Replace or Refurbish the Furniture? Here’s How to Decide

How many times have I stood in a client’s living room to hear her ask, “should I replace or refurbish the furniture?” It’s a valid question and I love being able to tell her, “not just yet — and here’s how to decide”. 

I’ll walk you through the same three questions I ask every client, before we make any decisions.

Why Replacing Feels Easier — But Usually Isn’t

Replacing furniture feels like the simpler choice. A trip to the store, a few clicks online, and the problem is solved — or so it seems at first. But I’ve walked into enough homes to know that easier and beautiful are rarely the same thing. 

The First Question I Ask: Does it Have Meaning?

If you have things in your home that have meaning, pieces you’ve inherited or furnishings you collected during a lifetime, those are pieces I recommend keeping.

There is pressure from trends, from well-meaning family, from the requirements of a move or life change — to start fresh. But resisting that pressure will give you a better quality, more personalized result, no matter how poor your color choices.

Many people are wary of having furniture refinished for fear it will be devalued. And that’s a valid concern. But if it’s a piece you intend to live with and resale value isn’t a concern, then I’m all for it. If it means using the piece and enjoying it on a daily basis, refinishing is a great option.

When our son was little, we purchased a lovely wingback armchair for my husband as a Father’s Day gift. It was covered in that 1980’s powder blue and went well with the dark brown carpets that were popular at the time.

Years later I had it slipcovered with a beautiful green fabric with the look of silk velvet. I asked the workroom for skirt pleat ties made from the floral fabric on the sofa. By this time, I had purchased a second armchair and had it slipcovered in the same fabrics and now, they are a pair. 

Now that my husband is gone, I’m so glad to have his chair and I’m happy that it looks so beautiful with the other, older pieces that have been recovered and refinished too.

The house with the dark brown carpet is gone now, I have old hardwood floors and the home looks collected and perfect.

Lead a beautiful, healthier lifestyle in your home with my pretty, little download, The Wellness Home.

The Second Question: Does It Have Quality?

Is it made well with good materials? Furniture predating the mid 1970’s is generally better quality. Furniture quality began to decline when engineered wood was first introduced. Mass-produced furniture became more prevalent around the end of the 1980’s and has since dominated the market.

My aunt was an antique dealer for 50 years. I learned to appreciate fine craftsmanship hanging out at her store when I was a kid. I learned to look at the back and the underside of a piece first. Open the drawers and look for the Dovetail joints, solid wood drawer bottoms, even the weight — these are signs of quality.

Pull a drawer out and look at the joinery

• Hand-cut dovetail joints = quality, pre-1860 craftsmanship — slightly irregular, imperfect
• Machine-cut dovetails = uniform, perfectly even = mass produced
• Staples or nails = low quality

Check the underside and back

• Quality pieces use different, less expensive wood on hidden surfaces — practical, not wasteful
• Same wood throughout = likely a reproduction or mass produced

Weight

• Solid wood is heavier — engineered wood and particleboard are noticeably lighter

Tool marks

• Faint straight plane marks on hidden surfaces = hand craftsmanship
• Circular saw marks = post-1860 machine production

Today, good quality is fairly expensive, and replacement can be difficult which is why I always recommend refurbishment over replacement. 

The Third Question: What Will It Cost to Fix vs. Replace?

This might surprise you but the cost to reupholster a sofa or refinish a wooden piece isn’t necessarily the ‘affordable’ option. Yes, it’s comparable in cost to purchasing mass-produced furniture. But the similarity stops there. What you get for that same monetary investment is entirely different.

Where replacing does make financial sense is when a piece requires structural repair on top of cosmetic work. At times like these, refurbishment is almost always about preserving something meaningful or especially beautiful to you.

When you decide to replace rather than refurbish, invest in better quality pieces. This will help you avoid disappointment and keep you from choosing things that don’t go well with what you have.

Better quality furniture is not only made better but also designed better and goes well with other styles.

When Keeping and Refurbishing Is the Wrong Call

On the other hand, not everything is worth saving.

Furniture made with inexpensive materials, poor construction, or pieces that are structurally damaged beyond practical repair, essentially newer, mass-produced furniture are often better candidates for replacement.

The goal isn’t to save everything. It’s to recognize the difference between something that has lasting value and something that was the easier choice.

One of the most valuable skills you can develop is learning what to keep, replace or refurbish. That’s how you create a home that feels personal and high quality without losing the character and memories that made you love it in the first place.

If you’re ready to look at your home with fresh eyes — and make confident decisions about what stays, what goes, and what gets a second life — download the Keep, Discard, Refresh or Repurpose Framework. 

Learn more about the connection between your wellbeing and your home, featured on Deirdre Fitzpatrick’s Dying to Ask Podcast.