To think buying furniture brand new is a waste of money?

[maklenehan]

Sure some items are a lot better new than used, like sofas or mattresses.

But I don’t understand why people spend so much money on brand new furniture, when in 6 months time it’ll be worth about half what paid.

I went to a furniture shop recently and saw some MDF furniture that might last 10 years before looking scruffy/dated for over £1000 for a chest of drawers (West elm). When you can get a solid oak piece that looks timeless for £500. Looks a lot more solid and won’t break easily.

I also get that modern house owners want modern furniture, but there’s loaaads of 1960s furniture available cheap that is solid Teak, and the equivalent modern copies are vastly more expensive and worse quality.

Also people seem to think they're old stuff is gold dust with the prices on FB Marketplace

*their. Stupid autocorrect.

I don’t like teak or oak furniture, I’m happy with good old IKEA. My wardrobes were bought in 2001 and they are still perfect, they need tightening up every now and then but they are perfectly useable after 20 years.
We have a couple of second hand pieces but they needed to be refinished and it’s a pain in the arse. I’d rather buy new and just get exactly what I want.

@Blossomtoes

she’s talking about the sixties teak stuff that’s got no resale value and you can’t give away

That’s completely untrue - check out mid century furniture, particularly Ercol and Danish makes on eBay, it goes for £££££.

I think you cross posted, the op specifally states there’s lots of cheap teak 60s stuff available and she’s right, it’s classed as brown goods.

Like this stuff

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164985447166?hash=item2669e622fe:g:MckAAOSw60Ng-CW2

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133829971007?hash=item1f28e34c3f:g:opAAAOSwZ0Zg9mIm

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392864410101?hash=item5b788b29f5:g:IE0AAOSwjT5fA3u-

But I don’t understand why people spend so much money on brand new furniture, when in 6 months time it’ll be worth about half what paid.

Unless you plan to try and sell it after 6 months that's completely irrelevant.

As for why don't people just buy 2nd hand 1960s teak furniture - maybe they don't like teak?! Or 1960s styles? Or want something in better condition?

The bidding’s pretty brisk on the middle one. It’s gone from 99p to £102 with three days to go - not bad for something nobody wants.

Why does anyone buy new anything?

I mean, I find those examples of teak 60s furniture hideous. I wouldn't want them in my home if I could afford to get items I actually liked instead.

I buy mine new, but have no intention of selling it in 6 months. I've got wardrobes and cupboards that have travelled to 3 different houses over many years. Buy well and it won't date.

I bought my living room furniture on eBay 20yrs ago. As a childminder and a parent I wanted something that was tough and cheap. I sold it 3yrs ago and bought solid oak new for our now grown up space. It will last much longer than me!

When MIL died recently we had to clear her house. Solid Mahogany dresser, table & chairs, side tables and a lovely 3piece suite. We couldn't give it away, even the charity shops didn't want them. Such a shame. All the newer modern stuff from her bedrooms sold instantly.

I’m sort of with you but I have an old house so chunky old bits of oak look like they’ve always been there. I like them because they are hard wearing (kid proof) and I can move the wardrobes without fearing the back will ping off.

I’d never buy a used mattress or sofa though. I think sixties teak is an acquired taste.

I think sixties teak is an acquired taste

On the whole it’s millennials and younger who like it. It’s huge in
London and will undoubtedly ripple out. You can see its influence on new furniture already with all the tapered and hairpin legs.

I don't change my furniture every 6 months though so I'm not bothered about resale. We've got a mix - found the odd vintage piece (1960s) but it's few and far between unless you're willing to travel and have a big enough car/van, everything else was bought new. We've got some IKEA stuff that's 15 years old now and still looks in good condition.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

Second hand sofas are often vile.

Some of the stuff on Facebook is in really good condition

I like quality furniture. We bought new bedroom furniture for all the bedrooms, coffee table, dining table / chairs apart from dd’s room and other bits and bobs. All are now around 2 decades old so we’ve got our use out of them. They are still in great shape and I have no intention of changing them.

We also have a few antique pieces, certain bits from IKEA and the office furniture is from the 1970’s. Dd’s bedroom furniture is the only new purchase and a couple of years old.

Why the hell would I buy damaged cast offs?

I googled teak furniture 😂
My granfma had it. Nope. I stick with Ikea.
I think lots of people still have ikea in their heads as £5 and big wardrobes, but they really wxpanded into different budgets.
I have kitchen from them and love it too

How do I get second hand furniture picked up and delivered?

It probably wouldn’t fit through my doors either my hall is very narrow and weirdly shaped.

But surely my furniture choices have zero impact on your life?

Find something worthy to worry about. I’ll carry on loving my gorgeous Cotswold solid wood furniture.

@ThisIsStartingToBoreMe

I brought my furniture new because the price includes delivery. If I buy second hand I have to pick up the furniture myself and i'm not physically capable of doing that.

Where do you like? In the UK/US and most of Europe you can get second-hand furniture with delivery included.

*live

@maklenehan

Sure some items are a lot better new than used, like sofas or mattresses.

But I don’t understand why people spend so much money on brand new furniture, when in 6 months time it’ll be worth about half what paid.

I went to a furniture shop recently and saw some MDF furniture that might last 10 years before looking scruffy/dated for over £1000 for a chest of drawers (West elm). When you can get a solid oak piece that looks timeless for £500. Looks a lot more solid and won’t break easily.

I also get that modern house owners want modern furniture, but there’s loaaads of 1960s furniture available cheap that is solid Teak, and the equivalent modern copies are vastly more expensive and worse quality.

Surely there's pros and cons to both?

Some brand new furniture will hold its value well; some second hand furniture is sold for far more than it's worth.

I don't think it has anything to do with how modern your house is, does it?

IMO a chest of drawers is something you need to look at carefully. A lovely old piece might be fine, but if the wood has warped it's horrible. I wouldn't buy something like that without seeing. But I could buy an IKEA equivalent sight unseen, because if it doesn't open smoothly, I can return it. That's been a big consideration during the pandemic.

YABU. I want all my furniture brand new and I want it all to match.

You couldn’t pay me to take second hand furniture.

Disagree about new sofas being better than new ones.

I think in the past twenty years I've bought 2 mattresses, one sofa and a kid's bunk bed, new.

Every single thing in my house is second hand (lots of mid century furniture, sofas, fireside chairs, lamps, fabrics etc)

Anything that's worth buying new is far too expensive , for me.

There is nothing about your argument. If you make the same point about cars, it makes sense. For furniture no. If you want a white Audi A3, sure it makes to wait 4 weeks and buy a used car with hardly any mileage that will have dropped upto 30% in value. Because there are limited number of car makes and models. For someone wanting to buy a piece of furniture to fit their style of decor, in their style of house, in the right colour, who has time to and find something so specific that is used.

@sst1234

There is nothing about your argument. If you make the same point about cars, it makes sense. For furniture no. If you want a white Audi A3, sure it makes to wait 4 weeks and buy a used car with hardly any mileage that will have dropped upto 30% in value. Because there are limited number of car makes and models. For someone wanting to buy a piece of furniture to fit their style of decor, in their style of house, in the right colour, who has time to and find something so specific that is used.

Why are people in such a rush? If you want something specific, well made and second hand why haven't people got the time to wait?