It’s eco-friendly. It’s fun. It supports small family businesses. It isn’t a cookie-cutter. It will pleasantly surprise you. It’s instant gratification. We’re talking about consignment shopping.
Consignment shopping, especially for furniture, is different from shopping at traditional retailers. Furniture consignment shops are likely to have a much greater variety of styles and prices, and you can take home your selections that same day.
A good consignment shop will pre-select high quality, gently-used pieces available through private consignors. They present individual, one-of-a-kind, or unusual pieces that you can see, feel, and imagine in the space you’re decorating.
Nothing hangs around at a good consignment store for very long, as furniture and accessories are replaced routinely. So instead of ordering from this year’s big box collection of standard offerings, or online where you and a million other buyers shop, try a unique choice that helps makes your room special.
When shopping for consignment furniture, choose a reputable store with well-made products. Buy solid quality worth the money you have to spend and items that will last for years to come…sustainable furnishings that are good for our planet and won’t end up in landfills. Here are five things to look for when you’re searching for the ideal consignment gallery near you.
1. Thoughtfully curated items
Most of the furniture items at consignment stores were previously owned. So look for a shop that cleans, resurfaces, or refurbishes furniture before it goes on the floor. Look for trusted brands that are known for constructing made-to-last pieces…solid woods, smooth veneers, dovetail construction, sturdy hardware, strong well-designed feet and legs, and cleanable fabrics.
2. Type of furniture store
There are generally three types of used furniture stores: consignment galleries, thrift stores, and antique stores. For great furniture that’s affordable and lasting, look for a furniture gallery that pays attention to style, design, and detail. Thrift stores pretty much take anything to sell. Antique shops collect based on age and generally leave the refurbishing or repairs up to you.
3. Knowledgeable staff
Look for knowledgeable sales and design staff. Salespeople or design professionals at the store should know not only about the individual pieces they offer but also about furniture in general. They should be able to offer information on furniture styles, construction techniques, wood varieties, finishes, and even furniture care.
4. Helpfulness
Planning a room or buying a single piece of furniture is an investment choice that can be overwhelming with the dizzying array of products today. Professional staff should be able to offer you suggestions that make it easier to purchase the right piece based on your style preferences, design needs, and budget.
5. Value-added services
Look for value-added services at the consignment stores. Ask if they offer delivery with their own people or through an outside service. If you have one or more items you might want to consign, ask if the store will pick up your items for consignment when they deliver your purchases. Ask about other resources you might need, like an upholsterer, a furniture refinisher, a clock repair person, a painter or a carpet cleaner.
If you’re looking for home decor and furniture consignment stores in Rochester, NY and the Finger Lakes region, reach out to Sequels Home Furnishings. Sequels collection of high quality, brand names from the past three decades is the largest in the area. The store also sources stylish choices from auctions, manufacturers’ floor samples and overstock, local consignments, and from local and regional artists and artisans.
To learn more about consignment furniture shopping, please click here or get in touch by clicking here.