Tips on Buying Vintage Furniture

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Choosing to buy vintage furniture over new furniture not only helps the environment, but gives your home a unique and fashionable look for less. Shopping for vintage furniture can be a fun and rewarding process. Vintage furniture is highly valuable, as it is artistic as well as practical. 

 

Tips for Buying Vintage Furniture

 

Examine the Condition:

Find gently used furniture with good bones: upholstered pieces should have good frames; drawers should slide out easily;  don’t let a few scratches scare you. Choose well-made pieces. It is not necessary that all vintage furniture is high in quality. Avoid poor workmanship and inferior materials. It is also important to research beforehand so that you can get a grasp on the pricing of items. Use defects to bargain.

 

 Inspect the Hardware

Make sure all drawer pulls are there, you can find some vintage hardware online or vintage hardware stores such as Liz’s Vintage Hardware. But you may need a metal worker to make your missing piece;

 

Avoid Pieces That Need Major Work

It can be easy to overlook flaws when a piece is a bargain, but you may end up with something that sits in the garage due to time or cost of repairs. If you really love the piece, get quotes from local upholsterers and refinishers to decide if refurbishing is for you.

 

Beware of Knockoffs

Check for dovetail joints vs newer, cheaper construction methods; Drawers should reveal a post-and-nut construction; look for dirt, dust and wear around the pulls; look underneath tables and chairs and open drawers to find makers marks; be aware of terms used to determine vintage or original; “in the style of”, “attributed to” or “reproduction” indicate these items are not from the original designer.

 

 Measure Your Space

Take measurements of the space you’re trying to furnish before you start shopping and always ask the retailer for specific measurements whether you’re shopping online or in-person. You don’t want to have something sent to your house that doesn’t fit well!

 

Repurpose Pieces

When shopping vintage, see if you can repurpose the furniture. For example, use a small table for a nightstand or an old trunk for a coffee table. Unusual furniture in unexpected places gives your space its distinct style.

 

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