How to choose vintage furniture
The vintage furniture is furniture older than 30 years but generally people consider furniture as vintage when it’s at least 50 years old. The furniture may not belong to a specific style or manufacturer and it may vary in styles. Vintage furniture will be showcasing the best out of that era. These are considered to be as a good option in the home décor. Everybody may not like furniture in the vintage style. People who are fond of particular style will most likely have vintage pieces in their home. The interest for the particular is shown by going for that style. In the event that one is sentimental, one has the option to reproduce the most loved time. Since the time includes quite a few years, one has the opportunity to choose pieces having a place with various years and consolidate them into a look that fits his taste and style. One can be innovative in the way he restores or revamp the pieces to give them a look that is our own special way. It is a budget friendly furniture style. It is less costly than purchasing new furniture of similar worth and quality.
It helps to save you money and that too by improving on the style quotient. By purchasing vintage furniture, you are able to add an elegant and classic look to your home or office.
Tips for finding quality vintage furniture:
Do a good research
Rather than requesting used articles from fabulous folks, one approach to look for these is to go to carport deals and home deals in localities that have more veteran homes. Closeout houses are also a good option when looking for vintage furniture. There are a lot of shops and online stores that are dedicated to selling vintage furniture only. Look at some better settled small markets too, as here you have increased chances of getting a good deal.
Factors to consider before going for vintage furniture
Many people prefer specific styles, and eras. A genuine item is subjective based on the history, condition, and rarity. It is the experienced person who can easily find out the original piece. Consider about the practical sides too. Size, weight, cost are some factors that you need to consider. If you are a good customer, then the vintage furniture dealer can surely help you to identify the piece that will be best suited for our setup. Local appraiser can also help you find out the right vintage furniture.
Vintage or retro furniture?
Most people don’t know the difference between vintage and retro furniture but the difference is very clear. Vintage furniture is an old furniture from the specific period in history and it has to be older than 30 years to be considered as vintage. Retro furniture is new furniture that is made to look as from specific period in history. If you want just the look without the trouble of finding and restoring vintage furniture then retro furniture is something to consider. If you decided to decorate your home with retro furniture then you should check out our Retro kitchen appliances guide.
Look for quality rather than brands
Well known brands like Kittinger, Charak or Kindel cost a small fortune and very few people can afford those pieces. If you have a limited budget than you have to look for quality furniture in good condition rather than popular brands. In the late 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century there were hundreds of brands who produced high quality furniture and furniture from that period is in general made with much better materials than furniture today. Look for “good bones” in your vintage furniture piece and ignore the brand. Also, don’t ever buy complete collections. Those collections are generally overpriced and you will get a much better deal if you buy every piece individually. For those who want to learn more about specific style and eras we recommend checking out the famous Furniture bible.
Check for the authentic indications of age
Take out every one of the chests and look at all surfaces. A vintage will have sporadic dovetail joints. It must have an old look to it. A solitary space screw is a further indication of the period. You can also take a look at the drawer runner for indications of wear and tear – the sign that it’s been opened a huge number of times throughout the time. Other signs that a bit of the piece is a late make incorporate predictable shading, processing plant adjusted corners, and present day screws. Check if the piece have original hardware, most of the vintage furniture have solid wood or solid cast-brass pulls. Odor is also a considerable factor. New piece just smells fresher. Don’t be afraid of scratches on your vintage furniture, that is also an indication of usage and age. Some people like to keep the scratches as they show the character of the piece and some people restore scratched vintage furniture, it’s up to you. If you want to learn the the basics about restoring vintage furniture check out our Furniture restoration guide.
How to set the price on vintage furniture
A collectibles store might hold out the advantage of having them assessed. While having furniture evaluated, make a point to offer an examination cost for each piece. Try not to get bolted into a circumstance paying a rate of the estimation of the part of the pack to have it evaluated, or the evaluator may be enticed to knock the cost up a bit. So make sure that you carry out enough research when you are planning to buy a vintage piece of furniture and then make the purchase decision. If you are buying vintage furniture by on yard sales or picking old houses then it’s up to your negotiation skills to strike a bargain ;-)
You got my attention when you said that vintage furniture must have an old look. As you said, you may check for indications of wear and tear. With this in mind, I will be sure to inspect each set of vintage movie props that I am interested to buy. My husband and I want to collect vintage items, and we want to only shop for quality items. This is for us to be able to resell them in the future.