Design Dude

If you’re part of generation Y like myself, then you’re probably big into the environmental decorating trend. Whether that be surrounding yourself with succulents, renting a teeny tiny abode to reduce waste and increase savings or by not spending big on new furniture items, instead choosing to bring new life to old family favourites or spending less on used pieces and bringing them back to life. Here’s how to do all that without compromising the look of your old furniture pieces.

Polish your old wooden furniture

Proper wood care will keep your old furniture looking new and bring out the wood’s raw earthy beauty (you can also do this by adding a succulent of course). Moisture in the air causes wood to expand and shrink, this is what causes those unsightly cracks and splits in old wood pieces (or new if they haven’t been protected properly). If you’re starting to notice cracks appear, any bulging or stains and yellowing, especially in pine wood, you may want to consider polishing or re-waxing your pieces. Antique pieces are often waxed and if they’re really old they may need an extra coat to keep them looking new. There are all kinds of furniture polishes and waxes on the market depending on the type of furniture you will be working on and the type of finish you want, whether you want a glossy finish, low-gloss sheen or a matte finish for your antiques and vintage furniture.

Clean your Upholstery Regularly

Aside from your wooden antiques you’ll also need to carefully look after the upholstery on your couches, chairs etc. Most manufacturers recommend having your upholstery professionally cleaned at least once a year, however this is extremely costly and time consuming. While I do recommend getting your favourite pieces looked after by the professionals every few years if they’re in regular use, you should be able to do a lot of the work yourself. Before you even begin to think about cleaning your upholstery you should think about how these pieces are actually used in your home. Are they used regularly? Do you allow pets on them or even around them? Do kids use them and do you allow drinks and food nearby. If you answered yes to any of those questions, you may want to reconsider how these pieces are used in your home to keep them in tip top shape. Aside from avoiding dog and cat hair and spillage from the kids, you should maintain a regular cleaning schedule of your upholstering. Not only simply cleaning them if there’s been a spill.

Look after your wood garden furniture

Not only should you regularly clean your upholstery and re-finish your wooden antiques, your wood garden furniture should get the same treatment. The longer you leave it between cleaning and maintenance, the worse the everyday wear and tear will become. The best way to look after your wood garden furniture is to get cleaning, either with water and a kitchen sponge or using a high pressure spray gun if the grime and mould is really difficult to remove by hand. Consider also cleaning with a fungicidal wash before treating with wood preservative and oil. Let your furniture dry out thoroughly (this may take several days). Afterwards use a high grade teak oil or natural oil wood stain to protect your furniture. Doing this once a year will go a long way to ensuring your outdoor wooden pieces last a lifetime.