Furniture Consignment Gallery Blog

Did you know that natural wood furniture is better for your indoor air quality?

Laminates, plastics, and other synthetic materials may negatively affect the natural ion balance.  Symptoms of unbalanced ions include dizziness, fatigue, headaches and anxiety.  Unbalanced ions can also generate static electricity that cause particles to suspend in the air, aggravating respiratory disorders.                  

In contrast, natural wood does not negatively affect the ion balance and has the added benefit of balancing humidity.

Unsealed wood is hygroscopic, i.e. it can absorb excess moisture during periods of high humidity or, conversely, release moisture in dry conditions. Humidity control is important in minimizing viruses, bacteria, mites, and mold, all of which can affect the state of your health.

Pre-owned furniture is more likely made at a time when solid woods were used. 

Today there are many cheap imitations that use composite board or laminated surfaces that incorporate unhealthy components, such as adhesives that emit toxic gases at room temperature.  These gases can adhere to suspended particles, as well as float freely in the air, and are linked to asthma, allergies, and respiratory ailments.

 Phyllis Traver, Building Biology Environmental Consultant, owner of Safe & Sound Home, LLC,  scientifically helps homeowners to create healthy indoor environments.  Phyllis has bought and Sold Furniture at Furniture Consignment Gallery.  You can reach her at Info@yoursafeandsoundhome.com 

Bed sizes have evolved quite a bit over the last few centuries. As homes have become larger, rooms have expanded and naturally bed sizes have followed suit.  It wouldn't be America if bigger wasn't better.  I upgraded to a King Bed myself.  Though we all desire more sleeping space and mattress surface area, nothing beats the beds that were made in the 1920s - 1940s. 

These beds are solid as a rock and super sturdy. Most of them take a standard size full bed and you can even get an inexpensive converter kit that will extend the length and width of your bed so that it can accpet a Queen Mattress.  

Some great qualities of the beds built in this era are:

• They were built of solid woods such as Solid mahogany or Rock Maple.
• The decorative detail was often created by hand.
• They are made to last and have almost outlived one generation and will likely outlive another.
• They are very affordable as they sell for between $300 - $1,200 depending on condition and style.

Man has laid down the law.  "I want to see my TV!"  For nearly 20 years, large cabinets were manufactured to hold, display and to HIDE the television.  Suddenly, we need to see the television because they are oh so cool. 

When our buddies walk in the house and we want the wide screen to be the first thing that they see.  We are not ashamed of this in the least.

So why is it so darn difficult to find a piece of furnitrue to display our new best friend?  Most Television stands are not even pieces of furniture.   They are plastic, particleboard pieces of junk and yet so many people are buying these units because they serve a purpose.  Yet, never has their been such a great opportunity to use a wonderful piece of furniture to display your true love. 

An antique server, a unique dresser, a sofa table, a map chest, there are so many very cool options and your favorite consignment store is a great place to go to get the wheels turning. 

You no longer need a million components so this is a golden opportunity to think outside of the box.  You can be different from your friends in that you can have your television while maintaining your appreciation for good quality craftsmanship in your home.

If you are Selling your home and you have furniture that you no longer need, the buyer of your home should be the first option to purchase these items and here is why:

• If you can secure the sale of your furniture with your buyers, you remove what can be a stressful task from your list of things to do.  You have enough to worry about when moving so take this off of your plate right away if you can.
• You may be able to avoid costly moving and storage fees.
• You get your money with less hassles and get it right away.
• You eliminate the risk of damage by leaving the furniture right where it is.

How do you agree on price?

• Don't be greedy.  
• If your furniture is 5 years or older be prepared to sell it for a quarter of what you paid for it.
• If your furniture is newer than that and in "Showroom" condition, then push your asking price to half of your original purchase price.  
• For the sake of simplicity, you are willing to sell the items at a discount from what you could achieve on the open market and you need to explain this to your buyer.  

Too many people make the mistake of shooting for the stars and turning off the most logical suitor -- the buyer of your home.

If you are unable to work out a deal with your buyer, it is not the end of the world.  If you have upscale items in excellent condition, then the next stop should be a high end furniture consignment store.

Once a trademark of a fine piece of furniture, the inlay that furniture enthusiasts seek and love has been insulted by modern manufacturing techniques and manufacturers.  The contrasting wood grains with various inlays are being done with photo finishes and weak veneers.  Low-end manufacturers have been luring uneducated consumers with fancy looks that quickly transform into a mess in the home.

The side effect from the cheap inlay is that the consumer has grown used to seeing contrasting wood colors and grains and, as a result, prefers that look. 

The problem is the basic, but solid Queen Anne cherry and double pedastal mahogany tables are suffering a bit on the resale market and it's not right.  Consumers want the fancy look, but don't realize that the cheap inlays lift, smudge, crack and do not wear well.  For the last 10 years, the big box furniture stores have found a product that connects with the uneducated furniture buyer.  However, after a few years and the signs of a poor quality surface, consumers are licking their wounds and finding their way.  A solid, but basic, traditional table will give you a classic look and a table that will withstand the test of time.

It may be frustrating that your dining room suddenly resembles that of your mother's or your grandmother's, but it will last. And the best part of all, is that it will hold value and help you to buy a real table with wonderful veneers and inlays that boast genuine satin, walnut and ebony woods. 

Save for the real thing and buy a high-end table with the banded inlay you have always wanted, but buy it on consignment when your budget is ready.  It will be well worth the wait!

We are one week away from the Massachusetts 2010 Tax Free Holiday Weekend which takes place on August 14 & 15th. The deals and values will be great every where you look this year. 

In sifting through all of the opportunities that will be flashed in front of your eyes this week, why should you buy your items on consignment next weekend?  The primary reason is that the values are much better.  The best example of this is an Ethan Allen entertainment armoire which appears to sell in Ethan Allen's catalog for more than $7,000.  It has a mechanism in the base that raises your flat screen by remote control.  In our store on consignment this piece is selling for $2,499. 

The kicker is that the maximum allowable sale price that is exempt from the Sale Tax next weekend is $2,500.  You can read the rules of the Sales Tax Holiday on the Massachusetts DOR website. Because this piece sells for more than $2,500 if purchased new from Ethan Allen, it is not eligible for the tax exemption.  Now the deal on this piece is so good that it may not last to the weekend (we only have one of each item).  But, the point is that the smart consumer who buys this piece on consignment will get a great buy and would qualify for the tax exemption.   

There are many similar deals in our store and others. Be a smart shopper and do yourself the ultimate favor of checking your favorite resale shop before you buy next weekend. You never know what you will find and the value is sure to be better.

When  my wife, Diana, first passed the NCIDQ exam and began her career in Interior Design armed with a 4 year degree from the fine University of Kentucky, she landed a fantastic customer.  Being young and thrown in the middle of an exciting project,  she was learning on the fly and creating great designs that the customer loved. The clients were buying the best of the best.  They asked Diana to pull together a plan for a guest bathroom as part of the project and Diana obliged.  After reviewing the proposal, the gentleman said, "Diana, I am not sure what a $1,400 toilet paper holder looks like, but I am quite certain that we don't need that."  Lesson learned!  There are times to push a client to spend money on certain aspects of a plan and there are times to bargain hunt.  A good Interior Designer needs access to the finest showrooms, but also needs to know how to find good deals.

Here are 5 ways an Interior Designer can benefit from Furniture Consignment Shopping and Services:

1) Staying in touch with your favorite furniture consignment store's ever changing inventory and popping in alongside your customer demonstrates that you are looking out for their pocketbook.  Saving money for your customer increases your credibility, especially when closing a proposal with high priced items.

2) A furniture consignment store may be able to handle the items that your client plans to replace.  This makes the client feel better about spending new money as the old items will find a good home.

3) When you see something that works for your client in a consignment store, you can have it now!  This is huge as clients want immediate results and are often frustrated by 10 week lead times for custom pieces.  Filtering in some items that have immediate impact can help a client to relax and start to see the benefits of your talents and work.

4) Consignment stores have unique pieces that fit unique corners and spaces.  Sometimes you have to hunt for furniture that fits, and consignment stores are a great place to start.

5) The multitude of unique pieces that populate an upscale furniture consignment showroom can inspire creativity.  Sometimes there are projects that are hard to get excited about, and going into a furniture consignment store can jolt your imagination.

Three Prominant New England furniture manufacturers were forced to abort or sell their business this decade.   Each were extremely popular and had a large and proud following.  In an industry that struggles mightily with branding, these winners had it all: style, quality, and reputation. They were trusted names, and they remain winners on the resale market.

The most obvious example is The Hitchcock Chair Co., which stopped producing furniture in 2006.  Hitchcock (manufactured in Riverton, CT) is known for very well built furniture that features colonial styles that were shaped on a maple platform.  Hitchcock furniture tends to use a variety of colors. What makes Hitchcock so desiresable, however, is the etching and stenciled artwork bearing the Hitchcock name. 

Hitchcock maintains a vibrant existence on the resale market.  Hitchcock's product can be found on eBay, Craigs List, furniture auctions and many furniture consignment stores in the New England area. Hitchcock furniture can be found in many New England homes as Hitchcock had a period where it was producing 15,000 chairs a year! The Hitchcock market is thriving, and www.hitchcockchair.com & www.usedhitchcockfurniture.com are excellent resources when determining the value of pre-owned Hitchcock furniture.  In the spirit of restoration, some former Hitchcock artisans purchased the original finish recipes and stencils and are able to authentically re-finish Hitchcock Furniture.

Unlike Hitchcock, Nichols & Stone was able to sell its intellectual property to Stickley & Audi in 2008. With all do respect to the Audi family, it is Nichols & Stone's fine past that delights most furniture connoisseurs.  Not to say that the new Nichols & Stone doesn't make a fine Windsor chair, but there was a time when obtaining a Nichols & Stone Windsor chair or rocker was an achievement for a working family. 

The Nichols & Stone logo on the bottom of a chair or on the inside of a drawer means something. It stands for quality and class.  Nichols & Stone was one of the finest furniture manufacturers in the history of the State of Massachusetts. 

The third great New England manufacturer to disappear from the furniture manufacturing scene was Moosehead Furniture.  Moosehead was Maine's pride and joy and fell victim to the many pressures furniture manufacturers have been subjected to over the last 10 years.  Though the fall of Moosehead Furniture leaves many scars behind, a great product forges ahead on the resale market. 

An argument could be made that Mooshead Furniture produced some of the finest children's furniture this country has ever seen.  What made Moosehead great was the excellent construction, quality, and stock of materials that were used (Give the best ingredients to a great chef and imagine the results!).  Such was the case when these great materials were laid in the hands of a craftsman from Monson, Maine.  A special product was formed. 

Our buyer wish list is cluttered with random requests for pieces that were made by these once great New England furniture makers.  Hitchcock, Nichols & Stone, and Moosehead Furniture created great brands and a great following. They all remain winners in the New England furniture resale market. 

Before you sell your home and punch your ticket to Destination Downsize, it's important to seriously consider hiring an Interior Designer. Having a professional eye by your side as you make critical decisions about what stays and what goes will pay huge dividends down the road.  

Your designer can help you to construct your simpler life before you get there.  They can help you to build your vision of style, functionality, and through this can help you identify which pieces will move with you and which pieces won't.

From there, a designer can help you begin the cleansing process which will in turn help you to sell your home faster.  Removing pieces from your home that will not travel to your next destination helps to eliminate clutter.  This allows potential buyers to better visualize their own pieces in your living space.

Your Interior Designer should not charge an arm and a leg for assisting with this process.  It is simple planning. This also gives you an opportunity to begin sharing your vision so that when your real project begins, your designer will be familiar with your tastes.

Recently, we assisted a client who was late in her process and downsized from a beautiful home in Sudbury, MA to a two bedroom condo in Boston.  In the planning process, the place she purchased had an odd wall that angled in such a way that it does not accommodate her furniture or even a rug very well.  She also is temporarily using a piece of glass on top of containers as a desk and is enduring many other inconveniences.

Had she engaged with an Interior Designer early in her process, she may have realized that the odd shape of the living area, would make it difficult for her to create the room arrangement that she desired. Had a designer been present in the home selection process, she may have saved herself the aggravation and frustration that she now faces.

Hiring an Interior Designer early in your down sizing process can help you to organize your home furnishings, sell your existing home faster and can help you to assess potential living spaces.