All of us at Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home are making efforts to be more eco-minded when it comes to purchasing things for the home. One strategy is simply to buy used. This week, we found very compelling reasons to choose antique and vintage pieces over shiny and new:
1. They’re often cheaper.
Above: This adorable sink? It cost just $20 on Craigslist. See more incredible bargains in Furnish Your Place on Craigslist: 10 Tips for the Discerning Bargain Hunter. Photograph courtesy of Red Rose Motel.
2. They come with patina.
Above: You can’t pay for this kind of patina. Well, you probably can, but you’ll have to pay extra. Old pieces like this amazing marble-topped ceramic artist’s table, still chalky with clay, prove that aging can be beautiful. Photograph by Björn Wallander, courtesy of Mark Cunningham, from Year-Round At the Beach: At Home with Two Stylish Women in the Hamptons.
3. They warm up modern spaces.
Above: A vintage Thonet armchair sits pretty next to the very modern Parentesi Suspension Light. Photograph by Holly Marder, from Steal This Look: An Interior Designer’s High/Low Scandi Living Room, Ikea Sofa included.
Plus:
- Old World Meets Modern: A Casual but Elegant Pre-War Flat on the Baltic Coast
- 10 Easy Pieces: Speed Ovens
- Handmade Modern Bathroom Fixtures from Kroft in Canada
- Kitchen of the Week: A Plain English Interpretation in the East Village
- Good News: The Goodee Pop-Up Shop at the Whitney
- Archive Dive: 10 Times Ikea Storage Furniture Looked Expensive