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Favourite Furniture ?

(80 Posts)
Urmstongran Wed 13-Mar-19 11:06:33

Mine is a ‘G Plan’ teak dining table and 6 chairs bought and used every day since 1974. It would now be called ‘retro’ I suppose! I shall never replace it.

I love to think of all those people, family and dear friends, some no longer part of my life who have sat around it sharing food and laughter. I even wonder if there’d be traces of DNA in the grain of the wood from those now departed? That probably sounds a bit weird but strangely I find it gives me comfort.

Christmas, Easter, christening buffets, birthday parties celebrated long ago, book club gatherings, a leaving dinner with friends for someone dear who was moving to Australia. I just look at my table and the memories come flooding back.
I’m
Do you have a favourite piece of furniture and if so, why?

GreenGran78 Thu 14-Mar-19 14:54:39

We married in 1963, and had very little money. We went to a local auction, and bought a 'Utility' pine chest-of-drawers for ten shillings, then had to pay fifteen shillings to have it delivered!

It looked MUCH bigger in our house than it did in the saleroom, but luckily just fitted in the bedroom alcove. It has 3 large drawers at the bottom, and a medium and 4 small ones at the top.

When five children came along it was so useful for storing bedding, towels, etc. Now they are all grown and living their own lives it isn't really needed any more. It's a bit battered, after years of family life. I keep looking at it, when bonfire night comes around, wondering whether to give it a Viking's funeral. I don't think that anyone would want to adopt it, but it holds a lot of memories. I think that it will probably be left for the family to deal with it, when the time comes.

BradfordLass72 Thu 14-Mar-19 14:53:30

My late mother grew up on a farm and always told me this dresser was "from the farm".

That means it originally belonged to my grandparents (and maybe to their parents too).

It's crossed the world with me and doesn't like the climate here at all, preferring the cold north of England. So sadly, it's cracking a bit on top...a bit like me grin

Kim19 Thu 14-Mar-19 14:48:55

Mine is a nest of tables which my Mum bought for me against her 'better' judgement. She thought my priorities were rubbish! However it is daily used to death and I still give her a wink and a nod every time.

David1968 Thu 14-Mar-19 14:23:02

Our Wesley Barrell, beech-frame, king-size bed, which we bought after getting married in 1983. (All our other furniture was second-hand.) The bed is still going strong (and so are we!) and it's had a few new mattresses, over the years.

fiorentina51 Thu 14-Mar-19 14:17:40

I've just sold my large teak wall unit...complete with my baby son's teeth marks (son now aged 41,) to a nice young man who wants to furnish his new home in authentic, period furniture. His house being a 1970s semi. He was absolutely delighted.
MIL's G Plan teak sideboard, circa 1969 which has been in the garage for the past 6 years, has been acquired by my daughter as it is, apparently very collectible.
Looked it up online.....it certainly is!!
www.pamono.co.uk/vintage-teak-sideboard-by-e-gomme-for-g-plan-1960s

Jalima1108 Thu 14-Mar-19 14:15:18

I do have a small barrel with a brass plate on which is engraved 'Scuttled at Scapa Flow. and the date.
That's interesting Gabriella. Is that from one of the German ships which were scuttled there?

Greytin94 Thu 14-Mar-19 14:10:41

Mine is a Welsh dresser that was my grandmothers. It was dark mahogany but has now been painted with chalk paint by my daughter . Every time I dust it I’m transported back to my childhood where one of my chores was to dust all the plates my grandmother displayed on it. Some of her plates are still in it. I love it.

GrandmaMoira Thu 14-Mar-19 14:06:05

My favourite is a Victorian mahogany display cabinet made by my great grandfather. I also have a large sideboard and a bookcase and my brother has the bedroom furniture and dining table, all mahogany.

kittylester Thu 14-Mar-19 14:06:04

We bought an Ercol pine refectory table 6'6" long in 1973 and used it in every house since (even taking it to Australia).

When we had the kitchen refitted we didn't have enough room for it, so DD1 had it. It then went to DD3 for a while. It is now dismantled in the garage. I think the children would disown us if it wasn't around.

BlueSapphire Thu 14-Mar-19 13:59:51

My favourite is our beautiful plain pine king-size bed, which we bought when we bought our first house in 1974. It's not fancy, just straight clean lines with no decoration. We have had a few new mattresses, but it saw us through over 45 years of marriage. One half is empty now, but I still keep to 'my' side, and think fond thoughts of him every night. I am not about to swap it for a smaller one. So many happy memories.

1inamillion Thu 14-Mar-19 13:34:34

Urmston that's exactly how I felt about my teak furniture - Nathan teak round extending table, four chairs and two wall units, a corner unit and a bookcase . I wanted to de clutter and have less to dust so I got rid of them last summer. A local charity took the units, sold the bookcase on Gumtree. As a previous poster has said no one wanted the table and chairs as they didn't have a fire certificate. They didn't have those in 1976!
I have two favourite pieces, a large wall clock and a large jardiniere which belonged to my grandmother and were in my parents hall when I was growing up. The clock and the pendulum keep stopping, also some of the glaze has come off the jardiniere but I love them and they bring back memories. I should have asked about them and where they were bought, sadly no one left to ask now.

Saggi Thu 14-Mar-19 13:11:25

Afraid not..... furniture is just that for me. Photographs are the only things I own that mean anything. I can quite easily get rid of furniture without a twinge.... but I never throw out a photo or album. Stuff is just stuff.

Riggie Thu 14-Mar-19 13:11:10

I have my parents 1960s teak dining room furniture with one of lose long sideboards loved by upcyclers....well they're not having mine!!

missymazda Thu 14-Mar-19 13:06:32

I bought a table when my girls were small and everyone I love had sat around it, eating, chatting, laughing, crying and listening to music and each other. I have recovered the chairs but I can’t bear to part with it. My table is part of my family and today my Granddaughter has play doh all over it ?

Cabbie21 Thu 14-Mar-19 12:51:00

We have three pieces of furniture which my husband’s grandfather made, so he won’t part with them, even though they are quite unsuitable today, a large bedside cupboard, a tiny wardrobe and a bulky chest of drawers.
Everything else we have bought either new or from antique fairs, so although our dining table is very old, 17C, it has no family memories. The family items are small, eg a clock, a barometer, paintings.....but all have memories.

annifrance Thu 14-Mar-19 12:40:50

Tables, plural. I bought an Ercol pine dining table, chairs and dresser in 1972 when we bought our first house. It has followed me around and it is now in our gite. In the main house is my gorgeous octagonal marble table bought in France in 1986 and a huge carved table that seats 12 and was rescued from a field in India along with a huge carved low table. We bought the last two when we knew we were moving to converted barns and needed to fill space! We will not be able to take them with us when we eventually downsize.

I also have my Grandparents round teak coffee table. I love my tables they all have tales to tell. The marble and Indian tables were bought with legacies from a much loved uncle and aunt and so extra memories. I forgot the small octagonal side table of inlaid marble, bought beside the Taj Mahal.

J52 Thu 14-Mar-19 12:24:14

Also to add, the 1960s Arthur Price canteen of cutlery, with goes with the table.

J52 Thu 14-Mar-19 12:22:15

Mine is an inherited Ercol dining suite consisting of, a large table, 8 chairs, sideboard, dresser shelves and trolley. They’ve been in the family since the beginning of the 60’s.
Like the OP said, they hold such wonderful memories of family dinners, Christmases and other celebrations.
I love the fact that we are using them for family gatherings withthe next generations and making memories.

GabriellaG54 Thu 14-Mar-19 12:20:19

That's a beautiful way of looking at it Urmstongran, both the table and the memories.
I can't say I have anything furniture-wise which evokes memories.
When I divorced, I asked the children to take what they wanted and I sold the rest. A 6 bed house full would not fit into a 2 bed flat. I bought all new everything.
I do have a small barrel with a brass plate on which is engraved 'Scuttled at Scapa Flow. and the date.
That, together with a lucky back cat, a white silk scarf and his log flying books, are memories of my dad.

inishowen Thu 14-Mar-19 11:58:18

Mine is a 1950's sideboard with built in cocktail cabinet. The drawers are lined with green baize. It's all solid wood, no veneer. I spotted it at a charity shop years ago and commented that it was so scratched no one would buy it. The more i looked, the more I wanted it. I got it for £70. Then I went to the library and got books out on restoring furniture. Each scratch was treated and it's a beauty now. It reminds me of my 50's childhood.

Jalima1108 Thu 14-Mar-19 11:54:26

we also had a GPlan teak extending dining table and chairs, that we bought in 1969 and ten years ago decided must go (for new oak furniture) it did hold many memories I suppose ( hadn’t thought of that before).
In the end, it had to be sawn up and disposed of as even charities wouldn’t take it, saying that nobody wants teak furniture nowadays,what a waste.

Oh, that has made me feel really anxious for some reason! The thought of no-one wanting a lovely Gplan teak dining set and it being sawn up shock

We have a local furniture recycling warehouse where we have taken stuff. It is partly funded by the CC and partly by charity/self-funding and they seem to take most items, including upholstery only if it has a fire certificate. They repair, renovate and sell the furniture.

Brigidsdaughter Thu 14-Mar-19 11:49:44

Lovely stories on here

Brigidsdaughter Thu 14-Mar-19 11:47:38

I have two in our kitchen - a rocking chair and two seater sofa, both purchased shortly after moving to this house. DS1 was 2 and DS2 2mths. This was 23.5 years ago. The rocking chair was from a local shop run by an upholstered, spotted in shop and in my kitchen hours later a treat with my boys in my arms. The sofa came from Divani mail order. Something I'd not risk now. Both going string. Each recovered once.
Our kitchen is nearly a year old and they have lingered while I worked in my head on getting a new sofa but will get new covers shortly.
Many hours were spent on it with both so s but more than anything DS1 sat rocking on it, relaxed and slept on it. He had a rare chromo disorder, PMLD epilepsy and died at 18 (SUDEP 7 years ago). We lived in this kitchen our little family around DS1 to s point, but all in it together.
DS2 still lounges on it.
DH hogs the rocking chair.
So, some more years in them yet!

Jane10 Thu 14-Mar-19 11:22:54

My favourite is an office chair. Sounds odd but it's a solid 1920s one with a curved back and a long seat. Not sure what sort of wood it is. So comfortable. I sat on my Grandad's knee on it as he taught me to write my name. I feel very happy sitting in it as I write at my desktop computer all those years later.

henetha Thu 14-Mar-19 11:16:44

I was a great reader as a child, so for my tenth birthday I was given a little oak bookcase. And I still have it, in spite of many house moves. It lives in my bedroom now.
Also a little sewing table which belonged to a lady called Minnie who lived next door when I was a child. She left it to my mother when she died and hence it eventually came to me. I still think of it as Minnie's table every time I use it.