To Decorate a Home, Start in the Garage

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If a vintage piece has survived for 50 years, it's probably going to be around for another 50 years.

— Alexis Hadjopulos, co-owner of This Is Not Ikea, a Los Angeles-based vintage furniture store

Take Your Time

The best way to mix up your living space is to look for vintage furniture that is either in good condition or that you can put a little bit of effort into refurbishing.

"When you hear someone say, 'They don't make things like they used to,' there's truth behind that," said Alexis Hadjopulos, co-owner and buyer for second-hand furniture store This Is Not Ikea (TINI) in Los Angeles, Calif. "If a vintage piece has survived for 50 years it's probably going to be around for another 50 years."

Patience is a virtue, especially when shopping for second-hand furniture. You will most likely have to visit several garage sales, thrift stores and flea markets until fate brings you face to face with the piece for which you've been looking.

"Take your time. You don't need to build your whole place in one day," Hadjopulos said. "Do it little by little and give your instincts a shot. A lot of people are greatly surprised by the wonderful things they can find."

Wagner agrees that you must devote significant time and energy to finding the piece that will fit your individual living space.

"You really need to just keep looking until you find the piece you love," Wagner said. "Rarely will this happen on the first visit to a second-hand store or the first trolling of Craigslist or eBay. You have to be in this for the long haul."

To Buy Or Not To Buy

You're ready to hit the pavement and search out that vintage piece of furniture that will tie together your living space. Be sure to keep handy these tips culled from the years of experience of second-hand furniture experts Alexis Hadjopulos of This Is Not Ikea and Andrew Wagner of ReadyMade Magazine..

Buy:

• If you like the piece, regardless of whether or not it's a designer original.
• If there are no major damages to structure.
• Remember that you can always fix upholstery tears, rips and stains.
• Wood can be painted, so don't be discouraged by wood that appears worn or aged.
• Look for items that don't need a lot of work, unless you're handy with restoration.
• Remember that hardware like drawer handles can be replaced for an updated look.
• Haggle with the seller if you feel the price is more than you're willing to pay.

Don't Buy:

• If piece is designer, but not your style.
• Used furniture can carry pet dander or dust, so those with severe allergies need to be careful when buying secondhand.
• If structure of piece looks cracked or if it looks like it has been repaired in the past.
• Make sure to smell upholstery in case former owner smoked or owned pets. You may have to reupholster.
• If it's a used mattress, unless you are familiar with the seller's hygiene.
• If joints look shoddily constructed.

• Used furniture can carry pet dander or dust, so those with severe allergies need to be careful when buying secondhand.
• If structure of piece looks cracked or if it looks like it has been repaired in the past.
• Make sure to smell upholstery in case former owner smoked or owned pets. You may have to reupholster.
• If it's a used mattress, unless you are familiar with the seller's hygiene.
• If joints look shoddily constructed.

• If structure of piece looks cracked or if it looks like it has been repaired in the past.
• Make sure to smell upholstery in case former owner smoked or owned pets. You may have to reupholster.
• If it's a used mattress, unless you are familiar with the seller's hygiene.
• If joints look shoddily constructed.

• Make sure to smell upholstery in case former owner smoked or owned pets. You may have to reupholster.
• If it's a used mattress, unless you are familiar with the seller's hygiene.
• If joints look shoddily constructed.

• If it's a used mattress, unless you are familiar with the seller's hygiene.
• If joints look shoddily constructed.

• If joints look shoddily constructed.

A Strong Foundation

Once you finally find a piece of furniture you really like, the most important thing to test is its foundation.

"Check to see if the legs are sturdy or if they've been broken in the past," Hadjopulos said. "If the legs have been broken once, even if they've been fixed, they're going to break again."

Test the furniture to make sure the structure is solid and does not wiggle. If the piece seems flimsy, that means there is a weakness in the construction and you may have to put in work to stabilize its structure.

"A weight test is good ... if it is a chair, sit in it. Does it feel like it is going to collapse? If so there could be serious problems," said Wagner. "With a dresser, is it stable? Can you shake it back and forth? If so it doesn't bode well for a long life."

In addition, it is important to test out every moving piece, so if you're looking into buying a dresser, make sure every drawer opens and closes with ease. Ideally the drawer will be fused together using dovetail construction, which you can spot if the sides of the drawer fit together like puzzle pieces.

When to Reupholster

While a solid foundation is a necessity, tears or stains in the upholstery should not be considered deal-breakers when shopping for second-hand furniture. Hadjopulos says that upholstery is always fixable, even on a tight budget.

If you have extra cash to pay someone to reupholster your piece, or if you're handy and can do it yourself, you can cut costs by searching out and purchasing the fabric from a wholesaler. Wagner explains that though reupholstering is not cheap, it's generally less expensive than buying something new.

"I bought a beautiful mid-century couch for $800 and then had it completely reupholstered for about $1,400. Not cheap, but a new piece of similar quality would have been at least $4,000," said Wagner. "Now I have something completely unique that you won't see anywhere else."

Reupholstering costs will vary greatly depending on the size and complexity of the piece's design. Shop around to find an upholsterer that fits your budget, or Wagner recommends you take a class to learn how to do it yourself if you have the time and necessary skills.

The Real Deal

It can be difficult to tell whether the piece of furniture is a real designer piece or an imitation, but for those set on owning an original piece "it's always good to look at the bottom of things for tags," said Hadjopulos. "In two minutes you can find out a lot about the piece. You can find out the designer or if it's real or an imitation."

Most pieces will have a tag that should tell you when and where a piece was made as well as its designer. "If it is a good quality piece -- Herman Miller or some other such mid-century classic like Thayer Coggin -- they will most certainly be labeled," said Wagner. "If there is not a label it is likely a knock-off."

Once you know a little about it you can then search online to find out the actual value of the piece. For Hadjopulos, he trusts his instincts and buys something he likes rather than focusing on the monetary value or designer of the piece.

"I've been buying and selling furniture for eight years, but really the way I decide to buy something is if I like it. I don't care if it's worth $2 or $1,000," he said. "You can do your research and find out about the pieces and their history, but at the end of the day it's got to feel cool and fit the style you're going for."

Besides garage sales, flea markets and thrift stores, Hadjopulos says that seeking out estate sales often leads to finding hidden treasures. There are specialized companies that organize estate sales, so try an online search to find sales in your area.

The phrase "good things come to those who wait" is gospel if you're going to delve into a second-hand furniture adventure. Americans are used to getting exactly what they want when they want it, but if you put in the time and effort to visit local second-hand furniture sellers, you might just end up with a treasure that can stay in your family for years to come.

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