to think 'nice' things doesn't have to mean new?

[StateofConfusion]

Over the years we've slowly had to replace all the argos cheap furniture that just fell apart, moving house 3x contributed to that. But realised the pieces we've brought 2nd hand last and look better.

I was greeted by a rather envious, "you have really 'nice' things" from a friend recently and it made me realise, none of our furniture is new anymore, we scour gumtree/ebay/preloved/facebook pages/boot sales and charity shops and have managed to get some lovely proper pine furniture, ds bed frame was freecycle, and dds was mine as a child. Everything is 2nd hand now.

And were about to get a 2nd hand sofa as ours has given up after moving too often and general children usage. And I refuse to pay four figures for the same thing to happen again.

But I've realised after being a --total snob setting up home and pfb to boot-- it doesn't matter, I have a lovely home, I'm proud of, matching good quality furniture at a fraction of the price, whilst my friend who would never have anything but new, but buys cheap is forever replacing broken things.

So aibu to think a nice home doesn't have to be all new furnishings?

:)

So aibu to think a nice home doesn't have to be all new furnishings?

Ever been round a stately home?

When I was growing up, Dad got lots of really solid stuff from auction sales.

I've not grimma

I'm young ish and my friends all have to have newest/latest etc and I seem to be a million miles away from there opinions.

I am of the same opinion. If I have second hand things I can afford much nicer things.

People my age would really judge me so I keep it to myself but I love scouring the net for second hand bargains!

I think the only new to us furnishings we have are two pieces that were wedding presents and the toddler bed ds is in... and the piano, if that counts as a furnishing item.
Doesn't worry me, and I was saying to dh the other day that if/when we decide to refurbish we can buy from the local charity furniture shop that has lovely stuff at a fraction of the cost.

Best thing I've got in my house is my Bosch Dishwasher........it was got from Freecycle. Just scouring everywhere for 2 and 3 seater settees - can't afford new.

**

Yes

I've had a few 3 piece suites that have been second hand but most of my furniture has been new but cheap. Lately though I've been thinking it would be nice, when I can afford it, to buy a few better quality pieces second hand instead as opposed to something new but cheap.

I agree with you.
The only new stuff we can afford is quite cheap and all looks the same, Ikea etc.
However, buying second hand can mean buying something nicer and more solid, while paying the same price or cheaper.
You can't go wrong!

I seem to recall Alan Clarke saying that Michael Heseltine was a ghastly nouveau individual who had to buy his furniture new because he had none to inherit .

Looks around at dad's old armchairs, grandad's desk and card table, a few bits and bobs of china and glass from the gps too. Add in the fact that I bought a 2nd hand changing table - now used as storage in the shed, was given a moses basket and endless supplies of childrens' clothes when the dc were small. It's all part of life's rich tapestry. It might not make a perfectly co-ordinated home but sentimentality is worth far more than shiny and new.

Gently strokes worn leather armchair which is spilling some stuffing.

Home is how you make it not what you buy. A show home is just a show house thats not lived in.

The fact you care and have put in the time to find things that you love will always show more against someone who just bought the first thing they saw and didn't give it much thought.

I'd also argue that seconds or end of lines are a great way of buying new at a fraction of the cost. We bought most of bedding/curtains at a clearance store and all our dishwear at a factory store - both really good brands. No one can tell we did it on the cheap. We saved a fortune purely because it had slight imperfections or was a couple of seasons old and we bothered to hunt around for good stuff at a price we liked rather than just settle for something just cos it was easier.

I agree with Ruthchan. Generally speaking you can get much, much better quality furniture for the same amount of money if you are willing to buy old furniture. (Especially dark wooden Victorian furniture which is really out of fashion at the moment).

If you buy old, you can often get handmade solid wood furniture, which will last for years and years and can be revarnished/repainted, for the same price as factory made spray painted MDF which will look tatty in months.

Glad people seem to agree, when I first left home I insisted on new, thinking second hand made me look poor etc. --well now I am--

Just last week I put a wanted add on a local facebook for sale site and got a gorgeous half height solid darker pine bookshelf for the dcs for £5!

Our dinning table is round but pulls apart and I can add a middle section so its oval, iyswim, with four chairs, free out of a local pub. It helps dp is quite handy and will sand off strip down and do up pieces.

I've always wanted to go to an auction house but I'm really shy and easily intimidated, maybe i should make it a goal for this year!

Of course YANBU

Especially when it comes to furniture.

My SIL recently gave me some beautiful cushions because they didn't go with her room anymore. They are by far the nicest things I have ever owned and I love them so YANBU

I absolutely loathe the billy bookcases I have in my house at the moment, and scour gumtree and Ebay for proper solid old bookcases to replace them with, as they are flimsy, they look cheap, the shelves sag, and they are not built to withstand as many moves as they have done.

I love old furniture.

I have found this too. Solid second hand furniture lasts but brand new cheap stuff justs falls to bits.

I agree with you but do have worries about stuff like sofas and beds. I know someone who bought lots of second hand things when she got divorced and moved house - she discovered her sofa was riddled with some kind of creepy crawly (can't remember exactly what now!) which resulted in the whole house having to be fumigated.

areallytired I inherited a lot of nice cushions when my grandma passed away.

I love them so much more because they hold memories and they're an unecessary extra I'd never buy.

Also just discovered the argos clearance section, ds and dd have almost killed the crap blinds at the french doors and surrounding windows, but being 90x90 gap we've tollerated the blinds 90x90 curtains £20 down from £80+ brilliant

curly we know the people were getting the suite from, its 9mnths old and they're seriously clean and tidy people.

YANBU at all - you're being economical and green. I like all the old furniture that's apparently so out of fashion now. I've picked up really good quality, well-made Victorian chests and shelves from auctions and sales for a lot less than I'd have paid in a shop. And given the choice between a weight-bearing set of shelves made by a craftsman, and a set made by me with an allen key and some diagram instructions, I know what I'd rather put my valuables on.

I have the equivalent of Billy bookcases from B&Q. I even tried to set them alight with a candle but alas skinflint fella turned the shelf over so you couldn't see the burnt bit.

A lot of my furniture is second hand and DP has a large family so we pass stuff around as needed. DD's cot and drawers were from SIL and a beautiful leather bucket chair in my living room was made by BIL's dad and we are the fourth to have it. We couldn't afford that kind of quality new.

I am really, really wary. We got bedbugs a while ago and it has just completely put me off second-hand stuff (especially fabric items).

(Sorry, minipie, that wasn't aimed at you - I've only just read the thread properly!)

state I find auction houses aren't intimidating if I leave bids rather than stand there bidding - it stops me getting carried away and paying more than I meant to in the heat of the moment. You just have to register beforehand, view the sale items (usually a day or two before), decide what you'd pay for the bits you like, remembering to add on the sales tax on top, and then leave your details with the auction office. If you win, you go in and pay, then take the item away. Just don't leave massive bids on everything you like in case you win it all...

I can't actually remember the last time I bought furniture full price - we always just wait for the sales. Clothes go out of fashion and have to be sold off cheap, fair enough, but curtains are curtains are curtains. If I had fashionable curtains they'd beg to be shipped out of my house.

YA absolutely NBU!

I am happy to say I have nothing from Argos, no chipboard or poor quality rubbish anywhere. And I've paid very little to furnish my house. I have a combination of antiques bought at auction, handmade wooden cupboards and storage, upgraded tables with paint and tiles and second hand bits and bobs. I love all my furniture and most people comment on how nice it is. All of it will last a lifetime. Oooh, tell a lie, I do have an old bookcase from Ikea, but even that has been painted.