Do you want to buy antique furniture? If your answer is yes, then, it's crucial that you are aware of the factors that should be considered when buying second hand furniture. Of course, you want an original antique and not a mere imitation. Being aware of what to consider will help you arrive at the best decision. Moreover, you will be able to save money and your efforts would not go wasted.
How to Tell If the Furniture is Indeed Antique
Antique furniture looks old, and is authentically old. To know if furniture is an antique, it should have been in existence for more than a decade. Moreover, an antique piece of furniture should be rare. Furniture is considered rare if it is very limited, or if it's hard to find the same exact furniture anymore. These are the main qualities of an antique.
Matching the Furniture with Your Home
Before you decide to purchase antique furniture for your home, you have to make sure that it matches your home's interiors. Having a rather contemporary home means that Victorian furniture probably won't look good in it. It will simply look out of place.
To avoid this, you have to know what your personal preference is when it comes to mixing and matching the style of your furniture. One good way would be determining which period would look more appropriate for your house.
Examine the Antique Furniture Before Buying
When you are inside a shop, listen to what people are saying about the antique furniture. This way, you will have an idea of what people think about the item that you intend to buy. You will get a lot of information just by listening to other people, such as the value of the furniture, its place of origin, or the original owners.
Just looking over the furniture is not advisable. Since antique furniture is relatively expensive compared to new pieces of furniture, you need to be able to get your money's worth. It is better that you get a feel of the piece of furniture; run your fingers through the surface. Examine and scrutinize the piece closely.
Buy Only Reasonably Priced Antique Furniture
Unless you have a lot of spare cash, you should only buy reasonably priced second hand furniture. There are a number of reliable antique furniture shops that sell items at affordable prices all around Australia. You can also ask for a bargain, depending on the qualities the furniture possesses.
It is also better to read about antique furniture before visiting a shop. In this way, you will be able to decide whether the piece you intend to buy is reasonably priced. A bit of common sense can help you determine whether the furniture and the price are commensurate with each other. Your friends or relatives might have an experience with antique furniture. Why not seek their advice first before paying the shop?
Make Sure That the Furniture is Still Sturdy
Test the antique furniture if it can still be used. If it is a chair, ask the shop owner if you can sit on it. Shake it to check its sturdiness. Try to touch the surface of the furniture to know if there are cracks, cuts, or if it has an uneven surface. You may still want to check its sturdiness even if you're buying it for display purposes only.
Look Out for Tampered Hardware on the Furniture
The antique furniture's hardware should have never been tampered with. You have to thoroughly check whether they are original parts. Hardware would include its hinges, furniture locks or latches. To know if the antique furniture you will buy isn't sporting its original hardware, look at the wood located at the back of such attachments. You will know that they are tampered if there are plugged holes around these attachments.
Although buying second hand furniture may seem difficult and challenging, having enough information and knowing what to look for would be enough to guide you on your trip to antique shops. It would be better if you bring along someone when shopping for an antique. A second opinion would surely help you make a better set of choices.
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