A Kansas Home Full of Secondhand Finds

Since the day 11 years ago when she fell for a ’60s TV cabinet at an antiques mall in Kansas City, MO, Tobe Reed has been hooked on the hunt for cast-off pieces with potential. “It’s how you feel about a pair of broken-in jeans — there’s a softness and comfort you don’t get with something new, and usually the price is right,” says Tobe, a graphic designer by day who turned her hobby of collecting other people’s junk into a side business, 200 Main, that she runs on Chairish with her mom. So of course, when Tobe and her husband, Eric, upgraded from a loft to a four-bedroom brick Colonial in Overland Park, KS, in 2011, Tobe left no resale storefront unturned or website unsearched.

One of her first scores: the vintage Persian rug in the living room that she found on eBay for $650. “It was a steal for the condition and the size,” she recalls. “When it was delivered, I hauled it inside by myself with strength from the adrenaline!” That blissful feeling of snagging a great find continued as she furnished her home with vintage chairs, quirky light fixtures and the coolest baby changing table ever. The result is a beautifully collected and totally unique look. “When you shop secondhand, you won’t find the same thing in anyone else’s home,” she says. “Used pieces give a room soul.”

Tobe and Eric with Grace, 16; Ava, 4; and Elin, 1.

“I have a serious weakness for colorful rugs, and I liked having a vibrant starting point for the living room,” says Tobe. With the eBay rug in place, the design took shape as pieces caught Tobe’s eye, including a tall cabinet (Craigslist) that houses a TV and an antique Indian wedding trunk from Le Fou Flea in Kansas City that displays a bar tray. To pick up the blue and red in the rug, Tobe chose a pair of painted-blue wood campaign tables (Craigslist to the rescue again!) and a pair of leather club chairs from Christopher Filley Antiques, also in Kansas City — just $200 for the pair. The compact slipcovered sofa is from Crate & Barrel, and the custom leopard-print pillows are from a friend’s online shop.

Tobe took the ’60s white spun fiberglass kids’ table and chair set off the hands of a Craigslist seller for $60. “He couldn’t believe anyone wanted them because they were so old, but lucky for me I loved the style,” she says. To spruce them up, she had light blue cushions made with Sunbrella fabric. She ordered the black synthetic wicker sofa and chairs from Ohana Depot and spray-painted a round wicker Craigslist coffee table Black by Rust-Oleum to match. Orange euro pillows from The Home Depot and striped ones from Pottery Barn add color, and a pair of potted ficus trees bookend the patio.