Guidelines to Buying Antique Furniture for your Home

There are those among us with expensive tastes and bologna budgets. Not being able to afford the finer things in life doesn't mean we don't know what the finer things look like. Eating generic groceries and driving an economy car are fine, but looking around at a barren and depressing home every day can have negative effects in all areas of life. If home is just a reminder of our financial problems it isn't the sanctuary we need to feel protected and whole in life.

The answer is simple but that doesn't mean it's easy. It's no secret that money goes farther if the one spending it is willing to do more work. A whole room can feel new with less than twenty dollars when simple curtain panels are made out of discount solid color sheets. There are artistic painting techniques that can stretch a single can of paint and add texture to the walls, and selectively choosing an "accent wall" can cut costs even farther. Furniture shopping tends to be the hardest place for most people to save money and still furnish the room effectively.

While it seems like a good idea to start the search for a couch and art deco sideboards at a furniture store, that's actually a big mistake. Modern manufacturing and low quality materials come together to produce shoddy pieces that won't last and still cost far more than they should. The ten dollar couch at the thrift store isn't the answer--it usually smells and wasn't pretty before the large stains. The solution lies between the two extremes in vintage furniture.

Vintage--at least 30 years old but less than 100--includes all sorts of styles and designs. Regardless of how old a piece already is, anything that was handcrafted out of quality materials will last longer than the furniture that's being manufactured today. It's a long but rewarding process to search for all the right pieces because antique stores having antique chairs constantly change their inventory but gently used items that look high-end can be purchased even on a meager budget.

Covering a smelly garage sale couch with an old bedspread isn't the answer. Limited funds don't have to mean that life is limited if careful hunting and a selective eye can bring a well-decorated home into anyone's reach. Some-assemble-required furniture won't last--quality Art Deco or Mid century chairs can give a budget home a beautiful theme and a comfortable feel. Everyone deserves to feel rich at home.