Why Secondhand Sofas Might Be Your Best Furniture Investment

Rather than going the traditional route and purchasing a sofa from a major furniture retailer, you may wish to consider shopping for a special, secondhand piece. Below, we’re sharing some of the key merits of secondhand sofas and why they’re certainly worth considering as you furnish your home. 

They’re Great for Small Spaces

Today’s furniture is often much larger in scale than pieces made in the past, making secondhand sofas especially ideal for apartments and rooms lacking significant square footage.

“I personally love many of the smaller, lower silhouettes of vintage upholstered furniture and use them often for unique pieces that need to fit in smaller spaces,” says Allison Mattinson, the principal and head designer of Trellis Home. “For a current project, we couldn't find anything that would work from current furniture makers so I bought a lovely vintage curved sofa that is being reupholstered now!”  

Secondhand sofas are ideal for apartments and rooms lacking significant square footage. Find them here.

They’re Easily Customizable 

On the note of reupholstery, keep in mind that secondhand sofas present so many exciting opportunities for customization. While reupholstery can be costly, you’ll still likely spend less than you would on a brand new, high-end piece going the secondhand route, particularly if you score a sofa frame for a steal at an estate sale or thrift store.

Plus, it can be fun to design a sofa that is unlike anything else any of your friends and family members own—we’ve become all too accustomed to seeing the same big box furniture store pieces throughout every home.

Secondhand sofas present so many exciting opportunities for customization. While reupholstery can be costly, you’ll still likely spend less than you would on a brand new, high-end piece.

They’re Eco-Friendly

Going the secondhand route when furniture shopping is always beneficial when it comes to the environment. “It's a more sustainable approach to design, keeping these pieces out of landfills,” Mattinson says. 

They’re Nostalgic

Secondhand sofas can present a welcome element of nostalgia and make a room feel more storied and personal. While working on a client project in Massachusetts, Mattinson sourced some wicker sofas that reminded her client of summers growing up. “We painted them and covered them with vibrant fabrics to make them feel more current,” the designer says. “They are now the stars of the room and have been given a new life.”

Secondhand sofas can present a welcome element of nostalgia and make a room feel more storied and personal.

Written by:

Sarah Lyon

June 10, 2024     Updated 09:06 AM

Sarah Lyon is a Washington, DC, native living in New York City. As a freelancer, she frequently covers pieces pertaining to interior design, travel, and other lifestyle topics. Her pieces have appeared in outlets including Apartment Therapy, Architectural Digest, MyDomaine, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and more. When she isn't writing, Sarah works with designers to help them style spaces for photo shoots (and can't stop rearranging and redecorating her own apartment, either!). She has a penchant for shopping secondhand and loves giving preloved pieces new life. Sarah’s own spaces have appeared on Apartment Therapy, The Everygirl, Houzz, and Washingtonian.com. Her Dupont Circle apartment was featured in both the spring 2019 print edition of Small Space Decorating and the January 2019 print edition of Washingtonian Magazine.

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