Why should you never buy antiquarian furniture online? Learn more from this essay and make the right choice in favour of off-line, real-life, stores.
We are not going just to look for it in stores, we are not going just to surf the Internet in order to find a perfect vintage table. We are going on a hunt, ladies and gentlemen.
I am pretty sure that most of you are kind-hearted people, and it will be almost impossible to spot you on a real hunt. So, we decided to open a safari season for antiquarian furniture. Specialists claim that when it comes to this type of house decorations, it can never be as simple as just going out there and buying them.
You need to have a gut instinct and you need to learn how to listen to it. Perhaps, for now, you have zero experience and you can`t consider yourself to be a good hunter. But this article will be a great start. Thirst things first, you yourself have to figure it out why you even need vintage furniture and how much you are willing to pay for it. I hope you do realize that such stuff never comes cheap.
Of course, there are flea markets, as some of you may point out, and you`ll be absolutely right. Do you remember that episode from “Friends”, where Phoebe gets all obsessive over the furniture that has a unique history? She believes in a huge value of tables and chairs that might have lived a long life and absorbed all those events from the past.
However, finding something worthy and really special at a flea market is rare luck. So, we need to learn some basic rules of vintage furniture hunting.
Can You Lift It?
Specialists who know their deal when it comes to antiquarian furniture swear by this simple method: try to lift that piece.
Hold on, hold on, if it`s too heavy, please don`t hurt yourself, put it down, and don`t try to lift it again. We don`t need all those lawsuits because of our advice. If it`s heavy, it`s a high-quality armchair or a table, or whatever you have your eyes on.
If it`s light, there are can be two possible explanations. It`s either a fake vintage piece of furniture or it`s really old but not very well-done. Antiques are like investment, and you don`t want to waste your money on some trash, do you?
How About a Pillow Fight?
Or you can find another way to crack those cushions open. It`s your choice. But a pillow fight sounds like fun, just saying.
Anyway, what you want to see inside those cushions is good foam. That`s some soft and springy padding which has in most cases mustard or dark yellow colour. It has to have a good consistency. Try to scratch it. If small pieces fall off, that`s not the best choice for your house. It will be ruined in no time.
Perfection Isn`t What You`re Looking For
I don`t know what kind of philosophical thoughts has this subtitle evoked in that head of yours, but don`t forget that we`re talking about vintage furniture here. If you truly desire to possess something extra special, you shouldn`t buy any piece which looks like a lost part of a doll`s house.
Real antiques usually have some flaws and imperfections, but they make this furniture so unique. By the way, this rule can be applied not only in interior design. I do hope you got that metaphor. Look at handles, drawers, attachments. They`re actually supposed to look like people were using them.
How Well Do You Know the Types of Wood?
Back in the days, carpenters of different historical eras would use different wood. But some of those types have appeared on the market just recently, so don`t let a salesman trick you.
You should forgive us for not providing the whole list of wood types and the chronology of their use. But, firstly, this information is extremely boring.
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