Shopping for Furniture or Cabinets? Buy Only Items Made of Renewable Woods.

[MineralMan]

8. The funny thing is that you can often find a vintage piece

for far less money than a brand new piece of furniture. Many years ago, my parents built a new house on their citrus farm. My mother pretty much tossed all of her old furniture and bought new stuff to replace it. It was a new house, after all. We were talking about a dining room set for the house, and she was complaining about how shoddy most of the stuff was she was seeing in the furniture stores and how expensive.

So, I took her on a shopping trip to several antique shops. She found a beautiful oak dining table with two extension leaves and 8 chairs at one of the shops. I'd estimate it to have been made in the 1920s. The top of the table was book matched quarter sawn solid oak. Spectacular looking. When she saw the price being asked for it, she was just floored. It was less than a similar-sized set she had looked at, that had a veneered top and molded features made of wood paste. So, that's in her house, instead of some cheap crap.

I love vintage and antique furniture. We just got a terrific-looking Sheraton-style highboy dresser reproduction made in the 1920s. All solid walnut, with dovetailed drawers, etc. The finish is a little rough, but I'll refinish it with the same materials used when it was made. Beautiful. $50 at an estate sale.