Why I Most Often Choose Vintage: The RCI Case for Furniture With History, a Story — and Better Bones

Why I Most Often Choose Vintage: The RCI Case for Furniture With History and a Story (and Better Bones)

Some of my favorite pieces didn’t come from a showroom. They came from Facebook Marketplace, estate sales, or someone else’s “before” photo. They weren’t perfect — yet. But they had something.

And the truth is, I’ve never regretted giving new life to something old.

The Living Room Sofa: Inspired by Tory Burch, Built for Real Life

Our living room sofa is about to have its moment — and yes, I’m channeling Tory Burch. Her iconic velvet office sofa (with that dreamy blue trim) lives rent-free in my design brain and has absolutely influenced what’s coming next.

We’re reupholstering our 23-year-old sofa — for the third time — in Schumacher cotton performance velvet, a hospitality-grade fabric that’s both elegant and durable enough to stand up to our nine grandchildren *and* the visiting granddogs. (If that’s not luxury-meets-livability, I don’t know what is.)

It’ll be trimmed in Canton Blue fringe and tape, because of course it will.

The bones are already great, and the English rolled arm style is classic — now it’s just waiting on the finishing touches to make it perfection. (Until I change my mind again.)

The Office Bamboo Sofa: Free, Fabulous, and the Spark Behind It All

I’m a little obsessed with bamboo — in every form. So when I spotted a vintage faux bamboo arm sofa listed for free on Facebook Marketplace, I didn’t walk — I *ran*.

Let’s be honest: bringing it back to life hasn’t exactly been budget-friendly.

- It was on the second floor of someone’s mother-in-law suite.
- I had to hire movers to get it down from that suite and up to my second-floor office.
- It needed paint (because beige was not invited).
- The sleeper frame is getting a new luxury mattress — this doubles as a grandkid guest zone.

And then there’s the fabric: Rose Cummings Shell Stripe Chintz with lemony yellow-and-white piped details. It’s the perfect Palm Beach Regency anchor for the room — glamorous, playful, and just a little over the top. (Which is exactly the point.) This room needs to inspire creativity!

This one piece sparked the entire office design. I didn’t hold back — and I won’t be sorry.

Vintage ≠ Cheap — But It *Is* Worth It In the End?

I’ll never stop mixing vintage into my spaces — because to me, great design doesn’t come straight off the shelf. And it’s never a matched set. It’s discovered, reimagined, and made better with every thoughtful layer.

Let’s be clear: vintage doesn’t always mean affordable. Sometimes the find is free — but the value comes later, in what you choose to invest.

The Century Chin Hua chairs are a perfect example. I found them for a song on FBMP. But once they’re lacquered in Fine Paints of Europe Chantilly Lace, reupholstered in Brunschwig & Fils Xian in Jade, and professionally finished… they’ll be far from a budget project.

Still, they’ll be exactly what I want.

Anything Chinoiserie has stood the test of time — these design elements have been beloved since the late 17th century for a reason. The formality of the silhouette, paired with a highly lacquered finish and a bold, classic fabric, strikes that perfect mix of traditional, modernity, and chic.

Sure, it’s possible to DIY a project like this — but the learning curve is steep and not for the faint of heart. Truthfully? These kinds of restorations are best left to the skilled artisans.

That’s the beauty of vintage:

• I control the finish.
• I choose the fabric.
• I get something no one else has.
• And I support local craftspeople along the way.
• And it keeps more waste out of landfills. It’s just good for the planet.
• The adage, 'they don’t make things like they used to,' has never been truer than now. These pieces were built to last!

Every piece has a story — even if you don’t know it. That’s the romance of vintage. The wear, the patina, the mystery. Sometimes, all it needs is someone to help rewrite its new beginning.

So when someone asks, “Where did you find that?” —
I get to smile and say,
“You can’t. I designed it myself.”