I've had some amazing luck with used furniture and household supplies from second-hand stores. I've been able to use some items right when I bring them home (brand new baking pans for just a few bucks!).
Some, however, require a little work to get them the way I want them.
See also: DIY: Upcycle an End Table for Under $30
All in all, there are some great furniture pieces to be found at thrift stores. If you have a little extra time, you can turn a good looking piece of used furniture into a great looking piece of your furniture that dresses up your home.
Today, I'm going to give you 6 tips and tricks that I use when looking for a piece of used furniture:
In general, when you are looking to buy furniture from a thrift store, second-hand store, or garage sale, you want to look for potential. The perfect piece rarely comes across your path. But with a little inspiration and time, you can often transform a piece of outdated furniture into something new and unique.
If you are inspired to redo a piece of furniture, but you're not sure of your abilities, start small. Buy a little side table that is in great shape, and add a coat or two of paint. Start experimenting with redoing furniture and see how far you are willing to go.
See also: DIY: Painted Dresser for Your Patio
Personally, I am willing to dismantle furniture, sand it, paint it, and then put it back together. I draw the line at refinishing furniture, though. My practice pieces just never turned out quite right. I'd rather just paint them. So now, I don't even look at the color or type of wood, just whether or not it can be painted.
Before you start looking for a piece of furniture, take measurements of the spaces around your home where pieces can go and bring them with you. Whether you are looking for a desk, a chair, a table, or a bed-know what size the furniture needs to be to fit the room. I always write myself a little note in my phone and take a picture of the empty space. That way I always have the information handy.
Imagine walking in to a second-hand store and finding a gorgeous desk that you think would look great in your bedroom. You buy the desk, find a way to get it home, haul it upstairs, and find out that it's about 2 inches too long. Not only is that heartbreaking, but it's also a complete waste of time and energy.
When I'm thrift shopping and I see a piece of furniture I like, I ask the staff for a tape measure (they almost always have one handy) to confirm whether or not it will fit. If it does, I open the picture I took of the space I'm trying to fill and hold it next to the piece of furniture. This way, I can visualize whether the lines of the piece also fit the room. Having this information handy means I can go ahead and buy on the spot. I won't have to run home and measure, while worrying that someone else will swoop it up while I'm gone.
Just as you need to know your measurements, you should also have a good idea of what colors you want to use. Finding a piece of furniture in a thrift store that fits and matches your decor is like the finding the holy grail of thrift shopping.
Mr. Domestic CEO and I recently bought a condo and we wanted to decorate it to match the midcentury feel of the home. We wanted to use teals, limes, and other fun, punchy colors to make it pop.
One day, I went into a thrift store and saw two barrel chairs that were in great condition. Both had velvety fabric-one in lime and one in a light aqua color. I fell in love immediately! Although we've talked about getting the cushions recovered, they look great just the way they are. The best part? They cost only $20 for both. Talk about a major score!
Keep your eye out for furniture with what I call "good bones." A piece of furniture with "good bones" has a solid structure, but might need a little cosmetic work to make it perfect. If a piece of furniture is sturdy and has a solid structure, you know it will last. Then, you can always modify the color and even the functionality of the piece to make it work for you.
If you'd like to see a fun example of how a $25 dresser can be turned in to a fabulous bar area, check out this video. It's inspiring and will open your eyes to the endless possibilities of redoing (or upcycling) old furniture.
A few years ago, I helped a friend move some furniture out of her home. One of the items she got rid of was an old baby changing table. The table was from the 1970s or 80s and didn't seem like it was very safe to use for kids anymore-but it had potential.
Originally, I thought I would turn it in to a drink cart, since that was a fun trend on Pinterest. Instead, I actually ended up making it into a great storage shelf for our office. A couple of tweaks to the shape and a few coats of paint, and it's completely renewed!
Some things to stay away from:
Gouges and large scratches in the wood
Wobbly legs
Taller pieces like entertainment centers and dressers that are unstable
These 3 rules are especially true if you've just starting buying used furniture and don't yet have the skills to properly rehab the pieces. Once you gain some experience though, you might find that these things aren't deal breakers for you. They may just take a little more construction work, rather than cosmetic work, to get them ready for use.
In general, I'm not super thrilled with the idea of getting anything fabric from a thrift store-but I never say never. Remember the barrel chairs I mentioned? They had great fabric and looked like no one had sat on them for the last 50 years. They did have a little cat hair on them, but that was obviously something I could just lint roll and vacuum away.
When you are looking at fabric pieces, look for red flags that tell you the piece has had a hard life. Stains on the sides of the fabric are likely from animals urinating on the piece. Not good.
Stains on the top of the fabric can indicate food stains or other careless spills by previous owners. If you lift the cushions and see lots of food crumbs or bug carcasses, steer clear.
If a piece looks relatively stain-free, just a little worn, a good professional cleaning may be just enough to freshen it up. If the furniture has a good shape, but is just out of style, a slip cover can do wonders.
If you're going to buy furniture from thrift stores, know that you will eventually come across a bust. It seems like a great idea at the time, but it ends up costing a pretty penny to make it look the way you like.
Last year, I made the mistake of buying the frame of a wicker loveseat, thinking I could buy some cushions or have some new cushions made.
It ended up being impossible to find cushions to fit this couch. They were either too long, too narrow, or too thin. I thought, "Maybe I could have some cushions made." Wishful thinking! I found out that custom cushions would cost more than buying a brand new outdoor couch.
After a few months of brainstorming solutions, I finally had to admit that my husband was right. It wasn't worth the $7 I had paid for it. I ended up selling it at a garage sale.
Sometimes we win big with buying used furniture and sometimes we lose a few bucks. If a piece simply isn't working out, don't be afraid to call in reinforcements (like a more experienced friend) or just cut your losses and sell or donate the piece. Sometimes you need to spend a few dollars to gain valuable learning experience.
Overall, I've had a great time finding and redoing used furniture. Each piece is unique and serves as a great conversation starter when friends visit. Plus, there's just something satisfying about knowing that I was able to rescue a piece of old, outdated furniture, and turn it in to something fun and stylish.
Until next time, I'm the Domestic CEO, helping you love your home.
Original article and pictures take http://www.hometalk.com/10253403/how-to-buy-furniture-at-thrift-stores site
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий