CL-inspired question: How much for very little is too much at any price?

The availability of very fine, ordinarily prohibitively priced bathroom fixtures on CL at impossibly low prices causes this enthusiastic bargain-hunter to ask: How much is too much?

This much?

What you see here are three, wide-spread, three-hole bathroom faucets with hardware, a two-hole gooseneck bathroom faucet, a hand-shower, three light sconces and 6 towel bars.  

That big faucet right in the middle front is almost certain to be the faucet in the master bath. 


All we need now is a kitchen faucet (and walls and floors and ceilings and pipes and wires and, well... everything).  
But seriously, look at these amazing, vintage nickel-plated towel bars!!!

I took all 6 at $25 a pop.  I know that isn't a giveaway price, but see what you get from Home Depot or Lowes for $25 -- IT'S KREEEEPPPPPP!!!  So this was a no-brainer, except that V is going to say, "noooooo!!! we don't need it all!!!" and she will be correct.  So let me explain...


At $35 each, these two brushed nickel sconces from Waterworks (originally $350ish) seemed like an easy solution to either the master bath or guest bath lighting situation.  They would use a clip-on shade (i.e., a shade that clips onto the outside of the bulb).

(and another one just like this one above, but in shiny chrome)

All of this raises a new question: can we get away with mixed metals in the master bath? All the tub hardware is light colored brass.  The shower hardware is all nickel-plated, but that won't show because it is inside the shower and we're probably not going to have a full glass-walled shower. The towel bars are nickel.  The toilet is mercifully free of metal details, although there is a tiny sprig of chromed brass on the flush lever.  It might be odd to put brushed nickel over a brass faucet, so maybe these sconces are better in the guest bath (or on ebay).  The copper bar sink is just folly - folly that will almost certainly find it's way to ebay (but that should pay for the shipping on everything else).


Whatever whatever.  It's all good.  All totaled, the amount I have spent on plumbing fixtures so far is still less than two high quality shower units would have cost (and we have three of those now).  Some of this will inevitably end up on ebay and, maybe just maybe, we can cover the cost of the stuff we keep.


DON'T WORRY, V.  I'M DONE NOW!!!  NO MORE!!!

Craigslist - Clawfoot Tub - Potential Victory Snatched from the Rotting Carcass of Disappointment

Well, with a little searching, I found another clawfoot tub- purportedly from Waterworks - on CraigsList.  I'm still stinging from the bait and deny that the guy pulled on me earlier today, but this one might be a better choice - it is certainly more luxurious looking.  This one is out on Long Island -- way way way out on Long Island - Hamptonsey far!  This design is called a "slipper" tub.  V says it reminds her of The Death of Marat.  (Sorry the pix are lousy - this is what the seller could send me from her cellphone - nice lady though and she promises not to change her mind about selling it to me).
 
I called the Waterworks showroom in mid-town and a very nice woman there said to forward her the photos.  She confirmed that it is NOT a waterworks tub but she thinks it is probably a bargain nevertheless - on the basis of the tub-filler, she said to definitely buy it if it is a good price.  She confirmed the quality of the tub-filler and that it is Waterworks product.  So - I guess I need to find someone to help me load it into the car on Friday night or Saturday morning.  Urgh!!

 

Well, one certainly hopes it doesn't go this way - but this is about how I felt after the guy snatched back his tub earlier today!

TBONTB - upholstered chairs

Since this blog began with an inquiry about the re-upholstery of a chair, it seems fitting that I should return to that topic in earnest.
What do we think of this chair?  I have been offered a pair of them in great condition, both just like this one.  The brown rug definitely makes it look worse than it would in a more contemporary or industrial or whatever setting.  How would it look on recycled maple flooring?  It is green wide wale velvet corduroy (or something like corduroy) and that isn't going away without a significant investment in re-upholstery.  Anyway, what do we think?

[UPDATE: We didn't get the chairs - for some reason they gave them to a thrift shop - bummer. Although I think V is probably happy about it. Oh well.]

Design Idea - Bathroom Sink

 

Has anyone ever seen a sink like this? It is small but amazing - the color seems to be baked into the porcelain and there is a ring of gold around the top lip.  it is much much too lovely for us - somehow, with all its loveliness, it manages not to be precious though.  So that is good. 

Well, okay, it isn't just an idea. We bought it.
We're going to have to swap out the faucet hardware though since we can't actually suffer having hot hand cold water coming out of different taps. I figure we drill a center hole, and use a 3 hole wide-spread faucet setup. Whee!!