One of my all-time life dreams is coming true: Weebit wants to go thrifting with me. She is 23 now. As you may have read previously on this blog, she is going to law school in the fall. This past week, we found an apartment. Now, it’s time to furnish it. Turns out, she adores decorating. But she wants to be as thrifty as possible, so… we are on the hunt! This past weekend, we went to (1) the ReStore, (2) two estate sales, and (3) we are also scouring craigslist twice a day. This week, we are going to all the vintage stores in the Berkshires. Like I said: Could this make me any happier? I think not!
Oh. This story: There’s a spot inside the apartment door kind of perfect for a cupboard or some such, for landing keys, books, and otherwise, additional storage. There’s ‘volume’ in the space — so I turned her on to vintage step-back pantry cupboards. We went to ReStore, where there was a new/old one around every corner, at rock-bottom prices.
She liked step-back cupboards! She likes original wood — she prefers it. Praise be: Millennials!
There were many styles of step-back cupboards at my ReStore, reflecting the continuing popularity of these furniture pieces. These were made all throughout the 20th Century, so, over time, you see them reflecting prevailing changes in design preferences. For example: In the 1940s and 1950s, you tend to see lots of Colonial Revival styling, in maple (these are my favorite). Later, in the 1970s, you get heavier, stained pine ala Mediterranean style.
I snapped photos of some other goodies at the store currently — like these wonderful Geneva steel kitchen cabinet bases, each with custom-fit laminate countertops edged in stainless steel.
Weebit needs a bed, too. She likes these natural wood headboards. We are hoping to find a real stunner at an estate sale now through when she goes to school end of August. If not, my ReStore always has these…
Lovely, heavy door.
Above: From the 1990s maybe even. I guess when there is glass on the doors these start falling into the category “china cabinets”.
Hmmmm… hows about we use a midcentury office credenza for the TV in the living room. However, this thing weighed A Ton. We are also trying to be practical and buy good wood furniture that skews lightweight. Mommy, Daddy and weebit are trying to manage the move ourselves. The apartment is on on the second floor, with, amazingly, a double-wide stairway up. That said, my back ain’t getting any younger, and who the heck knows, she might be in a different apartment in one year.
Above: 1940s cupboard that probably should be called a china cabinet.
She likes the detail of little drawers half way up. She talked about changing out the knobs to little pretties from Anthropologie. Sure! Make it your own, weebit!
As is clear from all these photos: These step-back cupboards were amazingly popular back in the day. I really love them, let me count the ways:
- They are extremely functional, with drawers for serving pieces and linens… and then, heck to the yeah, those open shelves for tchotchkes.
- The cupboards are made of good, solid wood.
- You can leave them natural or — I know this will make some gasp — paint them. I don’t think that’s heresy at all. A lacquer finish — very smooth — was also often available as an option. Choose colonial -appropriate colors for authenticity. I’d use a good chalk paint [affiliate link for Annie Sloan paint, which I truly love] plan on lots of layers, sand smooth, then poly or wax.]
- Finally, I love these cabinets because they come in all sizes. For weebit’s apartment, we want one on the smaller size, but not tooo small — maybe 40″ wide or so — like the one on the right or that Ethan Allen one up top. Oh happy day!
More:
- That time I turned the top of a step-back cupboard into a tiki bar
- 45 more photos from my ReStore, from earlier this year
KStacey says
Ah, my Weebit is also 23. She loves going to thrift stores and estate sales with me, OR rolls her eyes at my foolishness. I honestly never know which it will be, moody aren’t they? I have, at the very least, given her a horror of malls and full retail prices for new things. Even at places like IKEA she’ll get insulted, “$125 for a bookshelf!? That’s crazy!! Who buys this stuff!?!” AHahahaaa.
Pam Kueber says
🙂
ineffablespace says
Now is the time to buy traditional colonial revival or colonial revival inspired furniture.
Actually, now is the time to buy genuine early 19th c. furniture.
This is the “brown furniture that nobody wants” (Millennials, apparently). The values of this sort of traditional furniture are at a low point.
But I say buy it now, because not only is a lot of it good quality furniture. but colonial revivals tend to cycle with anniversaries or turning points in our country (The Centennial, 1900, 1926, 1950s-1976) and we have the 250th coming up in 2026.
Pam Kueber says
I totally agree.
This furniture is well made. And it is lovely in its design.
Funny, my millennial loves the brown/wood furniture — thrifting around, she did NOT want to paint it. So proud.
Retroski says
Hey, I’m a millennial and I found a lot of these cute! Especially the 40s one. But you are right about this colonial revival type being a bargain. The maple pieces are especially nice.
Jay says
The occasional piece that can be repurposed for storage etc. hold some appeal but young people coming out of college are not buying houses and have no need for full dining suites, formal or otherwise along with sets of silver and china. Plus they can’t count on settling down in one place for career reasons. Shops are full of these things due to folks downsizing or heirs cleaning out houses.
carolyn says
Probably would be happy with the credenza since flat-screen tv would go on top and other things (players, etc.) hidden behind the doors til needed.
And a toes pic!
So happy you can do stuff together. It’s hard after a certain age and then you both need to come together with interests.My youngest and I never got along when she was growing up. Now guess who not only is a partner in crime but is a bad influence?!
And Weebit knows that certain factions will not appreciate her furnishings choices – eh? It’s only cuz they don’t know it’s hip to be square!
Sean says
Also a huge fan of the step back cupboards- We found one from the 40’s in maple a few years ago on the side of the road about a mile from the house. Not having a truck at the time, we manged to get the top and the drawers in the backseat of the car, but the base we stuck on a furniture dolly and rolled home. Mind you this was 11:30 at night- That confirmed to the neighbors we are a little crazy!
Mary Elizabeth says
Great furniture purchase story, Sean! My friend has a lovely painted vintage desk that he and his wife purchased from a neighborhood yard sale. They were out for a Saturday run when they saw the woman putting it on the curb because no one was interested in it. She took whatever money was in their pockets (about $7.50 total, I think) and loaned them her wheelbarrow to take it home. Must have been quite a sight for the neighbors!
Pam, you must be having fun helping your daughter furnish her first apartment. She will now be a visitor in your home, able to enjoy the new Mahalo Lounge!
BungalowBILL says
This is the type of furniture you will .often see on Craigslist free curb alerts
Ranger says
So very cool that your daughter appreciates well-made, vintage furniture. These are similar to my mom & grandma’s maple china cabinets (top portion is behind glass). They were made in 1960 or 1961. Anxious to hear what your daughter decides on.
Jenny A. says
Aww, it always makes you feel good when things come full circle, doesn’t it? I know you don’t talk about Weebit much on the blog but I can’t believe she’s 23 (of course mine is turning 20 next month!). Where does the time go? I still remember your soccer ball cake 😉
Pam Kueber says
Awww, my soccer ball cake. One of the few moments I was a super-mom.
Pam Kueber says
Oh, and now I remember: It was volleyball! https://retrorenovation.com/2010/10/10/my-so-called-life/
Jay says
Heck, that sounds like fun – spending lots of time in the Restore, vintage shops and thrifts, especially with your daughter. She has your sense of style and desire to buy good quality made wood furniture. Sure beats particle board from the big box stores. A lot of the nice furniture you are showing here from your Restore typically turns up in a large warehouse size consignment gallery near me that I periodically like to wander around. It’s a popular place has a large turn over in stuff. Last Sunday I found a chutney brown Russell Wright American Modern pitcher for $ 4.50; not the color I collect but wasn’t passing on it.
Have fun and share more stories on the hunt for furnishing the apartment.
Janet in ME says
I loved this post! Being in furniture all my life, I immediately recognized two of your photo picks. The second photo is a hutch from Moosehead in Monson, Maine. The stack unit is not Ethan Allen but also Moosehead. It has a formica top which is great for a busy work area. The stuff is true hardrock maple and is indestructible and we sold tons of it because even kids cannot ruin it! There were drawer and door unit bottoms in two sizes and a student desk also that all stacked together. Sadly, Moosehead as I knew it went out of business about ten years ago. It still shows up a lot in New England because people just aren’t attracted to that look any more, but in my opinion, it is the best bargain of quality made furniture, along with Tell City of Indiana, who also used hardrock maple. Tell City is my very favorite and has the redder shaker furniture color. Your daughter might want to find a Tell City “Primer” with all kinds of Early American decorating ideas that are wonderful. That company sells well and has an avid following of collectors. And by the way, that is my front door and I just love it – part of the reason that sold the house to us! Pine is beautiful but is so easily damaged, being a soft wood. But the damage to pine can look normal, which is a plus. Lighter and so much easier to move. My first house was all Tell City and pine. Good luck to her!
Pam Kueber says
I think I remember seeing the Moosehead mark inside the drawer! I will check my photos…
Susie Q. says
I have an old Tell City catalog from the 70’s and love thumbing through it. My mom and aunt were big fans of it back then.
CarolK says
I have one similar to the second one that I inherited from my mom. I also have a retro Broyhill china cabinet that my mother-in-law gave us. I’d love to put the one I inherited from my mom in the kitchen when I renovate, but I’m not sure it would fit size-wise.
CarolK says
I looked up the style of the Broyhill cabinet here in a brochure that Pam had posted several years ago. It is Sculptra and we used to have the table and chairs, too. We should have held on to them and repaired them.