When to Refinish and When to Pass on Vintage Furniture
If you’re a DIYer, it’s very tempting to pick up a piece of furniture at the thrift shop or flea market for a revamp. Even if you don’t DIY and prefer to outsource the work to a professional, an item may pique your interest and you’ll want to invest in bringing it home for a makeover. Not everything is worth refinishing (which includes paint, reupholstery and restoration), while others definitely need your help.
Below are my tips for determining what’s worth refinishing and when to pass.
Quality
Pick up the piece of furniture – is it heavy? Does it feel sturdy? Is it real wood? Does it stand up on its own? Next, look to see if it’s signed. Is it made by a notable craftsman or manufacturer, regardless of its age? Look for marks or labels on the bottom or back of the piece. The most important thing you should remember is that you can’t change quality! If it’s a sturdy piece with great bones, it’s worth buying if the price is right.
When the piece is in overall good condition and completely original, I’d recommend not refinishing the upholstery or paint so you can retain the value of the furniture. I would say this is akin to buying a historic home only to rip out what makes it historic and replacing it with modern, mass market finishes.
The Scandi MCM chairs in our living room were such a great find and beautiful quality. I kept the original vinyl upholstery for a while, but the chairs were too uncomfortable – we could feel every spring in the seat! So I worked with a local upholsterer to give them a refresh. The shape of the chairs were perfect and the wood was high quality teak (just needed to be sanded and stained), but it needed more cushions and new upholstery. We opted for a wool blend fabric that is both period appropriate and modern (plus easy to clean).
Shape/Structure
While paint and upholstery can be changed on the cheap and rather easily, however changing the overall shape or structure of furniture is expensive and not always possible. For example, changing the legs on a sofa or the base of a coffee table is an easier fix and something you can take on as a DIY with a bit of guidance but changing a high-back chair into a low-back is expensive and will require professional help. The question also begs, is it worth the time and money to buy something only to completely change it? The answer is usually a hard no.
Style
Is your piece unique? Is it a masterpiece or beautiful example of mid century modern design? Make sure refinishing won’t diminish the value before starting a project. Do you like the piece? Will it fit in with your overall aesthetic? Don’t buy something for the sake of buying; instead, think about how you’ll use it and whether it will work with what you currently have in your space. As much as I love finding a great deal, I’m not going to buy an 18th century colonial desk because I know I’m not going to love it inside our home. My style is pretty eclectic but I know my aesthetic and that trumps even the best deal.
This vintage credenza has a long back story but it’s a good one! When Alan and I toured our home to purchase, I fell in love with it and asked that the owners leave it behind. They did leave it behind, but probably not because I asked. It was more likely because it weighed a ton as it has a full on stereo system with speakers, amps, radio, record player – everything – built into it. It was a cool piece, but I wanted to make it into usable storage since it’s huge.
With help from my father in law, I gutted the whole thing and built shelves inside so I could store albums, Harlee’s toys, candles and other items. My mother in law and I sanded and repainted it. I took one of the panels and color matched to the original color of the credenza.
I kept this piece because I knew it would work with our decor, it could serve a practical purpose (lots of storage), and it was an easy DIY project.
Investment (Money & Time)
How much work does the piece really need? Will you do it yourself or do you have to pay a professional? How much money do you have to spend to buy and refinish? How much time will it take?
Would it be possible just to give the piece a light cleaning and make minor repairs such as replacing missing brasses? I always prefer to choose the least invasive method for making a piece of vintage furniture usable in my home.
Our old dining chairs are a perfect example of doing the minimum to preserve the original piece. I found these for a steal at Amsterdam Modern (under $400 for the set). The upholstery was dusty and had some mild stains and some of the legs were warped, but I knew I could salvage the chairs and maintain the original aesthetic. I had the chairs professionally deep cleaned by a carpet cleaner (cost me $60) and my father in law helped balance out the chairs that had warped legs (free). These chairs lasted us 8 years before the original upholstery got so worn out that it will require reupholstery. I have kept these in storage because I can’t part with them just yet. Pre-Covid, the quote I got to reupholster these chairs was around $50/chair but during the pandemic upholsterers were quoting me $400/chair which is why I opted to buy new vintage chairs and just figure out what to do with these at a later time.
Know your limits
I love to think I’m this creative genius that can handle all the DIY projects, but in reality I’m good at coming up with projects. I then leave them to Alan to execute which is why I call them ADI projects (Alan Did It). I can paint, sand, create moodboards, staple and hammer but beyond that I lean on Alan or a professional to make my ideas a reality.
Before you buy, ask yourself if you can do the project yourself or if you’ll need to pay someone to do the work for you. Not all professionals cost an arm and a leg, but just know if you plan on reupholstering chairs, for example, you’ll need to account for the cost of buying the piece, the fabric and cost of the work.
