Furniture Consignment Gallery Blog

     Every time I think I got a bargain, I realize I probably could have done better. 

      I joined a gym a few months ago and after a week or so of intense negotiations I felt like I got a great deal.

   Only a few weeks later, I received a flyer in the mail from my new gym with special offers for new members. Turns out, these newbies are going to get their memberships for even less than me after all my hard work!
      The same, however, is not true for our customers.  Our customers are smart. And they do their homework.  We recently had a customer who fell in love with a beautiful sectional by Ethan Allen. They loved the color, the fabric and the styling of the sectional, but it had a minor tear in the back. They priced a new one at Ethan Allen and it was about $2,000 more than the one in our showroom in Hanover, MA.
     So what did our customers do? They purchased a few yards of the matching fabric and fixed the tear for less than $100. In the end, they got the sectional they always wanted – and saved $1,900. 

      At Furniture Consignment Gallery, we see clever solutions like this all the time. Buying furniture on consignment is so smart that we think everyone should check it out before making a purchase. You never know what treasures you will find. 
     Now, if only they sold gym memberships on consignment…  

To most people, redecorating means one thing: New furniture. While this is often the case, there are times where you can have the best of both words: A new look on old furniture. Working with a family at their home in Milton, MA a few weeks ago, the homeowner showed me her son's room. She pointed out the 1950s solid maple twin beds that she would like to replace with something more current.

Instead of junking the beds, we discussed painting them black. A lacquer finish provides a protective coat and a modern look. By doing so, the beds would resemble beds from a Pottery Barn or Crate & Barrel. The new look would mean that the beds would last.

By modernizing her furniture, she was sure to save a few greenbacks, keep her existing beds out of a landfill, and create a decor that she and her kids could live with.

Some of the best furniture that we sell has been re-purposed and modernized. The craftsmanship of old furniture is unparalleled; furniture that was built in days past was built to last.  By thinking outside the box, you can allow your furniture to endure. Here are a few things to look for when considering a modern look for your furniture:

• The quality and construction.  Is it built from solid wood? Are the drawers dovetailed?  If yes, modernization is worth pursuing.
• If the furniture looks well weathered or worn, it's O.K.  A little sanding, stripping, and refinishing will leave your furniture looking like new.  Believe it or not, refinishing costs are not based on how beaten the furniture is.
• Polish the hardware.  Hardware can be unscrewed from drawers, and a little Cape Cod Polish (and elbow grease) can make a world of difference. Though it may seem minor, polished hardware does wonders for updating your furniture.

If you've been craving that catalog look to your home, you may be closer than you think.  A little creativity and ingenuity is all you need.

 "Refinish my furniture?! You're going to ruin the value of it!!" I say, exactly what value are we talking about? Antique Road Show has scared the daylights out of us all. We have become hesitant to do anything with pieces we no longer need for fear that we'll be throwing away precious goods worth a fortune on the open market.

Truth be told, if your furniture is not 200-300 years old, in museum quality and has a (historically verifiable) story to go with it, the likelihood that you possess something that is worth a fortune, is not very good. As a result of this, many antique stores have struggled with furniture in the last decade. High priced furniture that is not old enough, or is generally broken down just does not appeal to today's buyer. To this I say: refinish!

Don't be afraid to refinish. If you're tired of looking at your grandmother's game table, consider restoration as an option. You preserve a beautiful piece of history and make it look clean and new. Craftsman can literally do anything with wood, and as a result repair work and a fresh finish can make any piece seem new.

There are certainly a few circumstances when refinishing may not be your best option. If you purchase a home in a wealthy, old, New England town such as Wellesley, Brookline, or Newton and that home comes furnished, you may want to have an auctioneer or an appraiser review each piece before sending it to a local craftsman.

Refinishing your furniture is not something you should feel guilty about. When the restoration process is complete, the end result is more in-line with the look of the product when it was originally built. Years of exposure to oxygen, sunlight, and general wear and tear take a heavy toll on even the most well maintained pieces. The craftsmanship of decades-old furniture is often not found in the cosmetic features. Rather, great craftsman revealed their talents in the attention to subtler details.

 By refinishing your furniture, you allow the time, effort and creative craftsmanship of a long ago furniture maker to live on and persevere. That is why I say: "Refinish!"