So here, Great Sages and Visionaries of the Blogosphere, is my pressing problem: my nightstand of nine years broke. Given that I purchased it from Ikea, it's run as my bedside companion is very impressive. The drawers went a little off track a few years ago, but two weeks ago, the plastic snapped, and now the middle drawer rests in the bottom drawer.
This will not do. It is time to invest in a new nightstand.I initially purchased a similar three drawer model from Ikea for $40. However, Husband and I managed to fuck up putting it together in rather inventive ways, and he told me never to buy anything that required construction from Ikea again. I went back to the internets and found two alternatives:
Option A:
Option B:
Now, there is nothing wrong with Option A. I could totally be fine, even happy, with Option A. It might even match a dresser that Husband has, which would be exciting. However, Option B is gorgeous. How can I not desire its sleek design and shiny wood? O, Oracle, how I covet it!
The problem is that Option B costs three times as much as Option A. Husband told me that it's OK to spend some money on nicer furniture (nicer furniture that will of course match nothing else we own, another bonus in my trashy eyes), but I can't help but feel guilty at spending so much money on a freakin' nightstand, even if it is the best nightstand ever made.
What would you do?
*To be accurate, I'm wearing my gym clothes. But whatever. It would probably be disrespectful to consult the Oracle in smelly gym pants.
Good furniture is always worth spending money on. Make sure it is solid wood and that the joints are strong and buy, baby, buy. The extra cost will be pennies over the life of the thing. Think of it as reducing waste, because you won't be throwing something away in 5 or 10 years.
ReplyDeleteExcellent advice! And Macy's made it that much easier for cheap little old me to follow your wise insight by discounting the nightstand I love by another 50%. In the end, it cost $100 more because it was still a little more expensive than Option A and delivery cost more, but I think it will be worth it. I'm pretty psyched.
ReplyDeleteOption B. I'm totally coveting it.
ReplyDeleteI understnad and agree with SueBOB's assessment for the most part (even though I don't particularly like Option B anyway). However, I have to disagree with the reducing waste part of the argument. In NYC, furniture never goes to waste. There will always be people like Suzanne and Husband who are willing to snap up a furniture bargain from the curb.
ReplyDelete-Steph
P.S. I should add that my current nightstand is a Rubbermaid tote container that I bought for my freshman dorm. My "fancy" nightstand that arrived from overstock.com in a box about 3" thick and thus required assembly is currently serving as my bedroom TV stand.
Yeah, I vote option B as well. You paid your dues with the IKEA thing for so many years...
ReplyDeleteglad you went for b! they're both cute, but lifespan is better paying more than replacing the other one 5 years down the road (though as pointed out, someone in nyc would relieve you of your burden if you put it on the curb when you'd finished with option a).
ReplyDeleteand i also still use my rubbermaid drawer tote as my nightstand from my dorm days at 30. replacing things with 'adult' furniture & i don't mean liberator.com