There is something so hospitable and warm about old furniture — its aged veneer, durability, and connection to a previous time bring me such great joy. I know I’m not alone in this. I think there has always been a love and appreciation for old, well-built pieces (auctioneers and skilled restorers are not new professions). But I do think that in response to fast furniture and cheap, trendy particleboard pieces that last no longer than the typical college boyfriend, consumers are becoming more discerning in their purchases.
I’ve been slowly looking for a “new” solid wood desk and dresser to replace the inexpensive ones I purchased when I moved into my first apartment. I bought these items new and cheap simply because I needed them. At the time, I didn’t know how to shop on Facebook Marketplace. Now that I do, I’m ready to fill my home with old pieces and re-sell my cheap-o ones.
I think old pieces like this are universally loved, in part, because they go with nearly every design style. I don’t know a single house that wouldn’t benefit from a decades-old, solid wood piece of furniture. They’re especially great in coastal, boho, farmhouse, eclectic, shabby chic, rustic, traditional, transitional, and French country designs. They’d also feel right at home in a Scandinavian, minimalist, or industrial space. But unless your home is straight out of a magazine spread, you probably incorporate several design styles with or without realizing it.
A few weeks ago, I wrote a newsletter about coziness, and the elements that make a home cozy. Part of that piece was about embracing slowness — taking one’s time to complete their home, rather than rushing to fill it, allows for livability and sentimentality.
In addition to embracing slowness for the sake of finding pieces you’ll actually love and will work in your space, it’s also important for the environment. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to buy slow (although I long for the day I can afford to fill my dining room with Stickley chairs). Chances are, if you find a solid wood piece at a yard sale that’s lasted 30 years already, it probably has another 30 to go. Buying slow means you won’t have to replace your furniture in a few years (good on the wallet), and you won’t be throwing furniture into a dumpster, and with it, valuable resources including time and materials (good on the environment).
A century-old Hudson Valley colonial
Speaking of old things, this 1913 colonial in New York’s Hudson Valley region is pretty much my dream fixer-upper. It needs a fair bit of work, but with the right owner and contractor, this house could easily become modernized without sacrificing its historic charm and integrity. Inside a manageable 1,560 square feet, there are four bedrooms, one-and-a-half bathrooms, original hardwood floors, a fully finished third-level studio, and a walkout basement with a workshop and laundry room.
I love the old pantry and kitchen layout, and I don’t think I would ever leave the master bedroom deck without a fight. Clearly I’m not the only one who adores this home, because only two families have owned the property in its 110-year history.
Asking $389,000, the Newburgh home is represented by Sarah B. Hooff with ReAttached Real Estate.
Photos: Pinterest, Pinterest, Nadia Tarr