. Now that I'm thinking back on it, I think what Trish originally spied was not what they ended up buying - but I could be wrong (and often am!). Anyway, Trish found a gorgeous two piece china cabinet - but they only had room for the bottom piece - so we started talkin' and it worked out for them to purchase just the buffet and then Trish found a couple of wooden dowels that she also bought!

Here's a photo of Trish's dining room. I love her Victorian style table and chairs! Jubilee Furniture buffet is in the rear of the photo.


The buffet really is beautiful even without the top piece and fits perfectly into the space! Trish jazzed up the wooden dowel thingies by painting them a great shade of blue and they offer a wonderful accent on the buffet! Don't you agree?

And that, dear reader, is the end to this week's customer inspiration! It truly is inspiring when someone can see beyond the bad lighting and dusty surrounds of the store and realize how lovely a piece will look in their home! Thank you, Trish!

Hmm, seeing potential and inspiration in things that don't immediately appear so - does this mean I have to start loving snow? :-) :-)

Tuesday's customer inspiration - Jack's bedroom!

Welcome to my Tuesday segment where I showcase Jubilee Furniture furniture in a fantastic customer's amazing home to help you see how wonderful things look outside of the dreary warehouse where the store is located.

Today the amazing home and fantastic customer is none other than me! Yep, apparently with a massive blizzard bearing down on Illinois my customers have other things on their minds than emailing me photos! I'm sure once the storm passes, I'll be overwhelmed with emails filled with fabulous photos (sgalbraith@outreachcommin.org - in case you forgot!).

However, until then - my son, Jack's room will have to do!

Jack's room is painted this great shade of blue and he and his dad mounted narrow piping along the ceiling so Jack could hang tons of posters and other stuff (from wire) and rotate 'em out whenever he wants without leaving holes in the wall! Plus they move in the breeze and create great shadows and movement. I didn't purchase anything from the store in this photo - but wanted you to see it.


As you walk into Jack's room this is what you see:


I love the pattern of the fabric on this chair and I did buy it from the store.

This is a great retro end table that works well as Jack's night stand. The artwork is also from the store and I have another - up close - photo of it to show you.

The desk is from the store and it's a great large work surface, but no drawers so we purchased a fun, red set of metal drawers from IKEA and slid 'em under the desk. The desk chair is also a great retro piece - but it actually came with the house!

Here - as promised - is the artwork. It's hard to describe exactly what the picture is, but it seems to be roly-poly Asian people all jumbled together (it's very fun and quirky).

Beethoven sits on Jack's desk and he was also purchased from the store.

This fella is on top of one of the two IKEA bookcases in the room and there is something about him that appeals to me (which is why I bought him after he'd been hanging around Jubilee Furniture for a while!).

So, that's a look into Jack's bedroom where many wonderful Jubilee Furniture pieces live!

God's protection, love, peace and blessings to you, dear reader!