Antique furniture in good condition is getting harder and harder to come by since the natural wear and tear of time always takes its toll. Imagine the horror of going to a flea market or yard sale, and seeing a fresh, but out-of-place coat of paint over an item made almost 100 years ago.

This online group documents these cases, where enterprising or possibly well-meaning individuals ‘converted’ items to look more like aesthetic trends straight out of Pinterest. Fortunately for viewers and buyers alike, they also document how people restore these items. So scroll down, upvote your favorite ‘rescues,’ and check out our previous article here.

#1 Not Sure If This Counts As "Reverse" Or "Slightly Un-Pinterested", But I Like It

Image credits: MattOnADinosaur

#2 $25 Solid Teak Table

Image credits: Wrathskellar666

#3 $75 Craigslist Find. Ended Up Getting It For Free After He Saw We Were Expecting. First Time Refinishing Something!! Pleased With How It Came Out

Image credits: BeautifulHindsight

Many of the pieces here might not be strictly speaking antiques. While the style might be that of a previous century, or even older, Christie’s, the famed London auction house, defines antique furniture as at least 100 years old. But a quality piece doesn’t have to be a century old for an enterprising person to try and ruin it with ‘modern’ features. Aesthetic trends come and go quite rapidly in this day and age, which might benefit fashion designers, who can create items quite quickly.

Furniture, particularly good quality furniture, can take so long to construct that the current trends may have shifted twice by the time the craftsperson is done. Unfortunately, many interior design enthusiasts or simply potential sellers think they can get a better deal or more attention by modifying an existing piece into something that better fits the current fad.

#4 For $8, I Couldn't Pass Up The Challenge

Image credits: Wrathskellar666

#5 Liked The Shape Of This Vase And Knew It Was Spray Painted, No Guess As To What Was Underneath But Decided To Give It A Go. Pleasantly Surprised

Image credits: theothercrystal

#6 Teak Table Restoration

Image credits: ibetitstung21

If you are in the market for used furniture, it’s important to take some precautions so you don’t fork over serious cash for a lemon. As this list shows, people can be pretty good at making excellent pieces look terrible, but they are just as good at upselling terrible items. So first and foremost, make sure you are buying from a trusted seller. Like shopping for real estate, it’s best to see the item in person and maybe avoid online sales if you can.

#7 This Weeks Goodwill Find. Why Would Anyone Have Painted This??

Image credits: tenglempls

#8 My Uncle Fixed Up This Desk That You Guys Identified As A Jan Kuypers Piece. I Think It Looks Pretty Neat

Image credits: Initial-Screen7122

#9 Before & After: Mcm Hutch From Fb Marketplace

Image credits: WeilaArt

Ture antique and vintage items will often have paperwork verifying the age and craft that went into them. Always make sure to look for potential damage in areas not shown in the pictures, like the back side of a wardrobe or the inside of shelves. Some experts advise that you always avoid old mattresses, if possible. Once a stain or smell has ingrained itself, it can be very difficult to clean out without the help of a professional. And at that point, you might as well just buy a new one.

#10 Goodwill Rescue Of The Week

Saw Some Cobalt On The Bottom Of This Bud Vase. Got The Twine And Hot Glue Off Only To Find That It Had Three Layers Of Paint On It (Black, Gold, And Red). Some Soaking In Boiling Water And Some Very Satisfying Paint Peels Gave Me This

Image credits: tenglempls

#11 My First Before/After. Any Id Help Would Be Awesome

Image credits: The3rdLeonard

#12 Bye Bye, Yellow "Antiqued" Paint!

Image credits: GoalHuman

More enterprising buyers might find an interesting item of furniture in poor condition and decide to reupholster or refinish it. This can be a great way to get an old, vintage piece of furniture while still having it feel and look like it was made recently. While more expensive than other options, good furniture will last you a long time, and who wants to cheap out on an uncomfortable bed, sofa, or chair?

#13 Lent A Helping Hand To This Poor Cedar Chest (Henderich Furniture Company). Boy, Was I Pleasantly Surprised To Find Such A Gorgeous Grain Beneath That Paint

Image credits: teaphillips

#14 Saved At $30 Bassett Mid-Century Nightstand

Image credits: AngryAlan

#15 Never Would’ve Thought Such Beautiful Grain Was Hiding Under This 70 Year Old Paint Job

Image credits: Sk8ordieguy

Plus, refinishing an item lets you make it fit your home design more precisely. Make sure to take pictures of the room you plan to place the item in. It can be hard to plan for what you’ll find at a flea market or secondhand store. So it’s best to still work out a few guidelines of what style, color, and finish you are looking for. If an item doesn’t fit completely, assess if it can be refinished to work with your intended design.

#16 Before And After Refinishing A Painted Zenith Mid Century Record Console I Got For $25. Please Please Please Don’t Paint Nice Furniture

Image credits: reddit.com

#17 My $10 Garage Sale Find Was Pristinely Preserved Under So Many Layers Of Paint

Image credits: This_Could_Not_Be_Mi

#18 A Recent Save

Image credits: 1551404

To that end, it’s always a good idea to try before you buy. Some items can look fantastic but might be supremely unergonomic or uncomfortable. You can reupholster a couch, but if the angle of the back is unbearable, there is little someone can do. Also, make sure to get an idea of the weight of the item and its dimensions. Even with delivery specialists, you can easily run into logistical problems, like a giant wardrobe not fitting through any doors or a dining table so heavy you can barely get it off the ground.

#19 My Dad Didn't Have Much Respect For Nice Furniture, So He Painted This Glossy White And Wrote On It With A Sharpie. I Restored It

Image credits: Picksologic

#20 Before And After: Green Secretary

Image credits: agtitan

#21 I Was Not Looking For A Project But Walked Past This Table In A Thrift Store And Felt Obligated To Address This Monstrosity

Image credits: No-Illustrator-8412

#22 Finally Finished Rescuing This 1954 Beauty! (Details In Original Post Comments)

Image credits: helllllohaley

#23 Saw This At Goodwill For $30 And Knew Something Amazing Was Underneath. Never Restored Furniture Before So It’s Not Perfect But I Love It

Image credits: 14honeybadgers

#24 I Refinished A Blonde American Of Martinsville Credenza

Image credits: NotElizaHenry

#25 They Look Better In Person. Found 1950s Heywood Wakefield Chairs $4 Each, Slathered In Thick Green Drip Dried Paint. I Know It’s Not Their ‘Correct’ Color, But I’m Cheap, Don’t Prefer Light Wood, And They Work For Me, Plus The Wood Grain Is Cool. Total Cost Beyond Materials Already In My House: $8

Image credits: salisburyu

#26 No Idea Who Would Buy This, Paint It, And Throw It To The Curb, But I Love My New Lamp ?

Image credits: 99_ahc

#27 Finally Finished My First Restoration Project! It’s Not Perfect But I’m Pretty Satisfied! (White Was Before)

Image credits: snxwfall

#28 Still A Work In Progress But I Love It Already!

Image credits: gmdel56

#29 First Time Restoring Furniture/Woodworking!!! Found This Mcm Dresser On The Side Of The Road?

Image credits: pidgeott0

#30 I Had No Idea How Beautiful It Actually Was!

Image credits: Any_Communication961

#31 Crossposting This Here. There Really Is A Sub For Everything!

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#32 Before And After On My $70 Marketplace Find. Lane Brutalist Nightstands

Image credits: feengerz

#33 My $60 Dinette Set, Leaves Not Pictures. This One Was Really Satisfying For Me

Image credits: SusieOPath

#34 A Small Reversal - From Yellow Spray Paint To All Clean, With Bonus Provenance On The Back

Image credits: kellyography

#35 Found These Chairs For 12$ Each, Stripped Most Of The Black (The Center Was Veneer And Was Scared I Might End Up Messing It Up) I Think They Are Denmark Mcm

Image credits: x1savedbabe06

#36 Restored This Beauty To Its Original Glory. $20 Goodwill Cedar Chest Returned From Crackled Paint Torture

Image credits: toothqueencolleen

#37 Our Neighbours Left This On The Street! So Glad I Picked It Up ?

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#38 Thank Goodness The Paint Wasn’t Too Thick And The Wood Was Nice. Easy Restoration But Always Satisfying When You Scrape Off The Paint And Get The First Glimpse Of The Wood Underneath

Image credits: salisburyu

#39 One Month Of Work And Countless Hours Of Sanding. Nowhere Near Perfect But I’m Really Proud Of How It Turned Out. Details Of The Restoration In The Comments

Image credits: cheezedragon25

#40 The Salvation Of A Lane Copenhagen Nightstand

Image credits: TorqueHound

#41 Got This Stunning Vanity Off Of Facebook Marketplace. Unfortunately, Someone Mutilated It By Coating It In Three Layers Of Paint Covering It’s Beautiful Real Wood

We took more than 20 hours of scrapping the paint, sanding, and refinishing to restore this beauty.

Image credits: yourjunkismydecor

#42 Found This At The Thrift Store And Figured I Had To Give It A Chance. I've Never Sanded, Stripped Or Finished Anything But I Figured It Couldn't Possibly Get Any Worse. They Also Ripped The Manufacturer Sticker Off The Inside Of The Top Drawer, So I Have No Clue Who Made It. Not Perfect But Better

Image credits: simymy

#43 Most Recent Restoration. Gunni Omann For Axel Christensen Credenza

Image credits: jose01337

#44 Free Drawer Set Revealed

Image credits: Various_Sign_1012

#45 Very Happy With How This Turned Out!

Image credits: Sentinel_Victor

#46 I Stripped And Sanded A Dresser I Found Earlier This Summer. It Was My Second Project And I’m Really Happy With The Way It Turned Out

Image credits: eclectictortise

#47 Restored Painted Blanket Chest. Walnut Veneers With Burl Walnut And Curly Maple Panels

Image credits: Icntblevethssht

#48 Stripping! Found This Poor Baby In The Wild

Image credits: Tooooootally

#49 During And After

Image credits: Reckless_flamingos

#50 A Mid Century Basset Glow Up! Only Sanded And Teak Oiled, I Loved The Contrast!

Image credits: x1savedbabe06

#51 Refinished A Buffet I Got For $25

Image credits: rst1981

#52 Picked This Cutie Up On The Side Of The Road A Few Years Back!

Image credits: mollyjostree

#53 Got Me An Old, Damaged Bookcase For 5€

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#54 Just Finished Fixing Up This Desk! First Time Doing A Project Like This

Image credits: Leelubell

#55 Fb Flip! Not Perfect But Much Better

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#56 Found A ($100+) West Elm Chair By The Dumpster. Was Covered In A Cheap Pink Paint. Came Right Off With A Sponge, Cleaner, And Some Elbow Grease!

Image credits: ursusart

#57 Refinished A Painted Gem. Harlequin Line For American Of Martinsville Designed By Merton Gershun

Image credits: Pandapuss33

#58 Tried To Bring An Original 60's Bassett Mayan Nightstand Back To Life After A Furniture Flipper Got Their Hands On It

Image credits: aesopsfuzzysocks

#59 First Reverse Pinterest Project On These Danish Mid Century Candlesticks

Image credits: Oldisthenewnew

#60 Stanley Furniture “Rosewood Bow Tie” Credenza I Restored

Image credits: Mike_Michaelson

#61 Bassett Rescue: Before And After

Image credits: FromCornerToCrumb

#62 How It Started vs. How It’s Going. Now I Just Need To Reattach The Handle And All That Will Be Left Will Be To Find A Spot For It In My House (The Hard Part)

Image credits: Robertomiopalmo

#63 Revived A Streaky, Drab Paint Job! Not Perfect (The Wood Color Is Inconsistent, And There’s Some Dings), But I’m Jazzed It’s Finally Done

Image credits: teaspoonmoon

#64 Broyhill Pacemaker - Not Perfect, But I’m Pleased With My First Paint Removal Project So Far

Image credits: Thriftedla

#65 Recent Amateur Refinish I Did. The chairs Are Brasilia But Would Love Help ID-Ing The Table (Maybe Broyhill Forward 70 Line)