Photo: Via eBay

Unfortunately, buying antiques is a lot harder than it might seem when it comes to furniture, vintage furniture is truly unique, in the sense that there are some rules that must be taken into consideration. Without these rules it’s pretty hard to evaluate furniture as an investment and to actually create a décor worth investing in or worth priding yourself with. So the next time you’re in the market for a Mid Century Modern Sofa, keep these things in mind:

Make every single piece count

When it comes to arranging antiques in your house, you should make every single piece count. You can do this by assuring that each has a distinct place in a distinct room and that when someone will walk in a specific room, they will immediately associate it with the antique piece that is displayed there.

Also learn to make use of the various properties of a vintage piece when you assign it to a room. If its color palette or striking texture are perfect for a room, make sure to make that match and to take advantage of the qualities you have at your disposal.

Even spread

This tip refers to the importance of spreading out your antique richness across multiple rooms of a home, and not confining it all to just one room. Vintage furniture is a fantastic way to jazz up your home only if you do it the right way. This is a mistake that often times occurs due to the fact that many antique collectors are beginners and don’t really know what they’re doing.

You can use antiques and vintage furniture to makeover your room from top to bottom, but it’s certainly not as easy as it sounds. It’s really important that you learn early on when it comes to these things because it’s really easy to form bad habits, even when it comes to interior décor and vintage furniture. If you just stockpile all of your vintage pieces in a single room, it will take away their decorative power. The room will become overcrowded and the abundance of pieces will make each individual one lose its shine. This is why having pieces in multiple rooms and across hallways helps a lot with immersion and creating a sense of vintage for house visitors.

Don’t stop to segregate

Especially if you’re new to the whole vintage furniture thing, you shouldn’t stop to mix and match pieces based on what year they’re from and similar criteria which more experienced collectors are very keen of. This will only create more obstacles for you and ultimately hurt your chances of creating a truly unique and aesthetically pleasing environment in your home.

No matter how many generations apart your antiques might be, they possess an individual decorative strength that doesn’t have to be scattered by only giving it credit when it the company of similar pieces.

Don’t skimp out on the small rooms

Many times, when people decorate using vintage pieces, they tend to leave out smaller rooms, considering that these rooms aren’t worth the vintage decorations. This is a mistake, as all rooms in a house are worthy of having something special on the decorative front. By ignoring certain rooms, you are breaking the uniformity of the design and creating a hole in your own design concept. Don’t be afraid to assign decorative pieces to rooms like the bathroom, which is usually ignored or overlooked in terms of high end aesthetics.

Make use of these tips when you go hunting for new pieces for your vintage collection, as it will help you be more successful in your picks and also in your aptitude to arrange them afterwards.

Photo: Claudia Lelizzari Interior Design

Do you yearn to spend less time lying on the floor screwing together cheap wooden panels and more time using and admiring your furniture? There comes a time when utilitarian chain-store equipment just doesn’t get your heart racing anymore, and you find yourself wanting to bring together a host of impressive furniture that emphasizes design and performance. In other words, you’re ready to acquire investment pieces.

For Now, and for the Future

Instead of shopping congruent with trends, or heading to a local home décor store on a whim, opt for only items that exude a certain timelessness. You should like them in the moment, and consider them mature enough to stay with you for years to come. According to the Washington Post, you should ask yourself a series of questions before springing for a piece.

Photo: Wrightwood Furniture

-Do I love it?
-Will I still love it five years from now?
-Is it well-constructed?
-Is it too trendy?
-Is it versatile?

The price tag will likely be higher than you’re used to paying up front, but often makes more fiscal sense when you consider the longer haul. If you add up receipts from buying “cheap” furniture that needs replacing every year or two, the total might surprise you. With a little forward thinking, it’s entirely possible to pick up investment pieces without a strain on your budget. The satisfaction of developing a long-term relationship with your furniture is well worth the higher initial cost.

Photo: Via Pinterest

Consider Going Mid-Century Modern

There’s an aesthetic that’s proven its staying in power since the ‘50s and ‘60s: mid-century modern. As Forbes points out, part of the allure is that these pieces don’t adhere to trends, and focus on form in a way that’s character building for any room. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll get sick of your mid-century modern arrangement, especially when compared to other more garish eras.

The classic example is an Eames chair, but once you start digging, we’re confident that you’ll find other pieces that speak to you and will have house guests clamoring to know where you got your setup.

Photo: Hive Modern

All Look, No Touch?

Museums are beautiful places to visit, but you don’t want to feel like you’re breaking a rule every time you sit down in your own home. The key is to blend quality with livability. As Jill Dienst, the owner of a New York City-based gallery, told Architectural Digest, “I collect what is beautiful, rare, but also usable. My home may look like a museum, but if a piece of furniture has made it through the centuries without falling apart, why should I be afraid to sit on it or have a dog run past it?”

Photo: Carmina Roth Interiors, LLC

Nowhere is this principle more vital than when it comes to the centerpieces of your living room and bedroom. At the end of a long day, you’re not going to want to tiptoe around your sofa or bed because it looks picturesque but lacks comfort and practicality, whether it’s new or an antique. How can you ensure that you strike a balance between aesthetically pleasing design, the elongated life of an investment piece, and an accessible price point? These modern beds from Lumens, for example, show that investment furniture can remain inviting and highly usable while still looking the part.

Assembling household items on an as-needed basis from major outlets is more of a sprint, while investing in quality pieces that last for a long time is a marathon. If you put in the groundwork and carefully hone your vision for the future, you’ll reap the reward of having a one-of-a-kind living space that showcases exquisite quality and taste.