For many years I used a vintage oak pedestal base table in my farmhouse kitchen. It withstood the wear of my children, my grandchildren and even my husband! It was not only the center of my kitchen, through the years it became the center of our home. Dinners were prepared and served at this table. Hours of homework, from multiplication tables to SAT-prep took place here and it has been the site of many a coffee klatch where my friends and I solved the problems of the world.
Things change with the passage of time and one day we decided the table no longer fit our needs and we started shopping for its replacement. Looking online, as the pandemic has limited our in-store shopping, I happened upon a table that seemed perfect for us offered on one of the online furniture sites, and I ordered it. Of all people, I should know to always turn to vintage quality over modern particle board convenience. Too late now!
When we think of fast furniture we often think of IKEA. From its humble beginnings as a small mail-order business in Sweden, it eventually expanded its exports to the U.S. in the 1980s. However, it would not be until the early part of 2000 that it truly caught the eye and the imagination of the American buying public. It now reigns as the undisputed leader in the field of “fast furniture.” Convenient and inexpensive, the to-your-door cardboard boxes (referred to as flat packing) offer simple solutions to furnishing your home. Just open the box, assemble the contents and voila — instant furniture. Most of their pieces are made of compressed wood chips sandwiched between two very thin pieces of veneer, which accounts for its light weight. Again, this has worked to their advantage, as even some of their larger pieces can be assembled by one person.
There are those who will point to the low cost of this type of furniture as a plus. But, is it really cheaper than a solid wood piece of vintage furniture? While vintage, solid wood furniture can be repaired and refinished, the pieces made of compressed wood chips or particle board cannot. Furniture from IKEA, Wayfair and other fast furniture sources cannot be refinished, they are difficult to paint, and the general durability of the furniture is such that even tightening a screw too tight can split the fiberboard. This makes the life expectancy of most of their furniture 2-3 years. It should also be noted that resale for fast furniture is usually 15-20 percent of its purchase price. By comparison, vintage furniture usually can be resold for the original purchase amount and sometimes even more depending on the popularity of the piece.
Protecting of our environment is a major concern for many of us. The lack of sustainability of fast furniture, and its use of non-biodegradable particle board, makes it a threat to the environment as thousands of pieces each year end up in landfills. According to the EPA, furniture castoffs account for 5% of the trash hitting our landfills — a percentage that is expected to grow. By contrast to the minimal life span of fast furniture, vintage furniture can easily last 80 years plus. Even after decades of wear have taken their toll on vintage tables, chests, and cabinets they can be repurposed and reused for many years to come.
As mass-produced, cookie-cutter furniture invades the field of home decor home we are gradually losing the individuality of our surroundings. Vintage furniture offers an option to the sameness of fast-furniture with unique, and sometimes one-of-a-kind pieces that allow you to make a personal statement about your home.
So, how did we do with our venture into the world of fast furniture? Suffice it to say, next time we will be shopping vintage. Until next time . . . Linda
Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and may be reached at 317-258-7835 or lkennett@indy.rr.com