7 Reasons to Skip Buying New Furniture and Buy Antique Furniture Instead

Posted on 20th October 2023

Today, things are made fast, cheap, and convenient. You can order nearly any style of furniture online and have it shipped to your house. You don’t even have to assemble it yourself if you don’t want to. Many dealers offer the option of having someone do it for you, or you can use an app like TaskRabbit.

When it’s so easy and affordable to buy new furniture, why bother with antique furniture?

It turns out there are at least seven reasons why buying antique furniture is actually superior to buying new furniture.

It’s Easier to Transport Than You Think

Buying new furniture almost always comes with delivery. That’s handy because trying to haul your own furniture is a huge hassle. It’s downright impossible for people who don’t have access to a truck or a trailer.

That’s why so many people shy away from antique furniture. How are you supposed to get a bulky dresser or headboard home?

It’s easier than you think when you choose a furniture shipping service!

Even if it’s just a single item, furniture shipping services are able to deliver any kind of furniture to your home.

They can even ship furniture long-distance! That means you can shop for antique furniture online instead of relying solely on your local antique stores.

It Features Better Craftsmanship

A lot of new furniture is specifically made to be easy to assemble. That’s a good thing if you’re ordering a table online that you have to put together yourself, but it’s not so good if you’re looking for furniture that will last.

Antique furniture features high-quality wood joints that make for a sturdier piece of furniture, and it is almost always made out of solid wood. Even veneered pieces are constructed out of solid wood.

Many modern furniture pieces are constructed out of particle board. Screws can tear through the boards with too much pressure, and it’s common for boards to bow over time. You’ll end up replacing your brand new furniture much more often than if you bought an antique.

It Often Costs Less Than New

Cost is an important consideration. New pieces that feature superior craftsmanship can cost thousands of dollars. You can save by buying fast furniture, but you’ll end up paying more in the long run as it has to be replaced every few years.

Antique furniture is a great way to get high-quality furniture for less money. It is constructed with the same attention to detail as new furniture that is built by expert craftsmen, but because you’re buying it secondhand, you can get it for fast-furniture prices. You will save money upfront by buying an antique, and you’ll save in the long run too because it’s a piece you will enjoy for a lifetime.

It Retains or Increases in Value

A lot of new furniture decreases in value as soon as you take it home. That’s by design. Most newly manufactured furniture is made to be easily replaceable. It breaks or gets damaged quickly, and because it’s relatively affordable, it’s easy to toss it out and simply buy another one.

Antique furniture is built to last, and because of that, it retains or increases in value. Depending on the time period your piece is from and how old it is, it could become a piece that is well worth the investment. Even a simple card table could end up being worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. At the very least, if you ever decide to replace your furniture, you’ll get what you paid for it.

It’s Environmentally-Friendly

We all have to think about being a little bit more environmentally friendly. Many of us bring our own bags to the grocery store, we use reusable straws, and we recycle, but we have to think about our furniture choices too.

Americans throw out more than 12 million tons of furniture every year. Landfills have grown 450% since 1960, partly due to the fast manufacture of items that are easy to throw away, like cheap furniture.

By purchasing an antique, not only are you not purchasing an item that will just end up in the landfill in a few years, but you’re keeping another piece of furniture out of the landfill too.

It’s Easier to Repair and Restore

It’s technically true that particle board furniture can be repaired, but it’s extremely difficult. Any kind of water damage must be cut off because it can’t be sanded and refinished. If there’s damage, it has to be filled in and painted because their veneers are so thin that they can’t be sanded and stained.

That’s not the case with antique furniture! You can:

Touch up scuff marks with a marker
Sand and restain dull or damaged surfaces
Replace boards
Fill in chip marks with wood filler

It’s a Great Conversation Starter

Antique pieces of furniture have a look about them. Whether it’s a craftsman-style piece that’s constructed out of beautiful mahogany, a mid-century modern piece constructed out of teak, or an art deco piece with handcrafted veneer, antique pieces can’t be replicated with fast furniture.

And other people will notice.

Antique furniture is meant to be displayed proudly. It doesn’t melt into the background, which means your friends, family, and coworkers will likely say something about it when they come over. A great piece of antique furniture can break the ice and give guests something to talk about, which is definitely something you can’t say about a flimsy piece of furniture from IKEA.

It’s true that buying new furniture is way easier, but sourcing an antique piece is well worth the effort. Not only will you enjoy benefits like saving money and doing your part to help the environment, but you’ll also get to enjoy a piece of history in your home for many years to come.