The vintage notebook

Find a piece.
Make it yours.

Dark wooden chest with brass handles against an off-white bedroom wall, beside pale bedding and a blue rug

Living with vintage

How to make dark antique furniture work without painting it

Three room experiments with walls, textiles and neighbouring furniture to try before changing an older piece's finish in your home.

7 minute field guide

Fresh pages in the notebook

Browse all 320 guides

A long wooden studio couch with loose cushions in a living room.

Buying an older Ercol Studio Couch: the back, the base and the bed

Separate an older Studio Couch’s removable back, seat support and cushions before planning a guest bed or ordering replacements.

4 minute field guide

A broad wooden plan chest with a shallow drawer open around a portfolio folder.

Buying a vintage plan chest: will your paper fit safely?

Measure a plan chest’s usable drawers, opening travel and access route before trusting an A1 label or storing valuable papers.

4 minute field guide

A round glass-top wooden table with three smaller curved tables spread around it.

Buying Nathan glass-top nesting tables: count four useful pieces

Count all four tables in a Nathan glass-top nest, check each small piece separately and price any missing glass before buying.

4 minute field guide

An open square games table with a green playing surface and four surrounding chairs.

Buying a vintage games table: will you actually play at it?

Check a folding games table through its full opening sequence, then measure the playing surface, knee room and space for every player.

4 minute field guide

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77 guides

Chairs & armchairs

Dining sets, comfortable corners and the seats worth repairing.

All topics

Wooden dining table with several slim-backed chairs beside a window, a rug and nearby furniture.

How to choose vintage dining chairs that work as a set

Compare seat heights, frames and the whole set, then check how the chairs work around your own table.

9 minute field guide

Toa Heftiba / Unsplash; Unsplash License

A full bentwood chair with a round woven cane seat viewed from slightly above.

How to inspect cane, rush and paper-cord seats

Compare cane, rush and paper cord, then examine the seat as a complete woven system before planning daily use.

9 minute field guide

Photograph by Daderot, CC0

A maple Shaker rocking chair with a tall slatted back, woven seat, arms and two long curved wooden runners, photographed from the front corner.

How to buy a vintage rocking chair

Consider the rocker's movement, footprint and frame together before finding it a place beside your other furniture at home.

13 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0

Two tall stools with curved backs, round seats and foot rails standing in front of a kitchen counter with a projecting top and visible underside.

How to choose vintage counter or bar stools

Match the seat to the counter, then check foot support and the space needed to sit and turn comfortably.

11 minute field guide

Photograph by Darkshark0159 via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

Rear three-quarter view of a person seated in a pale adjustable office chair at a desk.

How to choose a used or vintage office chair

Try adjustments, support and the actual seat before choosing an older office chair for the time you spend working.

14 minute field guide

EFFYDESK / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Open dining area with a wooden table and backless bench beside a kitchen and staircase.

Will a vintage dining bench work with your table?

Check seating space, support and the route past occupied places before pairing a vintage bench with your dining table.

7 minute field guide

Im3rd Media / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Close view of a dark turned wooden furniture leg with a pale worn patch and changing surface sheen.

A wobbly vintage wooden chair: floor, joint or frame?

Find where movement begins: uneven floor contact, loose joints and a damaged frame call for different decisions before daily use.

4 minute field guide

Pict4life / Unsplash; Unsplash License

A folding bistro chair with red wooden seat and back slats on a narrow crossed metal frame, standing on snowy ground.

Buying vintage folding chairs: check the mechanism first

Check the folding action, pivots and supported position before buying older chairs that need to work reliably when opened.

4 minute field guide

Mishimishimishi / Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

A round cushioned Papasan chair paired with a smaller round cushioned footstool in front of it.

Choosing a vintage footstool or ottoman for your chair

Compare height, support and the space beside your chair to choose a footstool that earns its place in the room.

4 minute field guide

Michael Miri / Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

Several bentwood chairs displayed together at MAK in 2020, including Chair No. 14 beside later variations and successors.

How to mix vintage dining chairs around one table

Bring different chairs together through usable heights, proportions and space, then test the full arrangement around your dining table.

4 minute field guide

Photograph by Gryffindor; CC0

Brown upholstered recliner with curved wooden arms and a crocheted throw, pictured upright beside a table.

Buying a vintage manual recliner

Allow for the opened mechanism and footrest, then assess the complete chair before choosing an older manual recliner for home.

5 minute field guide

Levi Ventura / Unsplash

Black-and-white museum photograph of a piano stool with an upholstered seat, small back, central pedestal and four carved legs.

Buying a vintage piano stool or bench

Check height adjustment, seating space and the frame before choosing an older piano stool or bench for regular use.

5 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art / CC0

An early B32 cantilever chair with cane panels in dark wooden frames, displayed at MAK Vienna.

Buying vintage Cesca chairs: what are you paying for?

Separate the chair's production claim from its frame, seat and repairs before deciding what a Cesca offer is worth to you.

5 minute field guide

Gryffindor; crop by Wereldnieuws / Wikimedia Commons; CC0

Wooden spindle-back chairs of different heights around an oval dining table.

Which vintage Ercol dining chairs should you buy?

Compare Ercol shapes, seat heights and the whole set to find older dining chairs that suit your table and daily use.

7 minute field guide

An olive-upholstered wooden armchair sits beside a stool holding cream, blue and striped fabric samples.

Is a vintage armchair worth reupholstering?

Compare a promising frame with the complete upholstery quote, including fabric, filling, labour and the costs beyond the workshop.

7 minute field guide

A brown leather lounge chair with curved wooden shells and a separate ottoman occupies a quiet reading corner.

Buying a used Eames Lounge Chair: versions, repairs and comfort

Compare versions, replaced components and repair needs, then check whether the actual Eames Lounge Chair suits your room and comfort.

7 minute field guide

Four wooden Y-back dining chairs with woven seats surround a rectangular table; two are pulled out to show the curved backs and arms.

Buying used CH24 Wishbone chairs: the set, the seat and your table

Compare the frame, woven seat and full set, then check how those particular Wishbone chairs work with your table.

7 minute field guide

Four timber chairs with natural woven seats surround a wooden dining table in a bright apartment.

What does a new woven chair seat cost?

Compare weaving methods and published service rates, then calculate the work for one chair and the full dining set.

6 minute field guide

Slender armless timber dining chairs with woven seats surround a dark wooden table in a softly lit room.

Møller 71, 75 or 78: which chair suits you?

Compare the backs, dimensions and seating arrangements of Møller 71, 75 and 78 before choosing a used dining set.

7 minute field guide

A timber chair with short arms, an upholstered back and charcoal seat stands beside a narrow desk.

Buying Kai Kristiansen’s No. 42 chair

Look at the moving back, half arms and frame, then check how Kai Kristiansen's No. 42 works at your table.

6 minute field guide

Three brown moulded-shell chairs stand around a wooden dining table in a bright apartment.

Buying vintage Series 7 chairs

Compare the shells, finishes and actual seat heights across a Series 7 set before deciding which examples suit daily use.

6 minute field guide

A canvas sling chair with a light timber frame and leather strap arms stands in a green reading corner.

Buying a vintage Safari Chair

Count the separate straps, covers and frame components before pricing an older Safari Chair and the parts it needs.

6 minute field guide

Colourful Aalto stools, including nested stacks, stand on a display platform beside a staircase at Millesgården.

Artek Stool 60 or E60?

Compare three and four legs, surfaces and stacking, then choose an older Artek stool for the job it will do.

5 minute field guide

Gotogo · CC0

A compact black leather armchair with an external tubular-metal frame stands beside a small side table.

LC2 or LC3: which chair suits you?

Compare the footprint, sitting position and cushion work of LC2 and LC3 before choosing an older armchair for your room.

6 minute field guide

Two simple wooden dining chairs with open backs and woven seats stand beside a rectangular table.

Buying a used Børge Mogensen J39

Check the frame, finish and cord seat, then compare what keeping or renewing those parts would mean for your J39.

5 minute field guide

A wooden chair with a narrow-waisted shell and three metal legs stands beside a round dining table.

Buying a vintage Ant Chair: three legs or four?

Compare three-legged and four-legged Ant chairs through production, shell condition and the way the actual set works around your table.

5 minute field guide

A low three-legged wooden lounge chair with a broad winged seat and tan cushions stands beside a bookcase.

Buying a used CH07 Shell Chair

Try the Shell Chair's width and sitting position in your room, then compare its condition and any proposed upholstery work.

5 minute field guide

A compact round wooden dining table stands in a kitchen with low curved chair backs tucked against its edge.

Buying a Hans Olsen dining set for Frem Røjle

Check that the table and chairs form the intended Hans Olsen set, including fit, complete components and earlier changes.

5 minute field guide

Three moulded side-shell chairs with metal bases surround a small wooden dining table in a bright room.

Buying vintage Eames shell chairs

Treat the shell, base and attachments as one purchase with separate histories, then check how the assembled chair suits you.

6 minute field guide

A brown quilted Barcelona-style lounge chair with a crossed metal frame stands on a pale rug beside a window.

Buying a used Barcelona Chair

Follow the Barcelona Chair from frame to straps and cushions before deciding which repairs belong in your purchase budget.

6 minute field guide

A black sling chair with an open tubular metal frame stands beside a small reading table and wooden bookcase.

Buying a vintage Wassily Chair

Consider the Wassily's footprint, suspended seat and documented production before judging an older example by its familiar tubular outline alone.

6 minute field guide

White and red sculptural cantilever chairs beside a round wooden dining table

Buying a vintage Panton Chair: which version is it?

Compare Panton material and production claims, then decide whether the particular chair suits everyday seating or a preservation priority.

7 minute field guide

An orange upholstered lounge chair with two separate curved shells and four slim legs beside a wooden table.

Orange Slice, Mushroom or Tulip? Choosing a vintage Artifort chair

Try three distinctive Paulin seats, understand their versions and price upholstery work before choosing a sculptural chair for everyday sitting.

7 minute field guide

Three wooden dining chairs with different back shapes around a table in a warm dining room.

Beyond the Wishbone: Danish dining chairs for real dinners

Try CH23, CH36 and J39 through a real meal, table fit and the condition of the complete set.

6 minute field guide

Two dark bentwood chairs with curved backs beside a small round café table.

Buying bentwood chairs: No. 14, No. 18 and the chair in front of you

Separate the bentwood design family from its producer and period, then choose seats and a set you can use.

5 minute field guide

An upright wooden armchair with orange cushions and broad flat arms in a sitting room.

Choosing a vintage chair that is easy to get up from

Compare the occupied cushion, usable depth and arms, then try the chair through the ordinary movements that matter to you.

6 minute field guide

An open wooden armchair with dark woven straps beside a small round table.

A smaller lounge chair: three vintage designs worth trying

Compare Artek 406, Lamino and CH22 for the space you need to save and the seat you will enjoy using.

6 minute field guide

Wooden dining chair with a woven seat beside a table holding an upholstery sample.

Replace a woven seat with upholstery? Start with the frame

Compare reweaving, compatible seat parts and upholstery conversions before changing a chair’s support, height or original frame.

4 minute field guide

Open wooden spindle-back easy chair with olive seat and back cushions in a reading corner.

Buying an Ercol easy chair with the right cushions

A lovely bare frame can become an expensive seat. Identify the model and cushion options before making an offer.

5 minute field guide

Rounded sage-green woven chair with a pale loose cushion beside a wooden bedroom chest.

Buying vintage Lloyd Loom: paint, paper weave and the seat beneath

Look past a fresh paint colour: fine woven paper, edge binding and the concealed seat are different repair jobs.

5 minute field guide

Two clear folding chairs in a dining space, one open and one folded against the wall.

Buying vintage Plia chairs: hinges, plastic and missing stamps

Look beyond a missing logo to the complete folding chair, mixed sets and the cost of suitable replacement parts.

5 minute field guide

Compact upholstered wooden armchair beside a table and sofa in a small reading corner.

Buying a vintage 366 chair: will it be comfortable for you?

Compact does not automatically mean comfortable. Compare older frames, new reissues and the effect of fresh upholstery.

5 minute field guide

Padded brown leather reclining chair with a separate footstool and wooden ring base in a reading corner.

Buying an older Stressless chair: model, size and fit

Separate the model, size and base, then try the complete sitting position before buying somebody else’s favourite chair.

5 minute field guide

An ochre upholstered wingback chair with a loose seat cushion and exposed wooden legs in a sitting room.

Buying a Parker Knoll wingback for reupholstery

See what a real Penshurst restoration involved, read a workshop’s published costs and decide whether the finished chair is worth it.

5 minute field guide

A white wire lounge chair with a dark seat pad in a sunlit room with a tiled floor.

A used Bertoia Diamond with broken welds: bargain or expensive project?

Separate a failed joint from broken wire, bent geometry and finish work before pricing a Bertoia Diamond repair.

5 minute field guide

Low moulded-plywood seating in the foreground and a taller dining chair beside a table in a blue-grey room.

Buying an older Eames LCW or DCW: the small mounts that matter

Choose the dining or lounge role, then examine plywood, bonded mounts and old repairs as separate parts of an Eames chair purchase.

4 minute field guide

A tall brown upholstered chair and a lower green wing-shaped chair together in a living room.

Egg or Swan? Buying the older chair you will actually sit in

Compare enclosure, sitting position and movement, then separate foam, cover and mechanical work on an older Egg or Swan chair.

5 minute field guide

Wooden bow-back kitchen chairs with stick backs beside a dining table.

Buying Windsor chairs: the seat, the sticks and the whole set

Choose a Windsor by its shaped seat, table fit and sound construction, while keeping style, age and mixed-set claims separate.

5 minute field guide

Wooden ladder-back chairs with woven seats around a kitchen table, with a seated reader at the far end.

Rush-seat ladder-back chairs: which set will work at dinner?

Compare woven seat shape, back-rung contact and occupied height before choosing an older ladder-back dining set.

5 minute field guide

Slender metal-framed wooden chairs around a dining table, with a low stack beside the wall.

Buying older 40/4 chairs: a dining set that stacks away

Compare 40/4 versions and the actual stack you will store, including protectors, frame condition and room to lift a chair out.

5 minute field guide

A rounded upholstered lounge chair stands beside a low table in a quiet room.

An older Leolux Pallone: great shape, but is it your chair?

Try the Pallone’s low, rounded sitting position and price the separate upholstery areas before choosing an older example.

4 minute field guide

Two bentwood sling-style lounge chairs with tan and black cushions stand in a reading room.

Siesta or Kroken? Two older sling chairs to try before buying

Compare the actual sitting positions and separate cushions, fabric supports and frames when choosing an older Siesta or Kroken.

4 minute field guide

A cushioned hammock-style lounge chair hangs inside a curved wooden frame.

Buying a vintage Falcon: inspect the chair hanging inside the frame

Inspect the suspended support and its four attachment areas separately from the cushion when considering an older Falcon chair.

4 minute field guide

A low green upholstered chair with a continuous seat-and-back shape stands beside a small table.

Buying a vintage Alky: try the low seat before the new upholstery

Check whether the Alky’s low position suits you, then separate cover, padding, elastic support and base work on an older chair.

4 minute field guide

A dark mesh office chair stands beside an older wooden desk in a domestic study.

Buying a 1990s Aeron: when the cheap Classic needs expensive parts

Identify a genuinely 1990s Aeron, try the correct size and price complete repair assemblies before trusting the low asking price.

4 minute field guide

Two ribbed upholstered swivel chairs with metal frames have medium and taller backs beside a wooden desk.

EA 117 or EA 119? Buying an older Eames Aluminium Group chair

Compare medium and high backs, then verify the upholstery, tilt and base of the particular older Eames office chair.

4 minute field guide

An upholstered saddle chair with a shaped back, foot ring and castor base stands beside a raised desk.

Buying an older HÅG Capisco: choose the lift as well as the seat

Identify the lift and measure the real seat-height range before choosing an older HÅG Capisco for a normal or raised desk.

4 minute field guide

A broad-armed wooden lounge chair with separate pale cushions stands beside a matching sofa.

Buying an older GE290: choose the frame, then the cushions

Assess an older GE290’s wooden frame, cushion filling and support separately before choosing a chair or sofa for everyday use.

4 minute field guide

A rounded upholstered swivel chair beside a compact wooden desk.

Buying an older Knoll Pollock chair with a faulty lift

Identify the lift and tilt arrangement before pricing an older Pollock chair; a cheap cylinder is not a confirmed repair.

4 minute field guide

Older-style wood and metal dining chairs arranged at a timber table.

Revolt or Result? Buying older Dutch chairs for a dining table

Compare Revolt and Result by the actual seat, back and table fit, while keeping older Ahrend examples separate from HAY reissues.

4 minute field guide

Wood and metal chairs with bare and covered seats beside a dining table.

Buying vintage Castelli DSC 106 chairs: wood or upholstery?

Choose exposed wood or upholstery, inspect the seat attachments and check sleeves and glides before buying a DSC 106 set.

4 minute field guide

A striped canvas deckchair on a sheltered garden terrace.

An old wooden deckchair needs new canvas: what should you order?

Identify nailed canvas or a removable sling, measure the frame and agree finished dimensions before ordering new deckchair fabric.

4 minute field guide

A curved sling-supported reading chair with a separate cushion and neck pillow.

Buying an older DUX Jetson: price the whole seat, not just the cushion

Separate cushion wear from the Jetson’s supporting seat and swivel, then price the complete sitting arrangement before buying.

4 minute field guide

Wood and metal school-style chairs arranged around an everyday dining table.

Buying vintage Galvanitas S16 chairs: old school chairs or newer production?

Check the actual S16 frame, seat material and arm width before assembling a dining set or ordering replacement parts.

4 minute field guide

An upholstered cantilever chair with contrasting seat and back beside a small table.

Buying an older Gispen 412: which parts need new upholstery?

Use a documented seat-only refurbishment to compare partial and complete upholstery work on an older Gispen 412.

4 minute field guide

Green and natural timber fan-back chairs at a compact kitchen table.

Buying older FDB J46 chairs for a kitchen table

Compare an older J46’s actual seat and back with your table, and separate a useful mixed set from cosmetic matching.

4 minute field guide

Metal Tolix A chairs around outdoor café tables against a brick wall.

Buying older Tolix A chairs: original finish, stripped steel and daily use

Choose older Tolix A chairs by intended location, coating and condition; a metal café chair is not automatically suitable outdoors.

4 minute field guide

Ditigibt · Public domain

An upholstered older-style office chair beside a wooden desk, with its arms and base visible.

Buying an older Giroflex 64: check the chair behind the upholstery

Identify the mechanism and worn components of an older Giroflex 64, then compare a usable chair with the cost of refurbishing it.

4 minute field guide

A compact open-frame wooden armchair with separate green seat and back cushions.

Buying a vintage Cintique: the springs are part of the price

Separate a Cintique’s spring support, cushion filling and wooden frame before deciding whether new upholstery will make it comfortable.

4 minute field guide

A natural rattan peacock chair with a wide fan-shaped back, small seat and woven pedestal base.

Buying a vintage peacock chair: beautiful back, usable seat?

Measure the fan-shaped back, inspect the seat and base separately, and decide whether a peacock chair suits everyday sitting.

4 minute field guide

A tan sling supported at four corners by a dark butterfly-chair frame.

An old butterfly chair frame: which replacement cover will fit?

Measure the bare butterfly frame using the cover maker’s method, confirm its four pockets and choose material for the intended setting.

4 minute field guide

A cushioned rattan bowl chair resting on a separate rattan base beside a window.

Buying an older papasan: make the bowl, base and cushion agree

Match the bowl, base and cushion of an older papasan, and check its real floor space before ordering a replacement.

4 minute field guide

A reclined laminated-wood chair and separate padded footstool in a living room.

Buying an older Pernilla 69: the cushion is only half the seat

Assess a Pernilla 69’s laminated frame, supporting web and fitted cushions, then allow enough room for its separate footstool.

4 minute field guide

An L-shaped pine dining bench around a pedestal table in a kitchen corner.

A vintage corner dining bench: leave a way to the inside seat

Map a vintage corner bench’s left and right runs, table position and escape route before assuming it will suit your kitchen.

4 minute field guide

A sculptural burgundy upholstered chair with rounded tubular forms and open spaces.

Buying an older Ekstrem: try the seat before buying the sculpture

Separate knit wear, underlying foam and structural condition on an older Ekstrem before deciding what its distinctive curves will cost to restore.

4 minute field guide

A wooden kneeling chair with a sloping seat and two lower pads at a desk.

Buying an older Stokke Variable balans for your desk

Check an older Variable balans at your desk, separating runner damage and worn pads from the question of personal comfort.

4 minute field guide

Two older-style wooden armchairs, one with upholstered enclosed sides and one with open arms.

Bergère or fauteuil? Choosing an older French-style armchair

Look past bergère and fauteuil listing labels to compare the seat, arms, upholstery and everyday fit of older French-style chairs.

4 minute field guide

25 guides

Sofas & beds

Sofas, daybeds and older bed frames: comfort, support and the space they need.

All topics

A dark upholstered early nineteenth-century sofa is shown in full from the front and side, including its curved arms, wooden frame, multiple legs and castors.

How to measure a sofa or armchair for your room

Map the complete seat and its space in use, including feet, cushions, turning room and an accompanying ottoman.

11 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public Domain

Two wooden bed frames placed side by side with separate mattresses, lamps and differently shaped bedside furniture.

How to measure a vintage bed frame for a modern mattress

Measure the actual bed opening and support, then check mattress fit instead of relying on a familiar size label.

11 minute field guide

Grant Durr / Unsplash; Unsplash License

A sofa with three separate seat cushions in the Carl Sandburg Home living room, seen from the front with its wooden base and feet visible.

A sagging vintage sofa: cushions, springs or frame?

Separate cushions, the support beneath them and the frame to understand what a sagging sofa may actually need.

4 minute field guide

National Park Service photograph via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

Black two-seat sofa with an orange throw and cushions in a living-room corner.

Buying a second-hand sofa-bed

Open the complete bed mechanism and measure both arrangements before judging a second-hand sofa-bed by its closed footprint alone.

5 minute field guide

Maniago / Wikimedia Commons. Public domain

Grey L-shaped sectional sofa beside a window, with a chaise extending towards a coffee table.

Buying a second-hand modular sofa

List the modules, connectors and end pieces, then lay out the complete sofa in the room where you will use it.

5 minute field guide

Christian Lambert / Unsplash

White painted daybed with raised ends, a rear panel, blue bedding and loose back cushions.

Buying a vintage daybed

Compare support, usable dimensions and cushion needs before deciding whether a vintage daybed suits sitting, resting or overnight use.

5 minute field guide

Wesley Tingey / Unsplash

Brown Chesterfield-style sofa with broad rolled arms, deep-buttoned back, two seat cushions and yellow scatter cushions.

Buying a second-hand Chesterfield sofa

Look beyond the deep buttons to the frame, support, leather and earlier work before choosing a second-hand Chesterfield sofa.

5 minute field guide

Johnny Briggs / Unsplash

A low, pleated orange lounge sofa beside a small round table in a sitting room.

Buying a vintage Togo: original cover or newly reupholstered?

Compare an older Togo cover with a reupholstered example through shape, seating feel, workmanship and the work each still needs.

6 minute field guide

A low black-framed daybed with wooden ends, a green mattress and loose cushions sits against a pale wall.

Buying an Auping Cleopatra daybed

Check the Cleopatra's support and usable dimensions, then include a suitable mattress and missing components in the complete purchase budget.

6 minute field guide

An olive-green tufted modular sofa forms a straight row of three seats with backs and two outer arms.

Buying a Camaleonda: the complete composition

Identify the Camaleonda production and count its components, then measure the whole arrangement you want to live with at home.

7 minute field guide

A generously upholstered green sofa gathered by an external metal brace in a sitting room.

Buying a vintage Soriana: the shape is part of the purchase

Compare the upholstered shape, external brace and production evidence, then agree what restoration must preserve in the actual seat.

5 minute field guide

Colourful low seating pads and back elements arranged around a coffee table in a living room.

Buying a used Mah Jong: count the pieces, then build your room

Count pads, backs and corners, draw the arrangement you need and confirm missing parts before buying a used Mah Jong.

6 minute field guide

A low brown modular sofa made from narrow repeated elements curves around a living-room rug.

Buying a used de Sede DS-600: buy the curve you can complete

Turn a tempting run of modules into a complete sofa: identify the ends, check connections and plan the curve you need.

5 minute field guide

A deep brown leather two-seat sofa with broad rounded arms and generous seat panels.

Buying a vintage de Sede DS-47: leather, comfort and the complete seat

Judge the generous leather panels, actual sitting position and repair options before choosing a DS-47 you want to live with.

6 minute field guide

A wooden three-seat sofa with separate green seat and back cushions.

New cushions for a vintage sofa: order the comfort, not just the size

Record the covers and support, compare filling options and agree a trial cushion before ordering a complete replacement set for your sofa.

6 minute field guide

An open wooden sofa with separate rust-coloured cushions in a modest sitting room.

Is a vintage sofa worth rebuilding? Make the decision before choosing the fabric

Compare a modest cushion refresh with a full rebuild, using the sofa’s shape, a written scope and complete costs.

5 minute field guide

Plain upholstery fabric and paper seat templates on a worktable.

How much upholstery fabric should you buy? Start with the cutting plan

Use a worked seat-layout example to understand fabric width, pattern repeats and the cutting plan your upholsterer must confirm.

5 minute field guide

A roll-arm chair with a tailored pale loose cover in a sitting room.

A loose cover or full reupholstery? Keep the vintage chair you actually like

Compare fitted covers and reupholstery by the chair’s shape, existing support and real cleaning routine, then request like-for-like quotes.

5 minute field guide

Low two-seat sofa with pale outer shells and brown cushions in a modest sitting room.

Buying a used Vitsœ 620: parts and costs

A modular sofa does not become two complete chairs for free. Count the arms, upholstery and base parts first.

5 minute field guide

An older walnut headboard paired with a modern upholstered bed base and pale linen bedding.

Using an antique headboard with a modern bed base

Keep the old headboard you love while choosing a modern base, with measured proportions and a clear attachment plan.

5 minute field guide

An orange upholstered sofa has one back cushion raised and the other in a lower position.

Buying a vintage Maralunga: try the backrest before the fabric

Check each Maralunga backrest, distinguish upholstery versions and price mechanism access before committing to a new cover.

5 minute field guide

A high-sided upholstered sofa with cords and tassels in a living room.

Buying an older Knole-style sofa: what do the drop arms change?

Measure a Knole-style sofa upright, with arms lowered and for delivery, then assess cords, hinges and usable seating.

4 minute field guide

The exposed wooden back and loose cushions of a small Danish-style sofa seen from behind.

Buying a vintage France & Søn sofa: frame, cushions and identity

Compare the frame, loose cushions and documented identity of a France & Søn sofa before buying upholstery work with a famous name.

4 minute field guide

Buying an older Ercol Studio Couch: the back, the base and the bed

Separate an older Studio Couch’s removable back, seat support and cushions before planning a guest bed or ordering replacements.

4 minute field guide

An upholstered chair with an exposed wooden case and external metal legs, with a loose cushion beside it.

Buying an older Robin Day Forum: what is inside the wooden frame?

Buy an older Robin Day Forum by separating the visible wooden case, metal legs, seat support and replacement cushion project.

4 minute field guide

40 guides

Tables & desks

Places to eat, work and put your coffee, with room to move.

All topics

A tape measure stretched across the length of a vintage dining table.

How to measure a dining table: length, width and height

Measure the tabletop, space beneath it and occupied chairs to find a dining arrangement that works every day.

12 minute field guide

Wooden writing desk seen at an angle, with two shallow drawers, a deep apron, slim legs and low stretchers.

How to choose a vintage desk you can actually work at

Check knee room, working height and useful storage before choosing a beautiful desk for the work you actually do.

10 minute field guide

Urban Vintage / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Overhead view of two circular glass-top E-1027 tables showing transparent panes, small contact points, offset steel uprights and open ring bases.

How to inspect a vintage glass table or tabletop

Inspect the glass, edges, supports and complete assembly before treating an intact-looking tabletop as ready for everyday use.

13 minute field guide

Photograph by Geheimnisträgerin, Public Domain

Living room at the Carl Sandburg Home with a low rectangular coffee table in front of a sofa, an armchair to the side and open circulation around the rug.

How to choose a vintage coffee table for your sofa and room

Try the table beside your actual sofa, allowing for its base, your reach and the routes around occupied seating.

11 minute field guide

National Park Service photograph via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

Small wooden drawer cabinet with a red reading lamp beside a bed and wooden headboard.

How high should a bedside table be? Choosing a vintage one

Match the top to your mattress and bedside routine, with space for the lamp, drawers and things you actually keep nearby.

7 minute field guide

Annie Spratt / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Long dining table and wooden chairs on a patterned rug, with a sideboard and a walking route alongside.

Buying a vintage extending dining table

Open the table, count the leaves and inspect their support before planning extra places around an extending dining table.

4 minute field guide

Alex Tyson / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Oval wooden dining table assembled from two rounded end sections with rectangular hinged leaves, decorated aprons and tapered legs.

Buying a vintage drop-leaf or gateleg table

Try the supports and both folded and open arrangements to see whether a drop-leaf table suits your space and routine.

4 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public Domain; resized by PatinaHall

Three wooden nesting tables in graduated sizes, partly pulled out beside a linen sofa in a lived-in room.

Choosing vintage nesting tables that work in a small room

Count the tables and try them separately, allowing room to pull each one out and put it to use.

4 minute field guide

A round white pedestal dining table stands among four different vintage wooden chairs.

Choosing a vintage pedestal dining table

Look beneath the top: the pedestal and its foot need to work with your chairs as well as your room.

4 minute field guide

Wooden dressing table with a tall central mirror, side cupboards, small drawers, a curved glazed compartment and a low stretcher.

Choosing a vintage dressing table you can comfortably use

Check the sitting position, knee space, mirror and drawers so an older dressing table works with your daily routine.

4 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public Domain; resized by PatinaHall

Full frontal view of a tall red japanned secretary cabinet opened to reveal painted upper drawers and a lowered writing surface.

Can a vintage writing bureau work as your desk?

Open the writing surface and try the seat, knee space and storage before relying on a bureau as your desk.

4 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art; CC0

Choosing a vintage console table for a narrow hallway

Measure the hallway in use, including doors and passing space, before choosing a console for a narrow entrance at home.

4 minute field guide

Urban Vintage / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Black-and-white photograph of a desk with two vertically slatted shutters beside a central door, above a writing surface and chest of drawers.

Buying a vintage roll-top or tambour desk

Check the moving cover, working opening and knee room before choosing a roll-top desk for everyday work and storage.

5 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art; CC0

Black hand-cranked sewing machine set into a dark wooden tabletop, with the table edge and part of the frame visible.

Buying a vintage sewing table

Check what remains beneath the top, then assess the working height and space before choosing an older sewing table.

5 minute field guide

mdreza jalali / Unsplash

Worn wooden workshop bench with a front vice, lower stretcher and metalworking tools on its top.

Buying an old wooden workbench for your home

Think through the bench's weight, surface, projections and usable space before giving an old workshop piece a new domestic job.

5 minute field guide

Prometheus 🔥 / Unsplash

Buying a used Saarinen Tulip table

Identify the producer, top and base, then plan the condition checks and handling that your particular Tulip table needs.

6 minute field guide

A clear asymmetric glass coffee table with two curved timber base elements stands in front of a pale sofa.

Buying a Noguchi coffee table

Compare the glass and base with the right production reference, then try the table's full outline beside your sofa.

6 minute field guide

A square wooden coffee table with sixteen patterned ceramic tiles in front of an oatmeal-coloured sofa.

Buying a Danish tile-top table: look beyond the pattern

Follow the whole tile pattern, inspect the wooden surround and understand repairs before choosing a Danish table for your sofa.

8 minute field guide

An oval wooden dining table set for breakfast with four different wooden chairs in a kitchen.

A vintage dining table for breakfast, homework and dinner

Choose a table for daily meals, homework and occasional guests, including its surface routine and the effort of extending it.

6 minute field guide

A pale stone-coloured dining table with a rectangular top and two broad slab supports.

Buying a vintage travertine table: what is holding it together?

Understand how the stone top and supports belong together, then assess the attribution, usable space and complete delivery cost.

5 minute field guide

An oval clear glass coffee table on an open wooden base in a sitting room.

Replacing vintage table glass: order the right top

Turn measurements and support photographs into a clear glass order, with the final specification agreed by a professional glazier.

6 minute field guide

The dining-table leaf is missing: can you have one made?

A missing extension can be made, but its thickness, supports and finish matter as much as the gap.

5 minute field guide

Alex Tyson / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Round wooden-bordered glass coffee table in front of a sofa, with its base and rug visible through the top.

Which G Plan Astro are you buying?

Round, oval or five-legged: separate the designs before comparing prices or ordering replacement glass.

4 minute field guide

Pale green laminate-topped dining table with metal edging and red upholstered chairs in a compact kitchen.

Buying a vintage Formica dining set: look along the edges

A bright laminate top can hide a tired core. Check the edges, extension and chairs as one everyday dining set.

5 minute field guide

An older wooden draughting table with a tilted board, a stool and a level side table for drawing materials.

Buying a vintage draughting table you will actually use

A beautiful tilted board needs the right working height, usable surface and somewhere for tools. Plan the whole drawing position.

5 minute field guide

A round wooden pedestal dining table with four chairs in a softly lit apartment.

Buying an older Skovby SM32 or SM33: see the whole table open

Identify the Skovby round-table version, watch the complete extension cycle and measure the expanded room before choosing an older SM32 or SM33.

4 minute field guide

Three graduated wooden side tables partly nested beside a blue sofa.

Buying Ercol Pebble tables: three tables, one complete nest

Distinguish the small three-table Pebble nest from other Ercol sets, then check nesting, separate use and the condition of every table.

5 minute field guide

A wooden coffee table with a folding top and crossed supports stands in a compact living room.

A vintage coffee table that becomes a dining table: clever or awkward?

Test both table heights, the open footprint and the whole conversion before choosing one vintage table for two daily jobs.

4 minute field guide

A dark wooden dining table with a deep apron stands with wooden chairs in a dining room.

An antique dining table is too low: can you raise it sensibly?

Separate tabletop height from apron clearance, then compare chair changes and professional restoration before altering an antique dining table.

4 minute field guide

A shallow timber dressing table arranged with a compact laptop and chair.

Can a G Plan Fresco dressing table work as your desk?

Compare real Fresco knee openings, plan your equipment on its shallow top and keep the mirror conversion reversible.

4 minute field guide

An overhead view of a white curved dining tabletop with four place settings.

Buying an older Superellipse table: top, span legs and completeness

Check the actual top, underside fittings and sitting positions before choosing an older Superellipse with detachable span legs.

4 minute field guide

An older-style teak dining table with its central extension in use.

Buying a McIntosh Dunvegan dining table: see the extension work

Compare two documented McIntosh offers by closed size, extension stages and leg space before choosing a table for everyday meals.

4 minute field guide

A small sloping-top antique-style desk with side drawers and a notebook.

Is an antique Davenport desk useful for the way you work?

Check a Davenport’s sloping surface, real drawers and side access before buying a small antique desk for everyday writing.

4 minute field guide

A white enamel-style kitchen table with a red rim and a drawer, surrounded by wooden chairs.

Buying an enamel-top kitchen table: what the chips change

Decide which chips you can live with, verify the surface material and watch both leaves work before buying an enamel-top table.

4 minute field guide

A well-used wooden kitchen table with a notebook, cups and a loose straightedge resting on top.

A warped vintage tabletop: repair it or live with it?

Distinguish a top’s shape from a loose frame, document the effect on use and compare keeping the warp with a conservator’s repair.

4 minute field guide

A thick square end-grain butcher-style block on wooden legs used as a small kitchen island.

Buying an old butcher’s block for a kitchen island

Measure an old butcher’s block as working furniture, separate serving from direct chopping and include the difficult move in the budget.

4 minute field guide

A round glass-topped adjustable metal table positioned beside a low upholstered chair.

Buying an older E1027 table: the pin, the glass and the gap

Check an older E1027’s height adjustment, glass retention and fit beside your chair, with production evidence kept separate from appearance.

4 minute field guide

Buying Nathan glass-top nesting tables: count four useful pieces

Count all four tables in a Nathan glass-top nest, check each small piece separately and price any missing glass before buying.

4 minute field guide

A modest square wooden side table with a patterned decorative top beside an armchair.

Buying a marquetry table: enjoy the pattern, understand the repairs

Read a patterned table as a repair project, separating stable colour differences from loose veneer, missing pieces and movement underneath.

4 minute field guide

Buying a vintage games table: will you actually play at it?

Check a folding games table through its full opening sequence, then measure the playing surface, knee room and space for every player.

4 minute field guide

48 guides

Storage

Sideboards, shelves and cupboards for the things you actually keep.

All topics

Long wooden sideboard with door and drawer fronts on tapered legs against a pale wall.

Chest, cabinet, sideboard, credenza or buffet?

Find the storage shape that suits your belongings, from a chest of drawers to a cabinet with shelves.

13 minute field guide

Urban Vintage / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Full frontal view of the same red secretary cabinet closed, with two tall mirrored upper doors above four painted lower drawers.

How to check vintage drawers, doors and locks before buying

Watch doors and drawers move, compare gaps and inspect locks to separate simple alignment questions from consequential repairs.

12 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art; CC0

A three-bay wall system with vertical timber rails, thin metal hangers, open shelves and two suspended drawer cabinets against a concrete wall.

How to buy a vintage wall-mounted shelving system

Count rails, brackets and shelves, then confirm the complete arrangement and its installation before buying a wall system.

11 minute field guide

Nord Vintage Furniture / PatinaHall

Television on a contemporary cabinet with white drawer and door fronts, a wooden top and framed art above.

Can you use a vintage sideboard as a TV stand?

Check the screen, cabinet depth, cables and working space before turning a vintage sideboard into your television's new home.

7 minute field guide

Pickawood / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Record player on a wooden shelf with sleeved records stored beneath and behind it.

Choosing a vintage record cabinet: room for the music

Measure records, sleeves and equipment together to find a cabinet that works for listening as well as storing your collection.

7 minute field guide

Jonas Leupe / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Wooden shelves with books of different heights, rows of CDs and a larger bay holding ceramics and a framed picture.

How to choose a vintage bookcase for the books you own

Match shelves and usable depth to your books, then consider access, condition and installation in the room they will occupy.

8 minute field guide

Annie Spratt / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Tall wooden wardrobe with a mirrored central door, rounded corners and a projecting base in a bedroom.

Choosing a vintage wardrobe your clothes will fit

Measure the usable interior, hanging space and door movement before choosing an older wardrobe for the clothes you own.

7 minute field guide

Tsuyoshi Kozu / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Two wooden drawer-front bathroom units with pale tops, inset basins and oval mirrors.

Can a vintage chest become a bathroom vanity?

Consider the basin, plumbing, moisture and lost drawer space before deciding whether a chest suits a bathroom conversion at all.

8 minute field guide

Clay Banks / Unsplash; Unsplash License

A historic display cabinet with curved glass compartments, multiple shelves, a tall central mirror and a wooden base.

Buying a vintage glass display cabinet

Check glass shelves, supports and the door opening before planning which objects an older display cabinet will hold in your home.

4 minute field guide

Daderot / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

Blue-painted wooden blanket chest with a closed hinged lid, central keyhole, one lower drawer and a shaped base.

Buying a vintage blanket chest or hope chest

Consider the lid, hardware and household use before deciding whether an older blanket chest is suitable for your home.

4 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public Domain; resized by PatinaHall

Open white PAX wardrobe with hanging shirts, shelves, a pull-out tray and drawers.

Buying a second-hand IKEA PAX wardrobe

Count the wardrobe components and check their condition, assembly needs and fit before collecting a second-hand PAX arrangement for your room.

5 minute field guide

Kamil Kalkan / Unsplash

Two-drawer grey metal filing cabinet with label holders and a lock, beside art supplies.

Buying a second-hand filing cabinet

Examine drawer travel, locks and installation needs before choosing a second-hand filing cabinet for the records you want to keep.

5 minute field guide

Nicholas Francisco Amor / Unsplash

Wooden Welsh dresser with an open plate rack above a drawer and two cupboard doors.

Buying a vintage kitchen dresser

Check the dresser as a complete upper and lower arrangement, including shelves, doors and the route into your kitchen.

5 minute field guide

Simon Speed / Wikimedia Commons. Public domain

Two bays of open wooden shelving against a wall, with a diagonal metal cross-brace visible behind the shelves.

Can you use a bookcase as a room divider?

Consider both sides, stability and installation before placing a bookcase away from the wall to divide a room at home.

5 minute field guide

Compagnons / Unsplash

Rows of wooden card-catalogue drawers with metal pulls and paper label holders, including uneven gaps at several fronts.

Buying a vintage card-catalogue cabinet

Measure the drawer interiors and inspect the complete case before choosing an old card catalogue for a new storage job.

5 minute field guide

Ilya Semenov / Unsplash

Two bays of open pine shelving with separate side units and a diagonal rear cross-brace visible behind the boards.

Buying second-hand IKEA IVAR shelving

Count posts, shelves and fittings, then check the condition and complete arrangement before collecting a second-hand IVAR shelving set.

5 minute field guide

Compagnons / Unsplash

White open hallway shelving with boots and trainers underneath, and a helmet and plants on top.

Choosing second-hand shoe storage

Measure your shoes and the usable openings, then compare access and placement before choosing second-hand shoe storage for home.

5 minute field guide

Eddy Billard / Unsplash

Black-and-white museum photograph of a tall corner cupboard with projecting cornice, glazed upper door and panelled lower door.

Buying a vintage corner cupboard

Measure both walls and the door movement before buying a corner cupboard that needs to fit a particular space.

5 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art / CC0

A low teak-coloured sideboard with sculpted handles in a dining room.

G Plan, Nathan or McIntosh: choosing a vintage teak sideboard

Compare the actual G Plan, Nathan and McIntosh pieces through storage, dimensions and condition, then investigate the range and attribution.

6 minute field guide

A low olive-green modular metal cabinet with two bays and open and closed compartments stands beside a cream sofa.

Buying used USM Haller: what will it cost?

Count the existing USM configuration and price the changes needed to turn an attractive cabinet into the arrangement you want.

7 minute field guide

Two adjoining bays of wooden wall shelves share a central black wire ladder panel, with books, a bowl and a small plant.

Buying vintage String shelving: what is actually in the set?

Identify the String series and count the panels, shelves and fittings before assuming a photographed arrangement is complete or compatible.

7 minute field guide

A long brown wooden sideboard with doors and four drawers on a raised base in a lived-in room.

Which G Plan is it? Finding the range, model and period

Trace a G Plan cabinet from range name to archive model, and separate a documented design date from its manufacture.

7 minute field guide

A long wooden sideboard with sliding panels, an open shelving bay and four drawers at the right.

Omann Jun or Dyrlund? Choose the sideboard you will actually use

Compare two Danish sideboards through their doors, useful interior space and actual footprint, using documented examples and your own belongings.

7 minute field guide

A long wooden sideboard with drawers, a white panel and a black raised base.

Buying a Pastoe cabinet: find the model behind the name

Find the model behind a Pastoe attribution and see how the open doors, fitted drawers and altered parts affect your purchase.

5 minute field guide

A wooden wall shelving arrangement with hanging shelves, two low cabinets and exposed floor beneath.

Royal System or Cado? Buy the shelving you can actually assemble

Count the supports, identify the generation and price missing parts before buying a vintage wall unit to assemble at home.

5 minute field guide

An old wooden chest with curved brass-coloured drawer pulls in a bedroom.

One missing handle: finding fittings for vintage furniture

Measure fixing centres, projection and fasteners to find a fitting that works without altering your vintage furniture.

6 minute field guide

Ladder-shaped uprights, wooden shelves, a cabinet and grouped rods laid out separately on a living-room rug.

Buying Ladderax: count the rods before the shelves

Turn a pile of ladders, shelves and cabinets into a complete purchase with a component-by-component inventory.

5 minute field guide

A dark seven-drawer chest with three small top drawers above four wide drawers, beside a bed and a lower chest.

Build a vintage bedroom with Stag Minstrel, one piece at a time

Build a useful bedroom from separate chests and bedside finds without chasing a perfectly matching suite.

5 minute field guide

An oak sectional glazed bookcase holding books of different sizes in a reading room.

Buying Globe-Wernicke and Minty sectional bookcases

Glass doors and stacking boxes are only the beginning. Check shelf sizes, missing fittings and whether the whole assembly belongs together.

5 minute field guide

Two bays of white wall shelving hold books and a closed laptop in a small study.

Buying used Vitsœ 606: turn a pile of parts into a room plan

Inventory tracks, shelves and fittings, confirm the production and mounting arrangement, and price a complete Vitsœ 606 composition.

4 minute field guide

Pine shelving with three bays holds books, baskets and folded blankets in an apartment hallway.

Buying second-hand Lundia Original: a shelving kit you can finish

Match Lundia Original shelf sizes, profiles and fittings before comparing the cost of a loose kit with a complete usable bookcase.

5 minute field guide

A honey-coloured pine chest with two small upper drawers and three larger drawers in a bedroom.

Buying an old pine chest: stripped antique or recently made?

Look beyond honey-coloured wood to the whole chest, its surface history and useful drawers before paying for an antique pine claim.

5 minute field guide

An orange plastic storage trolley with a pivoting tray open stands beside an artist’s desk.

Buying a vintage Boby trolley: choose the drawers, check the pivots

Match a Boby trolley to real supplies, drawer movement and desk clearance, then separate cosmetic ageing from broken plastic and pivot repairs.

5 minute field guide

An olive-green steel cabinet with shallow drawers stands beside small craft supplies in a home workspace.

Buying older Bisley MultiDrawers: will the small drawers do the job?

Choose shallow drawers for the things you actually store, then check trays, runners and the condition of an older Bisley cabinet.

4 minute field guide

A tall panelled wooden wardrobe stands in a bedroom with a sloping ceiling.

Will that French armoire come apart—and go back together?

Get a parts inventory, the largest panel measurements and a reassembly plan before buying a French armoire for an awkward room.

4 minute field guide

An old-style wooden shop cabinet has broad glass-fronted drawers holding fabric and thread cards.

A vintage haberdashery cabinet for a modern hobby: will your things fit?

Measure folded contents, drawer openings and glass-front condition before turning an old shop cabinet into useful hobby storage.

4 minute field guide

A bank of blue-grey metal lockers stands in a hallway, with one door open to show a coat and boots.

Buying old metal lockers for your hallway

Check coat space, door swing, the condition of the bank and its installation before bringing old steel lockers into a hallway.

4 minute field guide

A brass-bound wooden chest with recessed handles and a horizontal case division stands beside a bed.

Buying a campaign chest: travel furniture or campaign style?

Distinguish a chest made in transportable sections from campaign-style decoration, then inventory the cases, feet and joining parts.

4 minute field guide

A cream round storage unit with sliding doors stands beside a bed; one compartment holds a paperback.

Buying vintage Componibili: old modules, doors and yellowed plastic

Identify the older storage version, try every curved door and check what fits inside before buying Componibili for everyday use.

4 minute field guide

A low blonde timber sideboard with two doors flanking three central drawers.

Ercol 455 or 468? Choosing an older Windsor sideboard

Compare a low 455 with a narrower, taller 468 by the storage you need, then check drawers, shelves and castors.

4 minute field guide

A marble-top wooden washstand with a tiled back used as a hallway cabinet.

Buying an antique washstand for use as a dry cabinet

Turn a marble-top washstand into useful dry storage by checking working height, backsplash clearance and the moving plan.

4 minute field guide

A compact wood-effect sideboard with drawers and a cupboard in a small living room.

Beyond G Plan: choosing older Schreiber, Meredew and Lebus

Compare three modest British cabinets by useful storage, surface material and disclosed repairs, before paying extra for a familiar name.

4 minute field guide

Open metal-frame shelving with coloured shelf edges and a light arrangement of books and bowls.

Buying older IKEA GUIDE or ENETRI shelving: is it complete?

Identify the older shelving version, inventory its boards and fittings, and check installation requirements before buying a dismantled GUIDE or ENETRI.

4 minute field guide

An oak kitchen cabinet with upper storage, a roll front, a pale worktop and lower drawers.

Buying a Hoosier-style kitchen cabinet: what is included?

Inventory a Hoosier-style cabinet’s specialist fittings, measure the actual worktop and distinguish a useful kitchen cupboard from a complete collector’s example.

4 minute field guide

A dark oak-style cupboard with modest carved panels and ring pulls in a light contemporary room.

Buying older Old Charm furniture for the home you have

Choose older Old Charm by the cabinet’s interior, condition and present use, while keeping revival styling separate from its actual age.

4 minute field guide

A small square revolving bookcase with shallow compartments and a few novels beside a reading chair.

Buying a revolving bookcase: measure the books and the spin

Calculate a revolving bookcase’s turning circle, measure its shallow compartments and assess the mechanism before bidding or buying.

4 minute field guide

Buying a vintage plan chest: will your paper fit safely?

Measure a plan chest’s usable drawers, opening travel and access route before trusting an A1 label or storing valuable papers.

4 minute field guide

A wooden cocktail cabinet with an open supported flap, bottles and a glass shelf.

Buying a vintage cocktail cabinet: open every clever part

Check a vintage cocktail cabinet with its flap open, your tallest bottles inside and its glass, stays and fittings accounted for.

4 minute field guide

27 guides

Lighting

The lamp, its parts and the light it brings to your room.

All topics

Woven lamp base with a pale tapered shade on a circular woven side table.

How to inspect vintage lighting before buying

Look beyond the shade to fittings, missing parts and professional electrical checks before bringing an older lamp into use.

11 minute field guide

Rosemary Media / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Rounded woven lamp base with a pale tapered shade on a circular woven side table.

How to choose a lampshade for a vintage lamp

Compare the shade's proportions, fitting and clearance with your actual lamp so the replacement works as a complete assembly.

8 minute field guide

Rosemary Media / Unsplash; Unsplash License

A white layered pendant hangs over a wooden dining table, with its ceiling canopy and full shade silhouette visible.

Buying a used PH 5: versions, parts and fit

Check the PH 5 version, shade assembly and service options before deciding whether the offered lamp suits your space.

7 minute field guide

A tall honey-brown ceramic lamp with a cream shade stands beside an armchair on a wooden cabinet.

What should vintage lamp rewiring include?

Use published service examples to agree electrical work, included parts and exclusions before accepting a quote for your vintage lamp.

7 minute field guide

White dome-shaped table lamp with a flared base on a wooden sideboard, beside a short stack of books

Buying a used Panthella: size, shade and spare parts

Compare the whole shade with your table and check replacement-part compatibility before an incomplete Panthella becomes an expensive project.

8 minute field guide

Cream articulated desk lamp with a stepped base directing light onto an open notebook on a wooden desk

Buying a vintage Anglepoise: the lamp beyond the paint

Untangle Anglepoise model names, missing parts and service exclusions before deciding whether the lamp beyond the paint is worth buying.

7 minute field guide

An orange pendant with two hemispherical shades hanging over a wooden dining table.

Buying a vintage Flowerpot: more than the right colour

Look beyond the colour to identify the production, complete shade assembly and service needed for a Flowerpot at home.

5 minute field guide

A tall ribbed paper floor light beside a wooden chair in a reading corner.

Buying an older Akari: paper, frame and the complete light

Assess the paper and complete support together, and confirm a replacement route before buying an older Akari with missing parts.

5 minute field guide

A dark curved metal desk lamp on an old wooden desk beside an open notebook.

Buying a vintage Kaiser idell: the lamp beneath the paint

Identify the Kaiser idell model, compare the shade and stand, and find out what lies beneath a fresh finish.

5 minute field guide

An amber glass table lamp with a rounded shade stands on a wooden cabinet.

Buying a vintage Murano lamp: the glass, the claim and the whole light

Separate the origin claim from the complete lamp, then check the glass, fittings and replacement route before paying a named-maker premium.

6 minute field guide

A broad layered copper-coloured pendant hangs above a wooden dining table.

Buying a used PH Artichoke: missing leaves are only the beginning

Check the complete leaf arrangement, exact version and suspension, then price the repairs and installation that make the pendant usable.

5 minute field guide

An orange rounded-shade table lamp shown complete on a wooden cabinet.

Buying a vintage Guzzini lamp: the shade matters as much as the name

Check the complete lamp, its shade and documented version before treating a familiar shape or label as the whole story.

5 minute field guide

A small brass and glass-drop chandelier above a wooden dining table.

That missing crystal: when an incomplete vintage chandelier is worth buying

Count missing pieces by position, compare a real replacement sample and include servicing, packing and installation before agreeing a price.

5 minute field guide

A white pleated conical lampshade with a tightly folded top collar stands on a thin brass stem and circular foot above a timber cabinet.

Replacing a Le Klint shade: measure the sloping side

The size number refers to the sloping side. Match the model, material and support before ordering a replacement shade.

5 minute field guide

Entourage Finds / PatinaHall

A broad arched floor lamp places a metal shade above a coffee table, with its marble base beside a blue sofa.

Buying an older Flos Arco: the base is part of the bargain

Plan the marble base, overhead reach, complete components and professional moving and electrical work before buying an older Arco.

4 minute field guide

A black counterbalanced task lamp reaches across a wooden desk towards an open notebook.

Buying a vintage Tizio: which version, which parts, which repair?

Identify the Tizio version and electrical specification, then separate arm balance from lighting faults before pricing a repair.

5 minute field guide

A large orange mushroom-shaped lamp on a sideboard and a smaller one beside a blue chair.

Nesso or Nessino? Know which mushroom lamp you found

Compare the documented sizes of Nesso and Nessino, then check edition, shade condition and electrical details without dating a lamp by its colour.

4 minute field guide

A green articulated metal task lamp stands on a wooden desk among botanical drawings.

Buying an old Jieldé workshop lamp for a home desk

Check the mounting conversion, arm reach and specialist electrical work before turning an older Jieldé workshop lamp into a desk light.

4 minute field guide

A silver articulated task lamp clamps to a wooden desk and points towards an open notebook.

Buying an older Tolomeo: the right size, base and balanced arms

Choose the Tolomeo size and mounting for your desk, then check movement, completeness and the electrical version before ordering parts.

5 minute field guide

A wide white flared pendant above a wooden dining table.

Buying a vintage Fog & Mørup Semi pendant: shape and scale matter

Check a Semi pendant’s diameter, rim, interior and suspension, then plan its scale over your table before buying.

4 minute field guide

An extended scissor-arm wall lamp illuminating a notebook on a wooden desk.

Buying a vintage scissor wall lamp for a desk or bedside

Map a scissor lamp’s folded position, working reach and cable route, then prepare a mounting brief for the actual wall.

4 minute field guide

A black adjustable spring-arm desk lamp mounted at the edge of a wooden desk.

Buying a vintage Luxo L-1: start with the mounting

Match an older Luxo lamp to your desk edge and its own mounting, then confirm the parts needed for a working setup.

4 minute field guide

A broad red desk-lamp shade on a wooden support above a writing surface.

Buying an incomplete Fase President: price the missing parts

Separate a Fase President’s model, glass and structural parts before comparing an incomplete lamp with a complete, serviced example.

4 minute field guide

A smoked-glass globe floor lamp beside a reading chair, with space around its narrow stand.

Buying a vintage RAAK Globe: the glass and its support

Assess a RAAK Globe as a glass-and-support assembly, with a separate plan for packing, mechanical condition and electrical work.

4 minute field guide

A pale pendant shade and ceramic counterweight hanging above a wooden dining table.

Buying a vintage rise-and-fall pendant: check the whole movement

Check the movement, full hanging range and missing components of a rise-and-fall pendant before asking an electrician to install it.

4 minute field guide

An ochre and brown ceramic lamp with a plain textile shade on a wooden cabinet.

Buying a West German ceramic lamp: the pot and the electrical assembly

Separate a West German ceramic base’s attribution from its lamp assembly, shade fit and electrical readiness before comparing complete prices.

4 minute field guide

A pale turned-stone lamp base with a textile shade on a wooden table.

An old alabaster lamp: decide about the stone before cleaning it

Inspect an old alabaster lamp’s stone sections and fittings, and assess stains before assuming a pale base can be washed white.

4 minute field guide

12 guides

Other pieces

Mirrors, screens, trolleys and useful finishing touches.

All topics

A tall eighteenth-century looking glass with a pale carved floral frame around a narrower rectangular reflective opening.

How to buy a vintage mirror for the wall you actually have

Match the mirror, frame and hanging arrangement to your wall, including its condition and the practicalities of installation.

12 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0

A four-leaf eighteenth-century folding screen shown in a shallow zigzag, with carved dark frames around tall patterned textile panels.

How to buy a vintage folding screen or room divider

Check panels, hinges and the opened footprint to see how a folding screen can divide your own room.

11 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0

A nineteenth-century cast-iron garden table shown as a complete object against a plain background.

How to buy vintage outdoor furniture for a real setting

Match older outdoor furniture to its intended setting, construction and storage needs rather than assuming every piece belongs outside.

13 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0

Wooden tea trolley with two large disc wheels, curved runners, a projecting handle, woven basket and flat serving top carrying a jug and glasses.

Buying a vintage drinks trolley or serving cart

Check castors, handles and shelf supports, then try the route a drinks trolley will take through your actual room.

4 minute field guide

Gotogo / Wikimedia Commons, CC0; resized by PatinaHall

Curved metal coat-stand hooks carrying a dark jacket beside a window.

Choosing a vintage coat stand

Look at the base, joints and usable hooks before choosing a coat stand for a busy entrance or hallway.

5 minute field guide

Julian Rösner / Unsplash

White plant pot resting on a low four-legged wooden stand, with the pot wider than the support underneath.

Choosing a vintage plant stand

Match the stand's surface and support to your pots, then consider spills and where the plants will live at home.

5 minute field guide

feey / Unsplash

Muted geometric rug connecting the front of a sofa and the surrounding sitting area.

Buying a vintage rug: wool, flatweave, knots and braids

Compare braided, flatwoven and knotted rugs, inspect their construction and edges, and budget for suitable cleaning before buying.

6 minute field guide

Clear stemmed glasses and a metal shaker arranged on an older wooden cabinet.

Buying vintage barware: build a set you will use

Build a useful vintage bar set by checking counts, glass sizes, replacement pieces, working tools and suitability for drinks.

4 minute field guide

Empty cut-glass decanter and two glasses standing on a wooden cabinet.

Can you use vintage crystal for drinks? Glasses are not storage bottles

Decide between display, occasional serving and storage using official lead-crystal guidance, especially when an older vessel’s material is unknown.

4 minute field guide

Small framed botanical drawing above a sideboard in a modest furnished room.

An original print or a reproduction? Look beyond the frame

Distinguish original prints, later impressions and reproductions, then check the paper, frame and evidence behind the seller’s attribution.

4 minute field guide

Three plain studio-style ceramic vases of different shapes on an older sideboard.

Buying studio pottery vases: the pot before the signature

Choose an older vase by form and use, research marks in context, and ask clearly about cracks, repairs and water suitability.

4 minute field guide

Amber and blue glass vase on a wooden table near a window.

Buying a Murano vase: more than a sticker

Check Murano origin, glasshouse attribution and production date separately, using traceable records, complete views and a documented Venini example.

4 minute field guide

40 guides

Care & materials

Understand a surface, a repair or the work behind a promising purchase.

All topics

A full front view of an eighteenth-century mahogany armchair with patterned needlework upholstery on its back, seat and arms.

How to assess vintage and antique furniture condition

Learn to read wear, repairs and unanswered questions so you can decide which condition matters for your purchase.

12 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0

Close view of the chair's half-round crest with radiating mahogany veneer, a central flower-basket inlay and a light-dark border.

Solid wood, veneer or laminate: what can photographs tell you?

Look at edges, joins and repeated patterns to understand how a piece is built and what photographs leave unresolved.

7 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art; CC0

How to care for vintage wood furniture without harming the finish

Identify finish layers and past treatments before choosing routine care, cleaning or maintenance for an older wooden surface.

14 minute field guide

Pict4life / Unsplash; Unsplash License

How to assess vintage upholstery before buying

Look beneath the promise of new fabric: padding, support, frame and previous work all shape an upholstery decision.

11 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0

A mahogany cylinder-top desk with a pale marble slab above its curved writing cabinet.

How to inspect marble and stone furniture tops

Follow a stone top from surface to underside, support and handling so you can ask better questions about repairs.

10 minute field guide

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (public domain)

Close view of the chair's dark embossed leather showing a worn patterned field crossed by wrinkles, cracks and changes in sheen.

How to assess vintage leather furniture before buying

Read worn leather through contact areas, seams and support, then establish what a repair would need to address.

12 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art; CC0

How to check used furniture before bringing it home

Plan the inspection before collection, with room to check the piece and resolve concerns before bringing it into everyday use.

11 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0

How to budget restoration before buying vintage furniture

Turn a promising purchase into a complete budget by separating the work, materials, transport and questions still awaiting a quote.

13 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0

Overhead view of two E-1027 tables showing chrome-plated tubular-steel rings, offset uprights, glass supports and open bases.

How to inspect vintage chrome and tubular-steel furniture

Inspect metal frames, distinguish surface wear from structural questions, and compare complete cleaning or replating proposals before committing.

14 minute field guide

Photograph by Geheimnisträgerin, Public Domain

Three-quarter view of a low reclining Campeche chair with dark leather, crossed side frames, curved arms and a half-round inlaid crest.

How to evaluate restored or refinished vintage furniture

Look past a polished surface to the work behind it, including replaced parts, finish choices and the evidence available.

12 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art; CC0

Pale woven chair with a fan-shaped open back, rounded seat cushion, angled legs and visible frame members.

How to inspect vintage rattan, cane and wicker furniture

Follow frames, bends, joints and woven areas to understand what a rattan or cane piece needs before everyday use.

13 minute field guide

Jesse Donoghoe / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Front view of a 1960s museum example of a Red Blue Chair with worn red, blue, black and yellow painted wooden surfaces.

How to check painted vintage furniture for lead

Understand the limits of visual inspection and what evidence you need before buying or disturbing an uncertain painted finish.

13 minute field guide

Photograph by Daderot, CC0

A Jean François Leleu cylinder-top desk with geometric wood veneer and marquetry across its front, sides and drawers.

How to inspect veneer damage on vintage furniture

Distinguish lifting, missing areas and earlier repairs, then ask what restoring the veneer would mean for the whole piece.

13 minute field guide

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (public domain)

A blue cantilevered Panton Chair shown as a complete object in a museum display.

How to inspect vintage plastic furniture

Look at the complete plastic structure, stressed areas and surface changes before judging the usefulness of an older piece.

12 minute field guide

Tokumeigakarinoaoshima, Wikimedia Commons, CC0

Close view of a pale upholstered armchair showing its curved inner back, seat, arms and piped edges in sunlight.

Choosing upholstery fabric for vintage furniture

Choose fabric for the chair's shape and your daily use, then discuss pattern, upholstery method and care with the upholsterer.

7 minute field guide

Thom Milkovic / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Musty smells in vintage wooden furniture: what to check first

Trace a musty smell through empty drawers, the case and its storage history before deciding whether to buy or treat it.

4 minute field guide

Urban Vintage / Unsplash; Unsplash License

White water and heat marks on vintage furniture

Record the mark, surface sheen and finish condition before choosing what to do about a pale ring on older wood.

4 minute field guide

Pict4life / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Close view of a wooden floorboard with small holes and exposed branching insect galleries beneath the surface.

Woodworm holes in vintage furniture: old damage or possible activity?

Read holes alongside loose material and storage history, then understand when monitoring or specialist advice changes the buying decision.

4 minute field guide

ML5 / Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

Close view of one red cabinet door with a gold-robed figure, birds and plants enclosed by fine borders beside hinges and a lock plate.

How to choose a furniture restorer and agree the work

Compare approaches and agree the intended result, scope and exclusions before handing an older piece to a furniture restorer.

4 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art; CC0

A three-drawer chest with richly patterned brown surfaces in a bedroom.

Burl wood furniture: enjoy the pattern, understand the construction

Enjoy the figure while separating wood species, veneer, finish and the repairs that could change the whole surface.

5 minute field guide

A brown leather-cushioned wooden armchair beside a small table in a reading corner.

Before the conditioner: caring for vintage leather

Build a small care routine around the actual covering and its treatment history before reaching for leather conditioner.

5 minute field guide

A ladder-back wooden chair with a pale woven seat beside an everyday kitchen table.

Cleaning Danish paper cord without making the stain worse

Know the cord, blot a spill and decide when an old mark deserves treatment or simply a place in everyday life.

5 minute field guide

A dark wooden chest with warm brass-coloured drawer pulls in a bedroom.

Brass or brass-plated? Pause before the polish

Separate the metal body, plating and surface treatment before deciding whether an old fitting should be cleaned or polished.

5 minute field guide

An upholstered armchair and wooden chest stand separately in a dealer’s viewing room.

Cigarette smell in vintage furniture: decide before it comes home

Consider where tobacco residues may remain, what treatment would involve and whether the piece suits your home before arranging collection.

5 minute field guide

A wooden sideboard stands on an interior wall beside a window with a partly lowered blind.

Sun-faded vintage wood: keep the colour, change the room or refinish?

Decide which colour differences you can enjoy, reduce further light exposure and agree what a proposed refinishing job would actually change.

5 minute field guide

A pale stone coffee table carries cups on coasters within a small tray.

Living with a marble or travertine table: a calmer daily routine

Make coasters, trays and prompt spill care part of using your stone table, and understand what sealing can and cannot prevent.

6 minute field guide

An old wooden chest with varied brown tones in a quiet hallway.

Black marks on vintage wood: what to find out before trying to remove them

Record where dark marks sit and what has changed before choosing between leaving them, seeking an assessment or commissioning treatment.

5 minute field guide

An empty vintage dining tabletop in diffuse window light.

Why is this vintage tabletop sticky? Stop adding polish and find the layer

A sticky top needs a history before another product: distinguish a recent spill, accumulated polish and a finish that needs assessment.

5 minute field guide

An older wooden sideboard in a domestic room with its complete form visible.

Teak, walnut or rosewood? What the wood can actually tell you

Compare real wood references, read construction clues and test a seller’s material claim without relying on colour alone.

5 minute field guide

A dusty-blue painted three-drawer chest in an ordinary bedroom, with its entire outline visible.

Buying painted vintage furniture to strip: what is underneath?

Before buying a paint-stripping project, decide which hidden repairs and visible leftovers you could live with.

5 minute field guide

Green velvet sofa in side light, with lighter and darker areas across its piled surface.

Cleaning vintage velvet: a mark is not always a stain

A pale patch may be pile direction, wear or a stain. Work out which question you are asking before reaching for steam.

5 minute field guide

A rectangular gold-framed mirror above a dark wooden chest reflects a softly lit curtain.

A cloudy antique mirror: keep, re-silver or replace the glass?

Separate front-surface haze from deterioration behind the glass, then compare retaining an old reflection with re-silvering or a new plate.

4 minute field guide

An adult photographs the top of a wooden sideboard in a workshop with a notebook and ruler nearby.

Sanded through the veneer? What can still be repaired?

Stop further sanding, establish whether wood has been lost, and compare colour retouching, a veneer patch and wider replacement with realistic expectations.

5 minute field guide

A wooden desk with a green writing inset stands by a window with a notebook and pen.

Replacing a vintage desk’s leather writing surface

Decide whether the old inset needs replacing, then specify its recess, material, corners and tooling before ordering a new writing surface.

4 minute field guide

Breakfast dishes on a pale timber table with a linen placemat.

Living with soap-finished Danish furniture: should you keep the pale surface?

Decide whether a known soap finish suits your daily routine, and distinguish its maintenance from treating an unidentified pale surface.

4 minute field guide

An open drawer in an old wooden dresser reveals a floral lining.

Contact paper on an old dresser: keep it or remove it?

Distinguish a loose drawer liner from bonded contact paper, then decide what to keep and what needs careful removal.

4 minute field guide

A small brass castor beneath the lower corner of an older wooden chest.

Replacing antique furniture castors without changing the stance

Identify the fixing and installed height of an old castor before choosing a replacement that keeps the furniture level and useful.

4 minute field guide

A warm orange-toned knotty pine chest against a blue-grey bedroom wall.

Orange pine furniture: change the finish or change the room?

Compare the pine, its existing finish and the surrounding room before paying to strip a chest that may only need a different setting.

4 minute field guide

A pale oak-style cabinet with white grain contrast across its doors and top.

Limed oak: is the white grain something to keep?

Recognise that white grain may be an intentional finish, distinguish observations from diagnosis and brief a cleaner or restorer before removing it.

4 minute field guide

An upholsterer considering an older upholstered armchair and a loose cushion in a workshop.

Horsehair in an old chair: what should the upholsterer keep?

Ask an upholsterer which old filling and support layers can stay, with selective reuse assessed before choosing an all-new rebuild.

4 minute field guide

22 guides

Rooms & delivery

Make older pieces work together, and plan their journey home.

All topics

View down an old stairwell showing successive wooden landings, turns, handrails and the opening between flights.

How to measure furniture for delivery: measure the route, not only the room

Trace the journey through doors, stairs and landings before a piece you love becomes a delivery problem.

8 minute field guide

Christopher Stites / Unsplash; Unsplash License

People at the open back of a furniture-filled moving truck parked beside a building.

How to collect and transport vintage furniture yourself

Plan the vehicle, protection and complete route so collection day works for the furniture and the people handling it.

14 minute field guide

Egor Ivlev / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Wooden armchair with a slatted back beside potted plants against a pale wall.

How to mix vintage and modern furniture in one room

Bring older and newer pieces together through scale, useful space and a few shared details, starting with your actual room.

12 minute field guide

Pew Nguyen / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Furniture delivery truck parked beside an apartment building, with a wrapped item being carried along the approach.

How to arrange professional delivery for vintage furniture

Give a carrier the dimensions, access details and handling needs that make a delivery quote useful for your exact purchase.

13 minute field guide

Joseph Prospere / Unsplash; Unsplash License

What size rug do you need under a vintage dining table?

Account for occupied chairs and their movement when choosing a rug that belongs beneath your dining table in daily use.

7 minute field guide

Alex Tyson / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Antique shop window showing a wooden chair, cabinet and glass-fronted display furniture, with reflections of trees.

How to store vintage wooden furniture between homes

Choose the storage conditions, supports and inspection access that help older wooden furniture through the time between homes.

8 minute field guide

Robert | Visual Diary / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Small wooden stool with splayed legs standing on a herringbone wooden floor.

Protecting wooden floors from vintage furniture

Look at feet, castors and everyday movement to choose floor protection that suits both the furniture and its new setting.

8 minute field guide

Rumman Amin / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Arranging vintage furniture in a small living room

Start with the pieces you use most, then map seating, surfaces and clear routes before filling a small living room.

4 minute field guide

National Park Service photograph via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

Sunlit glazed room with a small wooden pedestal table, wooden chairs, plants and heating along the window wall.

Choosing vintage furniture for a conservatory

Consider changing light, heat and moisture when choosing older furniture for the particular conditions in your conservatory throughout the year.

5 minute field guide

Clay Banks / Unsplash

A honey-coloured sideboard and dark brown coffee table share a living room with a pale wooden floor, cream rug and sofa.

Teak, oak and walnut: making mixed woods work with your floor

Try teak, oak and walnut against the floor you already have, using room examples to compare tone, contrast and balance.

6 minute field guide

How to make dark antique furniture work without painting it

Three room experiments with walls, textiles and neighbouring furniture to try before changing an older piece's finish in your home.

7 minute field guide

A warm brown sideboard against a pale wall, with a small wooden table and grey chair beside it.

Wall colours for teak and walnut: give the wood a good backdrop

Try pale, muted green and deep blue backgrounds, then choose with physical paint samples beside your actual furniture and floor.

6 minute field guide

Low wooden storage, a sofa and a book basket in a family sitting room.

Vintage furniture in a home with children: choose the room, then the piece

Plan anchoring, storage, window access and everyday use before bringing an older cabinet, table or chair into a family room.

6 minute field guide

A modest sitting room with dark cabinet, pale table, grey sofa and wooden armchair.

A quieter room with older furniture: putting Japandi into practice

Build a calm, useful room around older furniture, with a measured layout, comfortable seating and deliberate contrasts in wood and colour.

4 minute field guide

A modest living room furnished with an olive sofa, older wooden armchair, low table and cabinet.

A vintage living room on a fixed budget: buy the whole plan

Build a complete room budget, compare a real asking-price example and keep delivery, repairs and essential seating in the calculation.

5 minute field guide

Blanket-wrapped wooden cabinet secured inside a parked delivery van.

A UK furniture find, delivered to the Netherlands: work out the landed cost

Calculate a Great Britain-to-Netherlands furniture purchase, including export pricing, import charges, packing and the final delivery into your home.

4 minute field guide

A phone being used to record a delivered cabinet beside opened packaging.

Your vintage furniture arrived damaged: what to do first

Document damaged furniture and packaging, report through the right channel, and agree inspection or repair before changing the evidence.

5 minute field guide

Two different wooden bedside tables beside a bed, connected by similar cream lamps.

Two different vintage bedside tables that look good together

Keep the charm of two separate finds while connecting their heights, visual weight and bedside lighting.

5 minute field guide

Tabby cat resting on a throw on a wooden-framed sofa, with a tall scratching post and a horizontal scratching pad nearby.

Vintage furniture and cats: choose a room you can both use

Choose furniture around your cat’s real habits, accessible care and a scratching place that belongs in the room.

5 minute field guide

A wooden-slat bench with dark cast-metal end frames stands in a planted brick courtyard.

Buying a cast-iron garden bench: price the slats and the frame

Assess the cast frame before ordering timber, then specify the slats, fittings and finished restoration as one usable garden bench.

4 minute field guide

A small wooden hall bench combines a cushioned seat with a raised side surface and open storage.

A vintage telephone bench for today’s hallway

Try the seat, knee space and side storage before choosing a vintage telephone bench for putting on shoes in a modern hall.

4 minute field guide

A wooden valet stand holds a jacket and folded trousers separately, with keys in its small tray.

A vintage valet stand: a better place for tomorrow’s clothes?

Check jacket shape, trouser clearance, the loaded footprint and stability before choosing an older valet stand for tomorrow’s clothes.

4 minute field guide

29 guides

Buying & research

Identify a find, compare an offer and ask the questions that matter.

All topics

Antique shop window with a wooden chair, cabinet and mirrored furniture behind reflections of trees.

How to buy vintage furniture well

A first purchase, from spotting a promising piece to understanding its condition, total cost and journey home.

8 minute field guide

Robert | Visual Diary / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Archival side view of Gragg's chair showing one thin outer member sweeping from the back around the seat and down into the forward-curving front leg.

What photographs should you ask for before buying vintage furniture online?

Ask for photographs that reveal construction, scale and condition, including the views a beautiful listing tends to leave out.

6 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art; CC0

A black-and-white close view of crowned initials branded into the underside of a wooden chair rail.

What do furniture marks and labels actually prove?

Use a label as the beginning of research, then connect its claim to the whole piece and supporting records.

9 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0

Two eighteenth-century wooden chairs photographed together, with visibly different surface tone and carved back details.

How to compare a vintage pair or set before buying

Compare every member of a pair or set: similar photographs can hide differences in dimensions, construction and earlier work.

12 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0

How to compare vintage furniture prices before buying

Compare relevant examples, condition and the complete purchase cost so an asking price becomes something you can evaluate.

11 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art; CC0

Closed mahogany cylinder-top desk with trellis marquetry, gilt-bronze mounts, white marble top and four tapering legs.

How to buy vintage furniture online from an independent seller

Build a useful picture of the exact piece, seller terms and delivery before committing to a purchase online.

11 minute field guide

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam; Public Domain

Dark wooden desk with three drawers, turned legs and a stretcher, with papers and leaflets on the top.

How to buy vintage furniture at an online auction

Read the lot, fees and collection terms together, then set a bidding limit that includes the complete purchase.

11 minute field guide

MChe Lee / Unsplash; Unsplash License

Full view of a tall cabinet attributed to André-Charles Boulle, covered with brass and tortoiseshell marquetry and gilt-bronze mounts.

How to buy vintage furniture from another country

Follow the piece across each handoff, from seller documents and packing to border questions, delivery and the total cost.

12 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art; CC0

A complete upholstered wooden armchair recorded by The Metropolitan Museum of Art after a design by Thomas Chippendale.

Original, attributed to or in the style of? How to read a vintage furniture listing

Unpack familiar listing terms and decide which claims need documents, closer photographs or a more precise answer from the seller.

14 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0

Crowded black-and-white antique shop view with mirrors, chairs and decorated furniture overlapping.

How to buy vintage furniture at a flea market or estate sale

Make good use of a short viewing: check the piece, agree what is included and plan how it gets home.

14 minute field guide

Zoshua Colah / Unsplash; Unsplash License

How to identify vintage furniture

Build an identity from the whole object, then investigate style, period and maker as questions with their own evidence.

9 minute field guide

Urban Vintage / Unsplash; Unsplash License

How to identify Mid-Century Modern furniture

Compare form, function and documented examples to understand a Mid-Century Modern claim and where that style description stops.

8 minute field guide

Tokumeigakarinoaoshima, Wikimedia Commons, CC0

Close view across Gragg's chair seat showing many narrow curved slats fitted between the front rail and the transition into the bowed back.

How to date vintage and antique furniture

Build a supported date range from construction and records, keeping a design's history separate from the age of your example.

8 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art; CC0

A complete upholstered wooden armchair in The Metropolitan Museum of Art collection.

How to identify vintage furniture with no maker's mark

Start with shape, materials and construction when a label is missing, then follow promising comparisons into catalogues and records.

10 minute field guide

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0

A small dark leaf-shaped three-legged table stands beside a sofa on a pale rug.

Is it really old IKEA? Follow the furniture into the catalogue

Follow older IKEA furniture into the catalogue, using documented examples to separate a design's history from a later reintroduction.

7 minute field guide

A low brown modular sofa stands beside a timber coffee table in a bright living room.

Vintage original or reissue: which to buy?

Compare older examples, authorised reissues and replicas through their construction, documentation, service options and the way you want to use them.

7 minute field guide

A person photographs a complete wooden stool against a quiet workshop background.

Found a match on Google Lens? Now find out what the furniture is

Use image search to find a candidate, then compare construction and primary records before trusting a familiar name in the results.

5 minute field guide

A wooden cabinet with rounded corners and restrained carved ornament in a dining room.

Art Deco or Art Nouveau? Read the furniture before the listing label

Compare whole forms and ornament using documented examples, then separate a style description from the age and maker of your purchase.

6 minute field guide

A colourful geometric side table beside a plain sofa.

Postmodern, Memphis or simply colourful? Buying the piece behind the label

Separate a documented Memphis design from a later edition or colourful lookalike, and check whether the actual piece works at home.

5 minute field guide

Dark wooden cabinet with deeply faceted doors against an exposed brick wall.

What does “brutalist furniture” mean in a listing?

Read dramatic timber and metal furniture listings, separate style from attribution, and check the details that affect everyday use.

4 minute field guide

A customer discussing older furniture with a shopkeeper in a small shop.

Dealer or private seller? Your second-hand furniture purchase in the EU

Compare dealer and private purchases, understand distance-return differences and ask about the real cost of returning bulky second-hand furniture.

5 minute field guide

Figured wooden cabinet with a closed document folder on a nearby table.

Buying rosewood furniture across borders: ask about the wood before the van

Check rosewood species, acquisition history, route and shipment documents before buying, including the limits of CITES finished-product exceptions.

4 minute field guide

Two adults discussing a wooden dining table in a home near an open entrance.

Buying vintage furniture on Marktplaats: make the viewing count

Plan a Marktplaats viewing, verify payment and collection terms, and distinguish local pickup from eligible protected shipping before buying.

4 minute field guide

An adult examining a wooden armchair in a small auction viewing room.

What a winning Catawiki bid really costs

Calculate the current Catawiki buyer fee, set a realistic maximum bid and resolve delivery and condition questions before the auction closes.

4 minute field guide

An adult making notes beside furniture in an older home.

Inherited furniture to sell: choose the route before clearing the room

Compare sale routes for inherited furniture by net proceeds, effort and timing, with clear inventory, collection and unsold-item terms.

4 minute field guide

A low wooden cabinet with a drawer open and a tape measure on top.

Price vintage furniture to sell: start with the evidence and the deadline

Set an asking price using relevant sale evidence, condition and collection costs, while keeping buyer totals and your net proceeds separate.

5 minute field guide

A person holding a phone level to photograph a complete wooden cabinet.

Photograph vintage furniture with your phone: show the piece honestly

Create a clear phone-photo sequence that shows furniture shape, scale, working parts and wear, with honest colour and a final privacy check.

5 minute field guide

A domestic sofa with loose cushions moved aside in a living room.

An older sofa without a fire label: your UK options

Work out the next step for an unlabelled sofa by separating charity acceptance, business supply and a private household sale.

4 minute field guide

A wooden sideboard near a ground-floor doorway, with a trolley and folded moving blanket nearby.

Buying vintage furniture on eBay: collect it yourself or send a courier?

Plan an eBay UK furniture collection with an agreed inspection, checkout payment and the protection limits of using your own carrier.

4 minute field guide