Nightstands need not match the rest of your bedroom furniture. If you want vintage nightstands in place of modern nightstands while still retaining a sense of cohesion in the room, you can.
There are no hard and fast rules in interior design and designing is personal. Your bedroom should be a place that gives you comfort and where you find things that you love and not a collection of boring and ultra coordinated pieces of furniture.
Of course, if your bedroom already has a vintage theme or you have yet to buy any furniture and establish a theme, then, by all means, design your bedroom with furniture that transcends time.
You’ll need the following pointers when buying vintage furniture.
1. Search by era
Vintage furniture refers to furnishings that are at least 20 years of age but not more than a hundred. They differ with antiques which must be a hundred years old to be considered antique furniture.
You don’t have to stick to one era or decade when designing your bedroom or any part of a house, for that matter. However, when searching for vintage furniture, it helps to start your search with an era you have in mind.
If you’re just looking for vintage bedside stands on the Internet, for example, you can narrow down your search by adding the year in your search terms.
2. Find lightly used furniture
You want a piece of furniture that wasn’t abused, vintage or not. So, look for vintage furniture that is being sold on consignment because it may be in better condition.
Nightstands typically are in better condition because they aren’t upholstered and they aren’t usually placed in spaces with a lot of traffic.
3. Scratches add character
Don’t be scared of scratches. As you probably know, imperfections add character to any piece of furniture, but more particularly in old ones.
If there is a major defect, you can opt to have it refinished as well, if the piece is really remarkable and if you really want it.
4. Bargain
Bargaining is part of the charm of buying vintage pieces. Bargain or ask for shipping discounts, if the price includes shipping. Even if you’re buying from a boutique shop, don’t be afraid to ask about free shipping, discounts, and offers they might have for you.
5. Make sure it fits
You are not purchasing side tables with the intention of storing them. So, think about the size and the space it’s going to occupy. In a store, furniture can always appear to be too huge or too little. Take your measurements with you so you can buy something that will fit.
Also, when ordering online, keep in mind that the sizing used in prior decades is not the same as the sizing used today, so be careful to ask for exact measurements to ensure the night stand will suit your space.
6. Don’t forget quality
Old doesn’t mean poor quality. Avoid furniture constructed from low-quality materials or with shoddy workmanship. Furniture that is well-made or poorly-made can be found at any age. Furniture from the past is no exception.
Check what kind of wood was used. Look at the joints if they were nailed or just glued together. Put some weight on it and listen for squeaks and creaks. If it has drawers, check to make sure the drawers slide in and out easily or if it fits well.
Where to Buy Vintage Furniture?
If you want vintage nightstands that are high quality and will be a perfect addition to your bedroom, visit Eloquence®
They have several kinds of vintage bedroom furnishings that are perfect for the vintage feel you’re going for. They also have antique reproductions and authentic antiques from France and Europe that will surely appeal to your vintage-loving self. Visit their website today.
