Caring For Vintage Furniture

Your antiques are valuable in more measurements than money, so you want to keep them in the best possible condition for as long as you can. Whether it’s a family heirloom that has been passed down through several generations or a major find from a local antique store, preserving it is one of the most important things. There are several methods to caring for different material, and over time, these methods have been changed, but caring for vintage furniture isn’t difficult, as long as you remember the simple steps that are needed.

Temperature Matters

When a piece of furniture gets hot, it can cause it to shrink, which can lead to loosened glue joints and inlays. It’s best to keep antiques out of direct sunlight, and away from fireplaces, stoves, or heating units. Too much sunlight can discolor furniture, degrade wood and fabrics, and things with a clear finish will turn yellow, so if a room gets a great deal of sunlight, consider hanging some curtains to dilute the harsh sun.

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Keep It Clean - The Right Way

A common misconception about vintage wood is that it dries out due to lack of oils, but it actually dries out because it needs moisture. Oils can actually speed up the process of degradation because it creates a film, which only collects more dust. You can use a humidifier to provide moisture to wood, just make sure that you don’t over-do it! Using polish can also degrade wood if it is silicone-based, because it leaves behind a film that is very difficult to remove. Try to dust the furniture regularly using a damp lint free rag- not a dry one, as it can actually scratch the surface!

Updating A Bedroom Space

The bedroom is a sanctuary. It is a place where you can sit back and relax after a long day at work. It is also place that one can call their own and personalize every aspect of the room in order to make it a perfect, relaxing space. As such, styles and preferences may change. Completely updating a bedroom every couple of years can be expensive. Purchasing new bedroom furniture, blankets, and accessories are just a few of the areas in which one may end up spending money.

Buy A Duvet (or 2)

However, it does not have to be that way! There are little expenditures and changes that can be made to personalize a room to better match one’s ever changing style. Instead of buying a completely new comforter set, a duvet can be bought instead. Because of the great prices that one can get on a duvet, the design and colors can be changed throughout the year to match the seasons. Even if one already has an old comforter with an ill fated design, do not throw it away - just cover it up with a duvet!

DIY Throw Pillows

Throw pillows can be expensive, especially for their size, easily costin $30-50 per throw pillow! There are great tutorials online to wrap an old pillow in new fabric without even a single stitch. If you do have a sewing machine, there are easy and cheap DIY pillow ideas. For example:

1. Find a cute, inexpensive placemat
2. Open the seam up on one side and fill with stuffing
3. Sew the end back together
4. VOILA! You have a brand new throw pillow!

It is little, inexpensive changes like this that can go a long way. Pinterest is full of ideas just waiting to be put into action.

Make Your Own Curtains

Curtains are another expenditure that can add up fast, with a single panel costing up to $50, even at lower end stores. There are a few tips and tricks for solid colored panels. Purchase iron on fabric or appliques to apply to the curtains to give them a new, updated vibe. One can even go hippy retro by tie dying cheap, white cover sheets or turn old, cute sheets into curtains with a few simple steps. Just fold over the top of the sheet and use iron-on seam tape to create an area for the rod to enter.

Upgrade Your Bed

All of the money that is saved on the design can go towards a bigger, better bed! Since hundreds of dollars were saved by not buying new comforters, curtains, pillows, and quilts, one can put their money towards a bed upgrade. The benefits and comfortability of a queen, or even better, a king sized bed, are more than worth the cost. Spread out and relax as you sink into the luxury of a new bed inside your bedroom oasis!

Revamping Old Furniture

Have you ever been antique shopping and found a rustic, unique furniture piece, but you wonder what can be done with it? With popular website out there, like Pinterest, the ideas are now endless for how to revamp and reuse old furniture pieces. This doesn’t just hold true for pieces found in an antique store, but also for current furniture pieces inside of your home or office.

Decoupage

Decoupaging an older piece of furniture is the perfect way to hide any imperfections. It is also an easy update that can easily be done with the help of your kids. Adding colorful decoupage layers to an old nightstand or dresser is a prime way to add a unique touch to a bedroom. Have an old kitchen or side table? Decoupage it with vintage newspaper clippings, old magazine pages, or pages out of a vintage book to add a shabby chic look to any room!

Doorknob Hanger

Do you have an old piece of wood or vintage door knobs? Paint a piece of barnwood or leave it au natural. Screw colorful and unique door knobs into the wood. The higher the variety of shapes and sizes of knobs, the better your new hanging piece will look! After applying all of the door knobs and completing the piece, hang it in the entranceway of your home for family and guests to hang their coats, purses, and other personal items!

Re-painting

If you are staring at that old nightstand or coffeetable, just wondering whether or not you should give it to Goodwill or simply throw it out, there is hope! Paint your furniture piece with a bold color to give your living room, bedroom, or bathroom an extra pop of color. Make sure you sand down the furniture piece before applying the paint. After painting, you can sand down corners and other areas of the furniture to give it a rustic, shabby chic look.

These are a just a few of the ideas we have for updating old furniture pieces. When you are ready to add that new, special piece to your residence or office space, stop by Johnson Furniture Store’s showroom in downtown New Braunfels!