I really, really love antiques.
Flea markets, antique stores, vintage accessories……I’m kindof a sucker for it all.  As we’ve been decorating our new house, I’ve been on the hunt for older pieces that I can incorporate into our decorating, when possible.  I don’t want to fill our house entirely with antiques, by any means, but I love the depth and warmth that mixing and matching old with new gives to a house.

That being said, not everything you find in an antique store/flea market/etc. is a good deal.  How do you know when it is?  Here are a few of my little tricks and “know-how” from my own experience, as well as wise words from those with more experience than I, when it comes to furniture.

Material
One of the great things about older pieces of furniture is that the wood is real.  Yes, REAL WOOD, I say!  Not particle board or who-knows-what that’s more commonly used today by popular furniture stores.  Research and be familiar with good American brands (outsourced are usually made of low-quality materials) of wood furniture for your shopping in general, but especially with older pieces.  A good antique dealer should know the story of the piece, the brand, and what type of material it’s made from.  Speaking of good brands….

Brands
There are usually marks or brand labels to help you.  Names like Hickory, Baker, Henkel Harris, or Hooker are going to be quality pieces of furniture.  Investigate other reputed brands before you buy.  When you head off to shop, you’ll have those common ones ingrained in your mind.  And you have knowledge at your fingertips with your smart phone, so you can check as you shop if you run across a brand name you’re unfamiliar with!  Look at reviews and see the first things that pop up when you search for brand names.
Your Values and Needs
As we’ve been furniture shopping, we’re looking at both new and old pieces.  And really, antique furniture shopping comes down to price and quality for us, just as it does with shopping for new furniture pieces.  Buying an antique does not mean you need to sacrifice working features and a polished look.  Antique furniture does not have to look beat up and work only partially (unless that sort of shabby chic appeals to you, then go for it!)  There are plenty of pieces out there in great condition.  They might have a drawer with a quirk or a small scratch somewhere, which only adds character for me.  But everyone has their own limit on the “character”….my limit is functionality.  If that’s impaired, then I’m out!

Style
Antique dealers are pretty wise on their stuff, so if you see a piece you like, ask about any special style features on it or distinguishing characteristics.  You’ll also start noticing common features on furniture legs and feet (as well as other parts) on similar pieces.  Ask what the terminology is, decide what you like, and know that going forward.  There’s really no great comprehensive guide to furniture features online that I’ve found.  It’s all been a learning process for me and I’m pretty sure that’s how it goes.  What started as “Ugh!  I don’t like the feet on that table, it looks like a real lion foot!” led to learning what a Claw Foot is….and quickly determining I don’t care for the ones that are particularly realistic and detailed:)
I was extremely obsessed with finding a bar cart and look what we discovered recently!  This is a great example of special features, because I quizzed the store owner on these detailed “twists” that I’ve seen on old and new furniture alike and just love.  Turns out it’s my preference for Barley Twists.  One more term learned!

What Do You LOVE?
In addition to educating yourself on all these things before making a purchase, the big contender for me is if I absolutely love it.  If I am over-the-moon excited about finding a piece, I know I’ll feel that way for a long time.  The bar cart was just that way.  All the stars aligned and the price was right, the condition was good, it was what I needed, and I fell in love.  I have no idea the brand, but since it’s not a major piece of furniture, I could care less.  The only small quirk is that the wheels don’t roll entirely well but – looking at functionality – I wasn’t intending on rolling it around anyways.  If I decide in the future that I would prefer for this to be more mobile, I’ll just replace the wheels!

Our other recent success story is this buffet, which we found at a steal of a deal on sale; similar antique buffets we priced were almost twice as much and this was in great condition.  The brand name checked out, it’s all mahogany and pecan wood, we loved the style, and the drawers were smooth (i.e. not functionality-impaired).  It was love at first look!

A wise man once told me (seriously….I’m not just using that phrase) that “if you love it, you’ll find a place for it”.  I really took this to heart and we’re enjoying the process of looking for pieces we love and can’t live without!  At the heart of all furniture shopping, that’s been our motto.  My husband’s just having quite a time patiently teaching me that I can’t love all of the pieces I find….or at least, I can’t have them all.  If only!

Hospitably Yours,
Stephanie