Capturing Your White Whale

That's what I feel like- like I've finally tracked down and reeled in a piece of furniture I have been lusting after for years- like since college. I don't know if Captain Ahab ever caught Moby Dick- I actually have not read that monster of a book. But I can imagine his plight. Always looking, keeping his eyes peeled every moment for an opportunity to catch his prize.

That's kind of how I was about Eames Chairs. I've talked a lot about Eames furniture on the blog before. It's an obsession that started in design school and grew after interning at a Herman Miller Dealership. I loved the  modern look and all the bright colors. But what I've always wanted was a genuine vintage piece to call my own. And if you know me I also did not want to pay big bucks for it. ;)

Eames Lounge

Eames Arm Chair

So I have always been looking for one of my own. Thrift stores, garage sales, CL- you sometimes hear of people scoring one from a person who doesn't realize what they have.

Now that you know some back story on my minor obsession can you imagine how I felt when I saw these on the side of the road!?!

Gorgeous vintage Eames Arms Chairs UPHOLSTERED!!

I was bringing the Hubs lunch at his office on the Air Force Base- just another normal day. They had been doing construction on the building next door and looked as if it was time to tear it down because all the bulldozers were outside.

When we were finished I drove past the construction site again and this time there were a bunch of chairs outside- and there were TWO sets of the Eames chairs pictured of above just sitting there.

I started having a minor panic attack. What are they doing with them? Throwing them away? Selling them? Keeping them for themselves? It was the kids nap time and they were cranky. What should I do?? Come back by later? Find out about the chairs now? It's hard to explain to your kids the what a momentous moment this was.

After driving in a circle for a few minutes I saw some of the workers come out of the building in the back where the bulldozers were. I parked the car, jumped out and ran over. I don't know what those men thought of me- some crazy lady running onto their job site asking about some chairs. But I really didn't care.

After some inquires they found the GC and I asked him what he was going to do with them. That I would buy them if they were for sale. I was trying to not sound to desperate (it was probably obvious though after I ran over to them waving my arms like a mad woman...)

Did this guy know what he had? Can the Air Force sell their property to people off the street? Would this guy try to price gouge me?

But he told me I could have one set of the blue chairs FOR FREE!!!! OMG OMG OMG!!!

But I had to pick up the chairs right then. Thinking quickly as my car wouldn't hold them all I told him I'd be right back with my husbands truck which was in the next parking lot over. I unloaded the still whiny kids (poor things had no idea what was going on) into their dads truck and drove back over to the job site.

One of the nice workers even helped me load them into the truck and tie them down.

I couldn't believe it- had I really just gotten 3 Eames Arm Chairs for free? It was like a crazy dream. I was so giddy I wouldn't wait to get them home and sit in them. I kept looking in the rear view mirror at them the whole way home.

Since they were on a Tandem Base I had to order the wire bases for them. It was excruciating to wait 6 weeks for them to come in but they finally did!

Sometimes you hear people saying that once they finally get or achieve something they have been wanting and working for for a long time once they finally get it the final prize isn't as great as they thought it would be. That the chase was the real thrill, or that the prize wasn't as wonderful as they thought it would be.

Well that's not the case for me! I LOVE my new chairs. They are so comfortable and awesome I sit in mine everyday at the kitchen table. I called it my Queen chair one day and now ConMan sits in the other one and calls it the King Chair.

Even SawMan likes them:

I am totally digging them in our kitchen area. Someone asked if I was going to reupholster them but I don't think so. Blue is my favorite color, the curtains in the kitchen and our living room are shades of blue, and it's crazy expensive to have these things reupholstered ;)

I have one more chair I'm still debating on what to do with- keep it for office or sell it? 

And I'm still find myself scouting out chairs. Old habits die hard I guess.

Do you have a furniture piece you lust after? Have you ever reeled in your white whale?