Erin Shuford just pulled off the ultimate furniture flipping score, turning a $115 thrift store find into a massive $9,000 sale in less than 24 hours. The Florida-based furniture restorer recently managed to snag a complete, four-piece vintage Broyhill Brasilia bedroom set. She shared her work on Instagram and TikTok under refurbishedish and has nearly 35 million views. This project is easily the most impressive transformation of her five-year career.
According to Newsweek, Erin has been working full-time as a furniture flipper since the birth of her second child. After struggling with returning to a traditional job, she said she took a leap of faith to focus on her passion for restoration. It paid off with this find, when a friend spotted the set at a thrift store and immediately reached out. “I missed the call, and she sent me pictures. I almost dropped my phone when I opened her message,” Erin told the outlet.
When Erin first shared the find on social media, she was clearly thrilled. In the post, she wrote, “I can’t WAIT to restore this!!! Follow along if you want to watch!! A friend found this in a thrift store and immediately called me. I almost choked when I opened the photos. I literally cannot believe that all four pieces were only $115!! If you’re not familiar with these, Google ”Broyhill Brasilia” and look at what they sell for.”
She had found a much-coveted brand
The community clearly recognized the value of these pieces instantly. On TikTok, one user commented, “That’s Broyhill Brasilia, and SHAME on whoever painted that!” On Instagram, a user added, “THIS IS ACTUALLY THE MOTHER OF JACKPOTS.” Another thrifter recently hit the jackpot when the $19.99 Goodwill golf bag she bought held a putter worth hundreds.
The Broyhill Brasilia line is legendary among mid-century modern enthusiasts. According to Medium, the line was introduced by Broyhill in 1962 and drew heavy inspiration from the modernist architecture of Brasília, Brazil. It is widely considered a near-perfect translation of architecture into mass-produced furniture.
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The Medium piece noted that the pieces are defined by their walnut construction, iconic arched pulls, and distinctive geometric curves. They were only produced for a limited time, and as a result, are rare finds.
In her restoration post, Erin explained that she spent roughly 50 to 60 hours stripping, sanding, and refinishing the furniture. “I will probably never beat this thrift fund. This iconic Broyhill Brasilia bedroom set is worth thousands, and I paid $115 for all of it. But it obviously needs some love. So, let’s see what’s under this paint,” she said in her voice-over as she started the work.
She carefully removed non-original decorative trim and replaced poorly added legs. One thing she pointed out, which made the value of the piece clear, was, “I was so thankful that this all had the original hardware because they go for up to $139 a piece online.” She then followed a professional finishing schedule to ensure the walnut wood looked its best.
@refurbishedish I’m still gagged that this Broyhill Brasilia set was only $115 🫠 Can you believe that it’s basically perfect underneath the paint? That never happens!! I hope you find this as satisfying as I do 🤤 The stripper I use is 🔗 in my bio!
♬ original sound – Erin • Refurbishedish
After sanding the delicate veneer by hand, she applied stain, sealed the pieces, and even built a new base for the tall boy dresser. “Then I sealed everything up with lacquer, added on the original hardware,” she shared. Then she showed off the before and after. It had gone from a dusty blue painted piece to one where its wood grain was visible and polished to look new.
The public response was overwhelmingly positive about the result. One TikTok user noted, “It’s a design crime to paint a Broyhill Brasilia set. Thank you for restoring it to its original glory.” Like Erin, when a TikToker bought her fully renovated 1920s home, she worked to restore it.
An Instagram user told Erin, “So wonderful that they found your craftwomanship. To add the proper legs was so magnificent.” Erin eventually decided to part ways with the set and came back with an update. “This set sold in less than 24 hours on Facebook Marketplace for $9,000!”
@refurbishedish Would you grab this for $115? Pretty sure I cashed in lifetime karma points for this, because they were absolutely pristine under the paint. I followed the base tutorial on YouTube from @The Colibrí Design She is SO talented and shares her knowledge so generously!!! The stripper and everything else I used is linked in my Amazon storefront. Now should I keep it or sell it? 🤔
♬ original sound – Erin • Refurbishedish
Reflecting on the experience, she told Newsweek, “I’m afraid I cashed in my lifetime karma points for this, and it will never be beaten. I debated keeping it, but the set isn’t right for our space, so I ended up selling it. I know I’ll regret it forever, but its new owner loves it. And that in itself is so rewarding.”
For those hoping to follow in her footsteps, her advice is reportedly simple: “Being knowledgeable enough to recognize what type of furniture is high quality, valuable and currently sought after is the most important thing. And go to the thrift store and check Facebook Marketplace as often as you can!”
