Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

picture via greensborodailyphoto.com

Decorating tip - Reuse, Reuse, Reuse......come on people it's the second word in the recycle slogan!!!

Buying used furniture is a great way to be good to the earth.  Your actually reducing your consumption of newly manufactured pieces, reusing perfectly good furniture and in turn recycling as well.  Not to mention the money your saving is so substantial.

I know this sounds crazy, but I literally shake with excitement when I go into a resale shop, thrift shop or Salvation Army.  An antique market of any kind really gets my blood pumping.  The best decorated rooms have a collection of old and new furniture and accessories.  It gives your home soul and a feeling of being collected over time.

The other pro is that the quality of the furniture is usually much better for the price than some of the pieces you'll find at furniture stores today.  When I shop I always look for real wood, real marble not the laminate kind, wicker of any kind, unique lamps and industrial looking things such as file cabinets, desks bookcases.  I go in knowing whatever I find is going to need to be at least painted if not a complete overhaul.  If the piece is inexpensive and I really love it  but in need of some work, I may try it out just to test my limits but there are some things I won't touch.  See the list below.

1.  You do need to watch antique markets for pieces with black mold.  My friend Julie and I are both guilty of bringing home a beautiful piece only to find the mold later when it's too late.

2.  Anything with ripped caning.  I know it's fairly easy to replace, and I'm not sure what the cost is but I'm sure it's up there with reupholstering.  The piece will have to be taken apart and the caning restained.   I've never found something worth going through that for however, there's a first for everything.

3.  Wicker pieces that aren't sturdy.  I passed one up the  other day and I was heartbroken.  It was perfect but I knew it would never function the way I wanted it too.

4.  Anything with upholstery is something to think about.  If it's a seat cushion or something easy I can tackle it myself.  If it's more complex, I'd snap a picture and take it to an upholstery shop with the dimensions to get a ballpark on how much to reupholster.  It can be pretty expensive for the labor and the fabric and most of the time the filling is old and needs replacing.  This is when I'd probably advise you to purchase something new (that looks old of course.)

If you want your home to look great, save money and feel proud of yourself tap into your creativity and reuse, refurbish, repaint, re-do.......the myth is that shopping thrift stores for home decor will give you a "country bumpkin" or "shabby" look. Soooo not true - I always see really really funky lamps and end tables, tons of mod finds from the 60's or 70's and don't forget a coat of paint can make anything look new and fresh again!!!

I'm going shopping today - can't wait to post my finds in the next day or two.