To encourage my DH to sell an inherited table?

[janey83]

My PIL bought a very expensive table in the 1950s which my DH inherited when his father died around 15 years ago. It’s in a poor state of repair and really not my style. The table now lives in my husband’s study (where I rarely spend any time).

We are about to move into a lovely smaller flat so we’re selling things that we don’t want to take with us. We do not agree about the future of the table.

It is in a real state and would cost £££ to renovate. However because it’s a rare early edition it’s fairly valuable even in its current state. My suggestion is we sell the table and buy another item of furniture which we both love. My husband agrees there is nowhere in the new flat for the table to be “out” but wants to store it in the flat somewhere (taking up much needed storage space!). I’ve asked my dh to see if his brother wants it but he hasn’t done anything about this.

I’m very unsentimental about stuff and growing up we didn’t have much money so had to make do with crap inherited furniture, making me quite resistant to the idea of having to cart my pil’s furniture around with us forever. My husband is both sentimental and much posher than me - he’s got quite a few inherited items but it’s the table that is really winding me up!

AIBU to the suggest again that we sell the table? A big argument is likely.

Are you staying in the flat forever though? Does he ever plan to have it repaired? It doesn't sound like a long term solution to me!

Oh I have no suggestions my PIL where quite wealthy and bought “classic” pieces of art and furniture Which are quite old fashioned definitely not my taste and my husband refuses to get rid of.

We have a few pieces of mouseman furniture We also have a painting which would change our lives cost a load to insure and not to our taste which he refuses to sell 🙄🙄

I think you should renovate it and find a way to use it.

You can't insist he gets rid.

As an aside how does a table from the 1950s which was always known to be a valuable piece come to be in such a poor state of repair? Most of the furniture in my parents' house is from the 1950s!.

@Zoecarter

Oh I have no suggestions my PIL where quite wealthy and bought “classic” pieces of art and furniture Which are quite old fashioned definitely not my taste and my husband refuses to get rid of.

We have a few pieces of mouseman furniture We also have a painting which would change our lives cost a load to insure and not to our taste which he refuses to sell 🙄🙄

I'll take the Mouseman's off your hands.

I don't think YABU to suggest that he sells it, but probably YABU to insist.

Could you make this his problem? Ask him to come up with a plan that will leave the table either in a good state of repair or out of sight and not taking up lots of space?

Does he genuinely like the table, or is he keeping it because he "should" keep it?

Renovate it and use it. Make it work with your decor if it means that much to him. I'm not sentimental and I hate clutter but it's a table. It's useful. Use it.

YABU - also now is definitely no the time to be selling an heirloom.

YANBU: neither useful nor beautiful!

If you are downsizing, then he's being unreasonable in not considering renovating it so you can actually use it, because storing a large table that is "in a state" in a small flat is going to be a real inconvenience. But its tied to his dad so I guess that its difficult for him. Is there anything else of his dad's that could go on display as a replacement?
Can he get an actual quote for renovation, or storage? because it doesn't sound like it will have a place in your new flat. Can you pass it on to another relative with more room?

We should swap husbands. Mine isn’t keen on my beloved inherited Errol furniture. I’ve told him if it goes, I go too.

Ercol even!

YABU

I have pieces of furniture inherited that I'm very sentimental about, and I would be v upset if my DH made me sell them. They also take up space, but they do get used.

I would get a quote for renovating it, or could you look at renovating it yourselves on the cheap? Then I'd use it rather than store it.

Really interested what table it is.. is it an Ercol?

YABU. You don't want the table but he does, therefore it goes with you, it's not like it's a table he just picked up at a car boot sale, it's special.

YANBU at all I literally hate clutter and stuff that isn't useful keeping things for the sake of sentimental value is odd . Pictures & memories YES furniture and crap is just a no

#Teamtable here too. YABU.

Apply to have it restored on The Repair Shop!

YABU
I have several inherited items that I keep in a good condition and will probably pass to my own children one day. It’s not just a table, it’s an heirloom. Since your new flat will have less room and nowhere to store it, I would suggest you find the budget to have it restored and then use it/display it. It would be a thoughtful gift to your DH.

I feel your pain.
My house is full to bursting with furniture my DH can't bear to part with...

@VinylDetective I’d kill for vintage Ercol! OP if it is Ercol, you could probably ask them to restore it.

DH still regrets getting rid of the Ercol table he had. We do still have the chairs though.

[quote ToastyCrumpet]@VinylDetective I’d kill for vintage Ercol! OP if it is Ercol, you could probably ask them to restore it.[/quote]
Yes, it’s lovely. I’m very lucky.

He inherited it from his parents and he doesn't want to sell it. You can't force him to and you would be very unreasonable and unfair to try.

Plenty of us have items from our past which we are very attached to. How would you like it if DH was pressuring you to get rid of something you really liked? It doesn't have to be furniture.

I can see both sides. DH inherited a large, expensive, beautiful wardrobe that doesn't suit our house at all. It's built for a large, ornate mansion which (shockingly) we do not own. We've just bought a new house and, logically, the wardrobe has to go. DH isn't too sentimental about it and says he'll sell or give it away but it breaks my heart that he'll lose it.
Overall, YABU. His sentimental attachment and connection to his late parents is more important than your sense of style.

its not your table so its none of your business

We downsized four years ago, luckily a double garage which is still holding some antique mahogany furniture, inherited. Four large pieces. Gave some bits to DS and DIL an antique wash stand which I saw she had put out into the garden recently says she is going to use it for potting up plants. OH would go mad if he saw it out there.

Your kids will not want any of your stuff believe me even if it is worth a lot of money they would sell it and buy new.