Furniture Consignment Gallery Blog

Seller's remorse shifts into overdrive when we think about what we paid for something and look at the realities of the marketplace for similar pre-owned items.  Inevitably we stare off into space and say to ourselves, "what was I thinking??"

We are working with a customer who spent over twenty thousand dollars each on a handful of fine Persian rugs that no longer fit their living space.  They are moving cross country where the styles are different and the rugs need a new home. Finding a buyer for these rugs at even a few thousand dollars a piece will be a challenging task.  This couple is struggling with this reality.

Getting beyond Seller's Remorse is very difficult for many couples.  Here are three ways to combat Seller's Remorse:

1. Think logically about your situation. Did you purchase a product or a vision?  Paying for upgrades and customizations to achieve the exact right look for your living space often leads to overspending.  It happens a lot and it is not worth beating yourself up over it.  Move on!
2. Consider that even though you may be forced to part with a piece for far less than what you paid for it, feel good that someone else will use it and will appreciate it.  Accept the silver lining as it beats the alternative of paying additional moving and storage fees for furniture that you will never use again.
3. Make up for it on the other end.  There is a great deal waiting for you on your next purchase.  Spend some time hunting before you jump. We know of a great Furniture Consignment Store in Hanover, Massachusetts where you can quickly counter your loss.

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.

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!

A gentleman phoned our store last week and wanted to discuss selling his furniture and he wanted us to know that is was "brand new". "We never even used it!" he exclaimed. When he struggled to describe the set, couldn't recall how he acquired the pieces, how much they cost him or what store they were purchased from, I became concerned that his items were stolen.  After asking a few more Colombo style questions, I uncovered that the set was purchased between 1965 and 1969. That explained why the man couldn't remember much about the purchase process.  But it was the fact that he described his furniture to be "brand new" that initially threw us for the loop.

This is actually a fairly common conversation with our potential consignors. In accentuating the point that they took great care of the their furniture assets, they will tell us that a sofa was only sat on five times or that the dining set was used on Easter 3 years ago and that was the extent of its use.  But what they don't often realize is that their furniture endures a lot of unintentional and unnoticed abuse.

Furniture finishes and upholstered items often break down due to the natural elements and cleaning practices.  Here are some ways to keep your furniture in showroom condition without screaming "don't touch that!" at your kids.

• Be aware of the sunlight in your room.  Sun is one of the great destroyers of furniture.  A dining set may never host a single family dinner and yet can get walloped by the sun every day.  Ultraviolet rays on your furniture will cause significant bleaching, discoloration, peeling finish and flaky wood.  It is important to pay attention to the times of day and year when the furniture will be exposed to these direct rays.  Installing blinds, a film over your windows, or rotating your furniture periodically can help to slow the sun's damaging effects on your prized pieces.

• Living in New England with the crazy weather patterns that we experience can put furniture through the ringer.  Especially in the Spring and Fall when we have the heat on in the mornings and then turn it off during the day, it can be literally torture on your furniture as it absorbs and releases moisture causing it to expand and contract. In these months, close the heating vents in the rooms that host your nicest furniture.  Do your best to position furniture away from heating and cooling vents.

• Believe it or not, dust build-up on your furniture and how it is removed can cause your finish to scratch.  We see dining tables and dresser tops that have been cleaned in a circular motion and under direct lighting, circular scratches are very evident.  Dusting with a damp, clean cloth, is generally the safest and best way to keep the dust mites from compromising your prized finishes.

Caring for your furniture is as much about understanding the elements that exist in your home and being aware of how they effect your home furnishings.  Furniture doesn't need to be sat on or used to endure wear and tear.  We often have the ugly job of pointing out the results of this unintentional furniture abuse to proud owners who thought they were doing the best for their furniture.

The question is asked at least once a day, "What kinds of things do you take for consignment?" The quick answer is "Things that we can sell!" but that's only really half the truth.  There are plenty of items we can sell, but we want to take the pieces that knock the socks off of our buyers.  There are a few specific features that customers are particularly attracted to:

Wood Grain that pops out of the wood.  Well, it doesn't literally pop out of the wood, but customers love to see disctinct and powerful wood grains.  Tiger maple, birdseye maple or walnut, and quartersawn oak will draw the "oohs" and "ahhs" of a potential buyer.

Veneers with a punch always draw a reaction from browsers and buyers, especially those that offer contrasting colors on the drawers of bureaus and the doors of larger pieces.  The crotch walnut or mahogany veneers that are bookmarked together are always crowd favorites.

Furniture with bold inlays almost always sell well.  Mahogany dining tables with a border that has satin wood, ebony wood, or rosewood is striking to the eye and allows a homeowner to mix and match various accent pieces.

Nothing beats a great finish!  Not all finishes are equal, and certain companies and craftsman do better than others.  I've seen good furniture with a sub-par finish sell for significantly less than similar furniture with a superior finish.

Unlike the purchase of your home where it is important to think about resale before you buy, you should not buy furniture for its potential resale value.  However, if you are looking for a way to justify a purchase of high end furniture, pieces that have a great finish, contrasting wood colors and nice veneers will appeal to most buyers if indeed you decide to sell down the road.

 "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!"