Four reasons why antique and vintage furniture is preferred over new.

1. Affordability. Antique and vintage furniture, more often than not, is much cheaper to purchase than the equivalent new. There are plenty of online sellers offering a wide variety of antique and vintage furniture in excellent used condition and it is fairly easy to find very unique and high quality pieces made with real hardwood, without spending thousands.

2. Unique Design and Style. Antique and vintage furniture has a timeless appearance that is almost impossible to replicate in modern pieces. If you are after a particular style for your home, unless you are prepared to have something custom made, it can be very difficult to find the right piece new. There’s just no substitute for the characteristic patina and distressed features found only on very old pieces. When you buy an older piece you are not just buying something that has been mass produced in a factory using the cheapest materials available, you are buying a story, something that has been crafted by hand and passed down through generations.

3. Quality Workmanship. Unfortunately, no matter what price you are prepared to pay, they just don’t make things like they used to. In times gone by, furniture was made to last a lifetime and old school furniture making techniques, such as dovetail and dowel joins were employed. The use of solid wood species like mahogany, cedar, rosewood, oak, and blackwood were common and hardware was cast from solid brass, and in some instances copper.

4. Environmental Impact. Not only is buying Antique and Vintage furniture fun, it can also be a great choice for the environment and future generations. Every time you purchase furniture new, carbon is released into the atmosphere, and it is estimated that more than a metric tonne of carbon is produced for every $1,300 spent by consumers of new furniture in Australia.

The next time you decide to restyle your home, why not check out some of the great antique and vintage options available online, you'll definitely save a few dollars and reduce the size of your carbon footprint too.