Reasons to Buy Vintage Furniture Instead of New
Fast Furniture in the Landfill
In the last 10-15 years, cheaply made furniture has flooded the market around the world. Do you know where most of ends up? In the landfill of course—9 million tons of it per year. Environmental impact is one of the good reasons to buy vintage furniture instead of new.
While a piece of furniture made of hardwood can be refinished and re-used for centuries, particle board– the base material for much “fast furniture”–can only be trashed. (By the way, composite wood materials like particle board release toxic chemicals into your home as long as they are present and especially when they are new.)
Deforestation and Pollution
New, well-made, hard wood furniture might not end up in the landfill, but it also has a negative impact on the Earth, our larger home. Deforestation, factory pollution, and emissions from transport add up to a significant environmental hit. It saddens me that we continue to provide a market for new furniture—especially poorly made pieces— when it has little value or sustainability and contributes to the demise of our climate.
Environmental reasons are the most important but there are more good reasons to buy vintage furniture instead of new. I love the history of an older piece of furniture. Sometimes furniture comes with a story told by the person selling it—who it belonged to or where they acquired it. Other times, the story is written in the tiny scratches and marks that show that it was well-used by a family. Sometimes a perfect table top says that the piece was prized and well-protected but seldom dined upon.
Vintage Furniture Gives Your ArtEssential Home Character
Do we really need our homes to look like the latest TV trends? That’s boring. The ArtEssential Home reflects the owner not cable television. If you need inspiration for something more creative, look at rooms by designers who create beautiful spaces through an eclectic mix of interesting vintage pieces. Look at the featured designers on Chairish, a fine furnishing re-sale site. A lot of Chairish pieces are very collectible and pricey, but similar pieces can be found for much less. Houzz is another site with inspiring posts. Just search “vintage” or “eclectic” living rooms and see what appeals to you.
Do I ever purchase new furniture? Yes, but less and less over the years. I’ve learned to choose wisely so that I love what I have and keep it forever.
Family Room with Gathered Pieces
My grandparents Stickley rockers mix with mid-century originals and reproductions in the family room. A large vintage rug purchased on Ebay anchors the main seating area with vivid color and provides a soft surface for my grandchildren to play on.
Living Room Challenge
The living room is the most eclectic space, and needs some problem solving. The mix of contemporary, modern, and traditional needs a little bit more thought to bring it all together. I love my three piece brass coffee table by Maison Jensen as much as I love my steel based modern chairs but they are a stark contrast. I’m taking my time with this room to gain a better idea of what I want the room to feel like.
Entry Hall
The console table came from my childhood home as well as the mirror. The brass planter was also my mother’s. I made the cross-stitch “Welcome” in the 80’s–Good thing because the stitches are tiny! The brass candlesticks and heron came from estate sales. I waited patiently to find the right sconces for this wall. The original sconces had been removed.
One of a Kind
A hand-carved teak four-poster bed from India, purchased from the couple who commissioned and shipped it here 35 years ago is my favorite Marketplace find. The tree of life motif is one that really resonates with me. Generously, they gave me a matching dresser. I found simple oversized nightstands to go with the set, again, on Facebook Marketplace. The bed is truly one of a kind and looks right at home in the large master bedroom that might have been hard to fill without it. One of kind pieces like this bed are perfect reasons to buy vintage furniture instead of new.
Reasons to Buy Vintage Furnture Instead of New
- Environmental impact
- Gives your home character and personality
- Higher quality and longer life
- One of a kind pieces
- Looks curated not shopped for
- Tells a story
Links for more reading on the ecological impact of furniture:
https://fordham.bepress.com/environ_theses/33
Durable Goods: Product-Specific Data, EPA
Fast Furniture Is an Environmental Fiasco, Eleanor Cummins
Manufacturers Embrace Sustainability in Furniture Designs, Laurie Banyay
