How to Turn Your Favorite Unique Furniture into Family Heirlooms
Some people grow very attached to their furniture, especially the pieces that they bought to go in their first apartments, houses and even college dorm rooms. While you may not have a present purpose for your unique furniture at the moment, if it is taken care of properly, it can be passed down to future generations. Turn that funky piece of furniture you purchased on a whim into something that your entire family will fall in love with by preserving, restoring and recreating your furnishings.
Cleaning and Storing Your Unique Furnishings
With proper care and storage, well-made furnishings can last much longer than a lifetime. Unfortunately, a lot of original pieces as well as furniture that has passed through multiple owners usually don't come with specific care instructions. If you know what materials your furniture is made from, you should safely be able to clean the surface.
Another important factor to consider is where and how your furniture should ideally be stored. While you might cringe at the idea of sealing up your unused furnishing in plastic sheeting, this is one of the best methods available for keeping furniture dust and stain free. You will also want to place your furniture in a dry area that is free of vermin.
Making Necessary Furniture Repairs
With time, all things fade and generally break down, so the furniture you've kept carefully stored may not look exactly as you remember it. Small repairs can be completed on site, or you can also take your furnishings to a qualified furniture repair professional.
The type of repair your furniture needs will depend largely on what it is made of. Wood furniture can be repaired with replacement parts, while lacquered pieces may require a bit of deconstruction to be completely repaired. Talk about the specific repairs that you want made so that the integrity of your specialty furniture will be maintained during the repair process.
Restoring and Preserving Furniture
Don't fret if your furniture has seemingly deteriorated, despite your best intentions and efforts. Consider the restoration process as an opportunity for you to make changes or improvements to the furniture that you have become especially attached to over the years.
Wooden frames can be repaired, fabric can be reupholstered, and your favorite vintage, unique or specialty furnishings will be showroom ready once all restoration work has been completed. You can also have your furniture further protected with waxes, epoxies, or stain guards to help maintain its splendor.