Design on a Macadamia Nut-Sized Budget: Bug Out Lamp

Decorating the farmhouse in Captain Cook, Hawai'i on a macadamia nut-sized budget is an enjoyable sabbatical of merry scavenger hunting for me. I am attempting to avoid all 'regular" furniture stores and take advantage of the island's nomadic population. Many people fall in love with Hawai'i when they are on vacation and move here permanently on impulse. With no planning and research into what careers they can jump into (not many) and the cost of living (bleach at the grocery store is $4!! What??) They soon realize there's reality even in paradise, give up on the dream and hightail it back to mainland.

Unfortunate for them, but lucky for those of us staying behind, the cost of shipping furniture and home goods back to the mainland can give you a serious case of sticker shock. So, many pieces are donated to the several thrift stores dotting the back island streets. The shops are a treasure trove of gently used goods just ripe for the picking.     

One of my favorites is a large warehouse specializing in furniture and lamps, mostly resort furnishings that were binned by hotel staff during redecoration projects. Rummaging through one day, I found myself in a sea of lamps -- all gorgeous and all with price tags more than $150 but reasonable for their quality. 

I fell in love with one in particular-- a pale yellow one decorated with fine-handed bug illustrations-- like dragonflies, grasshoppers and locusts. I rushed to find the worker in the store before anyone else grabbed it. She was in the second building.   

Out of breath, I approached her and said, "You have a lamp in the other building with bugs all over it..." Before I could continue, she gasped "Oh my God, I am so sorry!" she kept apologizing, not allowing me to get  a word in. I didn't understand why she was so upset, the bug lamp was one of the most unique pieces I had seen.

I mustered out, "No. it's ok, I want it. How much is it?"  She looked at me with an eyebrow raised, questioning my sanity and finally, after the longest six seconds of my life, responded.

"$40" was her reply. 

I was shocked in the very best way, yet still confused with her outburst. I gave her the money and rushed to grab the lamp, heading to the car. Halfway home, still reveling in my bargain find,  I burst out laughing, finally realizing the misunderstanding-- that my description of this gorgeous lamp made her believe there was an infestation of insects crawling all around the beautiful lamps she had procured. 

I'm sure the woman searched the lamp building right after I left for any termite damage or blight of flies and quickly realized all was well, but she may never know how much I cherish this lamp. It now has a special place on my bedside table so I can see it every morning and chuckle about how I managed to get a fly-swatting good deal on it.