Help choosing a bedroom set.

[zaika]

So. I'm going to get a waterfall style bedroom set. There are two on craigslist that I'm looking at. One looks really lovely, but is nearly $500. The other looks less lovely (but nice enough, in my eyes) and it's for $275.

Here's the spendy one. It doesn't come with a stool for the vanity.:

And here's the cheaper one that doesn't come with a nightstand:

Help me choose!!

ETA: I can afford the spendy one...but I'm hoping for your eyes to spot a better deal. Sometimes the spendy ones ARE the better deal. Thanks!

 

[zaika]

Nevermind. Fate chose for me. lol

I'm getting the not so shiny set. But hey...if it doesn't work out, I can always find a different set later.

Maybe.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

I actually think the not so shiny set....is more a victim of really bad photography then anything else...

Bet its way prettier in person.....their technique did not lend any warmth to the wood...which i am -sure- is there...

 

[zaika]

ooh. i hope you're right.

a few months ago i saw a vanity that was similar to the one i'm getting, but the "inlay" was just screen printed particle board. so, i'm really hoping that it's not like that...and that the wood is slightly warmer.

bottom line...i hope you're right. we shall see at 7 pm this very eve. hehe.

the other one got sold before i could even take a look!

 

[rmrdaddy]

Just Murphys Oil Soap it, and then use Scott's Liquid Gold, it'll shine!!
Nice grab!

 

[zaika]

So, I got the set!! After I shine it up, it should look great. The only thing I don't like about it is that the wood detailing (look at the dresser...the top strip of wood that looks like inlay?), is actually a screen print.

I don't know if they did that in the 30's or if that's a sign that this is a later set or what. It doesn't detract from the set at first glance...but if you look long enough at the wood screen print on the detailing...meh.

Anyone know about these sorts of things? I think I'm going to sell it later in the year and buy a more expensive set with real wood inlays and such. For now, however, it's marvelous. lol

 

[Miss Neecerie]

wooo so glad its pretty..

Its probably just a slightly lower end set but still from the 30's.

and you can just keep an eye out for another bargain set...when you are ready to upgrade.

Congrats!

 

[BeBopBaby]

A lot of 30s sets have those decals on them. My waterfall bedroom set has urns and swags on it that look hand-painted, but upon closer inspection they are decals. It doesn't bother me too much.

A friend has a waterfall dining room set that looks like it has the same decal inlays that yours does. On spot rubbed off and they just painted the spot to look like the rest of the decal and you can't even tell its there anymore.

 

[The Shirt]

http://www.howardproducts.com/restora.htm

I just used this on my waterfall set, my kitchen cabinets and a teak 50's table. I cannot rave enough about it. It nearly made a horrible watermark completely disappear on one and restored a good deal of sun fading on the other. Almost looks brand new.

Cool set anywho!

 

[zaika]

rmrdaddy - thanks! i like the idea of using liquid gold... lol

Miss N - yeah, i figured it must have been the kind of set that the lower middle class working folks probably purchased. but i will mostly likely upgrade in the future. i'm just glad i have a vanity now! it might inspire me to start curling my hair again.

bebopbaby - see...i didn't know that was common. thanks!! that makes me feel better that i didn't get ripped off. there are some spots on the decals that are rubbed off. i'll do the same as your friend and just paint them back on.

shirt - thanks for the link!! i'll definately do it. there are some scratches and scuffs that i'd like to see gone.

 

[BeBopBaby]

http://www.howardproducts.com/restora.htm

I just used this on my waterfall set, my kitchen cabinets and a teak 50's table. I cannot rave enough about it. It nearly made a horrible watermark completely disappear on one and restored a good deal of sun fading on the other. Almost looks brand new.

Cool set anywho!

Plenty of folks on this board can sing the praises on Howard's Restore A Finish. After reading the recommendations of people on this board, I bought some myself and can't speak highly enough about it. My waterfall set was a little scratched and dinged up and had lost it's luster. I used Restore A Finish and followed it with Howard's Feed And Wax. I couldn't believe how it brought out the luster in the wood. In the sun the wood almost looks irridescent now. These are the best products I have ever used.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Plenty of folks on this board can sing the praises on Howard's Restore A Finish. After reading the recommendations of people on this board, I bought some myself and can't speak highly enough about it. My waterfall set was a little scratched and dinged up and had lost it's luster. I used Restore A Finish and followed it with Howard's Feed And Wax. I couldn't believe how it brought out the luster in the wood. In the sun the wood almost looks irridescent now. These are the best products I have ever used.

Indeed....for anyone left unbelieving....here is a thread with before and after pictures..

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=23885

 

[zaika]

oh miss n! your set was SO beautiful! that's the kind of quality i'm ultimately going to go for down the road. lovely lovely.

i'll post piccies of mine soon. you can see how modest it is. lol

 

[dhermann1]

Very nice, congrats. Did the set you got come with a headboard like the other one? The frustrating thing about all those sets is that our slimmer ancestors were quite comfortable in what used to be called a double bed, Now it's called a "full" sized, whatever that means. Some older headboards can be adapted to queen size frames, but one way or another you have to do some chopping, which I hate to do to even a mediocre antique.
Anyhow, I'm sure you'll spend many happy hours in your elegant new boudoir.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

and some of us are single...so a double is perfectly adequate sized without feeling like a kids bed....

 

[zaika]

Very nice, congrats. Did the set you got come with a headboard like the other one? The frustrating thing about all those sets is that our slimmer ancestors were quite comfortable in what used to be called a double bed, Now it's called a "full" sized, whatever that means. Some older headboards can be adapted to queen size frames, but one way or another you have to do some chopping, which I hate to do to even a mediocre antique.
Anyhow, I'm sure you'll spend many happy hours in your elegant new boudoir.

thanks!! yes, fortunately, it did. i do have a full bed, so it's the right size. but when i was hauling it up to my apartment, the frame seemed kind of light and flimsy. i'm really hoping that once the bed is set up, it'll be sturdier. otherwise the victorian behemoth i have now ( i think it's victorian...it's old and ornate) will overtake the waterfall. [huh] oh well.
lol i've already spent a ton of time in front of the mirror!! lol i've never ever had a mirror in my bedroom...so it was sort of like waking up in a fun house this morning... lol lol

 

[dhermann1]

Now you need all those little glass perfume bottles and powder puffs and other girly stuff on your vanity. And a negligee! Woowoo!

 

[zaika]

Now you need all those little glass perfume bottles and powder puffs and other girly stuff on your vanity. And a negligee! Woowoo!

oh, believe you me!!! all of that is on the list!! (except the negligee...not even my cats would like to see me prancing around in something like that lol lol!!) i even have a glass container that i got from target that looks so vintage and it's just perfect. this will be a really fun project.

 

[zaika]

here are some pics of the vanity and dresser. not very good...and not shined up yet. the hardware is weird too...lol all in all, i really love it. no pics of the bed, for some reason...