Want to buy Antique or Vintage furniture to repurpose but not sure what to look for or how much you should spend? Take time to consider these 3 Simple Tips for purchasing a quality piece that you will love!
Buying Antique and Vintage Furniture
Have you ever experienced “Buyer’s Remorse?” That feeling in the pit of your stomach that makes you cringe, possibly want to throw up, after you realize that you just made a purchase that you are not sure about and that you probably spent too much money on?
I have to confess……I have (stomach churning). And I hate to admit it, but I have done it more than once. Apparently I’m a slow learner, because I hate that feeling!
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This time it was an Antique Twin Bedroom Set on Ebay!!
I had been doing some Vintage – Antique ebay shopping and found this wonderful Antique Twin Bedroom set – beautiful carved detailing on the headboard and the footboard! I went ahead and made a small starting bid on it ($50), thinking I might get a steal of a deal. The auction was not going to be over for a few days so I felt kind of excited that I had found it and then kept on shopping.
A few days later my ebay account let me know that it was nearing the end of the auction and I had been outbid. “Did I want to bid again?” Well, as I would try to tell myself later, this was apparently a weak moment and low and behold the BIDDING WAR was on!
Every time I put in a new bid, ole’ Betty Bidder outbid me!! “How dare she keep pushing me? I need those beds, not her! I have a plan for those!! Don’t you dare bid again! Dang it – I’m out – no wait, another bid – I’m in!” And on and on until finally I WON!!
Oh wait, what? I won?? Did I say there was a problem with winning? Well, not usually but – the problem was – I won the bidding at $525!! Ole’ Betty Bidder was now probably a Happy Camper because she didn’t win at that price! And as for me it didn’t sink in right away, the adrenaline from the win was still fresh! But when it did …… there was that feeling, the one that I hate. I was angry with myself and I was embarrassed that I thought “I needed to win” that bad!
It was an “Impulse Buy” and I told myself that somehow I needed to fix it! I knew already that I was going to have to suck it up a bit, because there was no way I would be able to resell these beds for the kind of price I paid! And at this point I had 4 girls sleeping in one room – not 2 – what the heck was I thinking??
Most generally, as history has proven, my impulse buys get me into trouble.
Do you struggle with impulse buying too??
If so – you are not alone. We are among over 80% of Americans that make impulse buys every year! And the interesting part is, they spend an average of $5,400 per year!! (I know, that should make me feel better, right? But nada, nope, didn’t work!)
What I needed was a little help in determining the right mental process of purchasing!! One that would give me control and inspiration when it was the “right buy!” One that would make me feel good about buying something that I loved!!
So I came up with this little checklist that makes this process simple and precise. Perfect for someone like me who wants to skip the remorse!
3 Tips to Buying Antique and Vintage Furniture that you Absolutely Love!
1. Do you LOVE it and will it serve your PURPOSE?
When I am shopping for Antique and Vintage furniture pieces I have a certain style that always catches my eye! I tend to be attracted to pieces with bold features, large and small. I love pieces with lots of carved details or big crown moulding across the top! I can look past the color if I don’t particularly like it and see the vision of the repurposed piece setting in my home all decked out with a new purpose in it’s life and an eye catching piece for decorating.
This process is fairly simple because everyone will have their own style. Each person will be looking for something different to repurpose, but we all have the same inclination and that is – to buy what we really love!
When you find that special piece, the one that makes you smile every time you look at it, you will be forever satisfied with it. Why? Well no matter where you plan to use it or how you plan to give it a new purpose, “because you love it” – it will look great to you no matter where it is in your home!
Here is an example of something that caught my eye! See how we repurposed this Old Deadbeat Dresser into a Cool Coffee Bar!
2. When QUALITY Counts!
Once you have found an Antique or Vintage piece of furniture that you have fallen in love with the next step is to determine if this love affair will last! Is this a QUALITY piece? Is it made well, or I like to say, “Does it have Good Bones?”
Check to see that the hinges are in tact and that the doors open and close easily!!
As you are inspecting it, checking all of the drawers and doors and knobs and hinges, pay attention to how sturdy it feels. Will it fall apart after it is moved a few times or does it feel like it could withstand the test of time? Are you willing to make a few repairs to fix any little flaws it may have? Or are they going to require a whole lot of work? These are questions you want to think about as you are inspecting your new found love!
although not all drawers have to be built using dovetails to be sturdy.
If you really truly love it, but it’s not the great quality piece that you were looking, you might buy it anyway and do a little quality renovation to make sure it lasts and will serve your purpose. Even though it doesn’t have all the qualities of a perfect piece you will still need to determine if it is worth it……speaking of which……..
3. Is it in my PRICE RANGE?
This is also a matter of opinion when it comes to purchasing something “old” – buying Antique or Vintage furniture – that has a long life story to tell. What it really comes down to is “what are you willing to pay for it?”
Sometimes this is easy because if someone is getting rid of it at a garage sale they may not want too much for it. But if you find it at a Vintage Market or an Antique shop they will most likely be asking more for it. You should compare what it would cost if you were purchasing it new – or at the Antique Store – or at the local second hand store. This gives you an idea of what the cost ranges in your area really are and whether or not you think it falls into your price range.
Keep in mind that you will be taking this piece home and probably repurposing it! To you it will be worth every penny if you have followed these 3 Simple Tips!
The Antique Twin Beds – I really loved them and their details and the sturdy quality – what I didn’t like was that they were not in my price range!!
Don’t make the same mistake I did!!
Remember as you are shopping for that perfect Antique of Vintage piece of furniture that when it pops out at you, catches your eye, that you take these 3 Simple Tips into consideration!
- Make sure you LOVE it and that it will serve your PURPOSE?
- QUALITY counts!
- Is it in my PRICE RANGE?
You will be so glad you did. You will feel inspired when you are buying Antique or Vintage furniture and using it to create a beautiful home. You will be grateful that you have taken the time to put these 3 simple tips into practice to repurpose these treasures and give them a whole new life without spending a fortune!! Have you found that special piece that yo LOVE? If so, share it with me – I would love to see it!!
Happy Hunting~