Free Tip #11
Posted by Jennifer on Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Why buy new Furniture?
Over the years, furniture comes and goes from your home. When you want to add new pieces to your decor, why not think about buying used? New furniture often is made from particle board or mulit-lamenated wood. These pieces may look like great bargains at your local furniture stores but many times are not. Most new furniture can never be refinished. Sometimes, it looks so real it's hard for most professionals to recognize that it isn't. While the pieces may serve a purpose early on, keep in mind of how you want them to look in the future. If the piece ever gets gouged or scratched many of them will never again look new. There's only so much "touching up" these pieces can handle. They are designed specifically for a time period that the store hopes will end. Early on, stores sold solid furniture and refinishers kept them alive for years to come. With modern technology, stores are able to fabricate very real looking furniture that lasts for a time. Once damaged, you are left with no options but to buy new again, giving the stores more business.
My goal isn't to scare off any stores potential customers, but to bring to light the dying craft of refinishing. Many older pieces of furniture are made from solid species of woods and have the capability of being refinished multiple times. When searching for the perfect piece, why not try a yard sale or antique store? You can find old worn out pieces at a fraction of the cost, and have them refinished and looking like the day they were originally made. My entire office consists of free furniture I found online. The set includes an executive desk with return and a credenza. It is very large and was once mahogany finished. It was also in very bad shape. After refinishing, it is now a very modern looking ebony with glass top I purchased for $350.00. For about $500.00, I have a nice office that you can't find in any store for that price. If sold, the set would easily go for about $5000.00.
The money you save alone in refinshing old furniture can be in the thousands. Keep this in mind the next time you go shopping for new furniture. Instead of a store, hit the yard sales and call a professional refinishing company to get it looking any way you like. You will be suprised at what is out there.
Over the years, furniture comes and goes from your home. When you want to add new pieces to your decor, why not think about buying used? New furniture often is made from particle board or mulit-lamenated wood. These pieces may look like great bargains at your local furniture stores but many times are not. Most new furniture can never be refinished. Sometimes, it looks so real it's hard for most professionals to recognize that it isn't. While the pieces may serve a purpose early on, keep in mind of how you want them to look in the future. If the piece ever gets gouged or scratched many of them will never again look new. There's only so much "touching up" these pieces can handle. They are designed specifically for a time period that the store hopes will end. Early on, stores sold solid furniture and refinishers kept them alive for years to come. With modern technology, stores are able to fabricate very real looking furniture that lasts for a time. Once damaged, you are left with no options but to buy new again, giving the stores more business.
My goal isn't to scare off any stores potential customers, but to bring to light the dying craft of refinishing. Many older pieces of furniture are made from solid species of woods and have the capability of being refinished multiple times. When searching for the perfect piece, why not try a yard sale or antique store? You can find old worn out pieces at a fraction of the cost, and have them refinished and looking like the day they were originally made. My entire office consists of free furniture I found online. The set includes an executive desk with return and a credenza. It is very large and was once mahogany finished. It was also in very bad shape. After refinishing, it is now a very modern looking ebony with glass top I purchased for $350.00. For about $500.00, I have a nice office that you can't find in any store for that price. If sold, the set would easily go for about $5000.00.
The money you save alone in refinshing old furniture can be in the thousands. Keep this in mind the next time you go shopping for new furniture. Instead of a store, hit the yard sales and call a professional refinishing company to get it looking any way you like. You will be suprised at what is out there.