Has anyone decorated with second hand furniture pieces? I was given a large dresser from my grandma, in which I am going to sand and paint. Has anyone restored or updated old furniture?
Yes, I bought this great old steam trunk last year. I saw it on e-bay and just had to have it. The price was very reasonable, which made me a bit hesitant at first, as these types of trunks are quite popular. But it arrived exactly as it had been promised to me. It's beautiful. I use it as a coffee table in my lounge room. I also often buy furniture from the Salvation Army and other charity organisations, before second-hand dealers snap them up and charge a small fortune for them.
Yes, I have bought many used pieces. I like to buy wooden furniture pieces and then paint them as desired. There are many painted treatments that can be used. I recently inherited a small vintage end table/magazine rack and so far I have stripped it, sanded it and painted it a flat white as a base color. I haven't decided exactly what color or pattern I want it to be in the end - but that's part of the fun! You can easily find pictures and illustrations online of the various finishes that can be achieved with a simple search. I'm leaning toward a mirrored or shiny finish for this piece because I want to use it as a side table in my bedroom and would like to brighten up the room a bit.
Restore old furniture? No. Use it to store stuff or replace some of my old one? Yes. I was trying to go for a retro look in one of my rooms so I bough a bunch of classical looking pieces last year. The price was good and they look nice, not worn. I'm guessing that the store does some basic repairs before selling the pieces in stock since none had any major defects. One thing I would have against buying used are the delivery options. All stores I bought used furniture from had no home delivery, but maybe this is something specific to the area I live in.
