Do you furnish your property using second-hand products, new products, or a combination of both?

[Rebecca]

Hello, wonderful community! 👋 

We’d love to hear from you about your furnishing choices for your properties. Furnishing can set the tone for your space, creating a unique atmosphere that resonates with guests. Whether you scour thrift shops for vintage treasures, invest in sleek new furniture, or mix and match to reflect your style, we want to hear from you! 

Do you prefer to furnish your space with second-hand products, go for brand new items, or use a combination of both? Share your experiences, the reasoning behind your choices, and any tips you might have for others in the community. 

Looking forward to your responses! 😊

[GoUppers1]

Yes, obviously, there are many antiques like old phones that make the difference in an airbnb. Guests love to see those old things.

[Garry159]

Hi everyone.  I use  a  combination of new and lightly used furnishings. 

[Rebecca]

Hello @Garry159 👋

That's a great approach! Do you have a favourite piece that you've found recently?

[Garry159]

Hi @Rebecca . I got some artifical potted plants from a friend.  They were like knew. They had already been cleaned. I sanitized them.

[Rebecca]

That's awesome @Garry159 🌿 Adding that little bit of greenery can make such a difference, don't you think? 

[Juan63]

Mostly new. Old items are hard to replace and their value is in the item not the cost. Try claiming Airbnb cover on a piece of furniture bought at an estate sale that you will never find again. What you paid for it is mostly likely way less than a new item that is not as good.

Juan

[Jay2728]

I am using vintage cast iron set of patio furniture. I am having all of it powder coated red. 

[Hajni2]

Hi Rebecca,

I completely refurbished Oceans Edge Holiday Villa, a beautiful beachside property, and wanted to share the transformation with you. When I took over, the furnishings were originally suited for a Game Reserve, so I made it my mission to bring in a fresh, coastal feel.

• The lounge suite was re-upholstered in soft beach tones to complement the seaside atmosphere.
• I sourced a mix of second-hand and new items, saving about 30% of the client’s budget.
• An old TV unit was upcycled into a stylish coffee station.
• The patio furniture was purchased second-hand, revarnished, and had its seating and backing cushions reupholstered for a fresh, modern look.

With a well-defined theme and color palette, you can create a stunning transformation, often bringing in more character than brand-new items alone!

Hope this helps! 😊

Kind regards,
Hajni

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Rebecca 

Thanks for this topic, and for the hosts who have contributed and shared their choices. 

We host in our home and thus our guest quarters are simply an extension of our personal flavors and loves.

Our furniture is a mixture of new and antique/collectible. The headboard  is handmade by a local fine woodworker. The sofa and Stressless recliner are  from our local fine furniture store. The tables and chests are a mixture of Asian antiques, Mid Century Danish Modern, an original Deco-

Era Chinese carpet, and a wonderful old Italian marble ice cream table. As our home is Frank Lloyd Wright School, it loves Asian and Danish equally.

The fun decorative additions are brought back from our decades of international travel, plus a lot of original ethnic art, serigraphs, musical instruments and a huge library of books and music.  The cactus and succulent gardens are in the solarium for our guests to appreciate. The extensive gardens and the forested wilderness - well, those are outdoors! https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1722082?

[Gaynor39]

Hi Rebecca,

I think it's fine for all options of used, new and a blend of both however, in my view a listing should be presented reflecting a detailed approach to the 'look' Thought to colour schemes, any particular theme or style with furniture complementing and not clashing. 

Comfy but not 'too used',  homely but not an overflow of owners possessions.

Just my thoughts on what I like when I'm thinking about where I'd like to stay..... 🙂 

[Hilda232]

I use a combination of both, but always taking care of having a good enough quality

[Karen114]

@Rebecca In the beginning it was always brand new, direct from Wayfair or Amazon.  As the supply chain issues emerged I had to pivot and started using marketplace and yard sale type sites to furnish some things.

That became a happy accident because whatever I did purchase, dresser, night stands or tables I would refinsh in my own way and that made it feel special.  I get a lot of compliments on my refinished pieces.  One guest messaged me after her stay asking where I purchased the dresser in the master becuase they had been looking for one like that for awhile.  I chuckled and told her I bouth on market place and just shined it up a bit 😉

[Abdul792]

Brand new latest midels

[Gayle202]

I have a combination of both. I ordered platform beds and mattresses from AirBnB and built them myself. I bought my living room furniture at estate sales, and people gave me things like table and chairs they didn't what, which were very nice. And I found a marvelous little vintage chair at Goodwill. All my dishes came from Goodwill. 

I like the platform beds because they are very affordable and so comfortable and stable if you build them right. You have to pay attention and do it exactly like the instructions say. Take your time.

Read the reviews. Do people say it was a nightmare to put together, or very easy?

 Mattresses are expensive, rarely comfortable in my experience, and start to sag quickly, so I use mattress toppers on top of a board. The 4 inch ultra firm mattress topper from Bedstory is amazingly comfortable. I have them on all my beds, including my own. My guests say my beds are very comfortable.

It is easy to put together a nice brand new bed for under $300 that guests will love sleeping on. 

Amazon is nice because they deliver and I enjoy building things. But you don't like to follow detailed instructions and take your time and think carefully before proceeding, you probably shouldn't try building your own bed. It usually takes me around an hour. Do not rush or you might have to talk it apart and redo something. I have done that before.

You can find really cute nice things at Goodwill.  
  

[Greystone0]

Hi @Rebecca ,

We do a combo of all of the above and this has served us really well.  We live part time in the greater NYC metro area and there is A LOT of perfectly good, almost new, highly usable, furniture available. We use facebook marketplace, used furniture sites, garage and estate sales to source items. By definition, items in our short term rental are 'used' so who's to say if that perfectly good looking end table is brand new or used. It looks great no matter the origin. Sourcing used items is budget friendlier and really helps offset the cost of new when that is the top choice.

Separate to all of this, sourcing items that are older or antique-y are usually made better, give so much warmth, and provide the needed  “Je ne sais quoi” to differentiate a space.

Happy sourcing!