Not all old furniture is worth saving.

Some is genuinely well-made and built to outlast us. Some is just old — and will fight you every step of the way.

When we’re sourcing pieces for the showroom (or helping someone track down something specific), here’s what we pay attention to first.

1) The bones: structure and joinery

We start with the basics:

• Is it sturdy?

• Does the frame rack or flex?

• Are joints tight or failing?

• Does it feel heavy in a good way?

We look for solid construction — the kind of build that makes restoration worth the effort.

2) Materials that age well

We’re always looking for quality wood, quality veneer, and components that can be repaired properly.

Even veneer can be excellent — if it’s real wood veneer and applied well. The problem is cheap laminates and materials that don’t respond to repair.

3) Lines, proportions, and design intent

Great furniture has intention. Even simple pieces.

We look for:

• balanced proportions

• thoughtful details (legs, edges, hardware, silhouette)

• designs that feel timeless instead of trendy

This is especially true with MCM — the lines are the point.

4) Repairability

We ask: can this piece be brought back well?

Some pieces have damage that’s cosmetic and totally fixable. Others have issues that are so invasive the piece becomes a time sink without a good end result.

We don’t want “restored enough.” We want restored correctly.

5) The “room anchor” factor

Some pieces can define a room the moment you walk in — a dresser with presence, a dining table with warmth, a cabinet that feels like art and storage at once.

That’s the kind of piece we chase. The kind you don’t replace next year.

What we avoid

Just as important: what we pass on.

• swollen particleboard

• structural failures that can’t be corrected cleanly

• warped panels from long-term water exposure

• “old” pieces that were made cheaply to begin with

• anything that won’t be satisfying to own after restoration

The takeaway

We hunt for pieces that deserve saving — and that will reward the owner for decades, not just months.

-> Looking for something specific? Tell us your style, dimensions, and budget. If it exists, we’ll help you find it — and if it needs restoration, we’ll make sure it’s worth doing.