Acquiring antique furniture takes time, patience, and a keen eye, so finding the perfect piece for your home can feel like winning the lottery. After dozens of flea markets, hours of searching, and (if you’re determined) some back-and-forth bidding, the sentimental value of each piece far exceeds the price. That’s why moving is such a challenge for the most devoted vintage lovers among us.
While moving doesn’t always mean giving up furniture—sometimes you have to buy new furniture—those downsizing or moving far away face some difficult decisions. While some of your favorite pieces come with you, others must move to a brand new home.
As it turns out, even those who buy and repurpose antique furniture every day become very attached to the pieces left behind. Famous interior designer Nate Berkus, known for his timeless style and anti-trend attitude, recently shared on Instagram three of the vintage pieces he still thinks about – years after he left them behind. These are the pieces and why Nate wishes he had kept them longer.
“For someone who has a deep connection to furniture and decor and a passion for collecting and finding really special things, one of the hardest things I’ve ever done was when Jeremiah and I sold our townhouse here in New York City and the people who bought it wanted furniture,” Nate explains in the video. “Here are a few things I still think about that live in our former home with our wonderful new owners.”
The house that Nate shared with his husband Jeremiah Brent – the newest star of the Queer Eye – is chock full of gorgeous furnishings and bold, daring design moments. Although the couple’s signature neutral color palette has been maintained, the home is warm, inviting and expressive. The first two pieces Nate misses most were found in the home’s drawing room – he shares some stunning images of the space.
“The first is a French daybed that created this incredibly cool, cozy space in the drawing room,” he says. “In front of the daybed is the second thing, an absolutely beautiful table in the original ivory color with a 19th century black marble top. A round center table. I’ve never seen another one with the original stone top and the original paint in this color combination and wish I had it again.”
Nate is known to be a fan of 1960s French furniture, and this lush, sumptuous daybed is another example of the country’s abundance of decorating inspiration. With padded cushions and carved wood armrests, the bench serves as a welcome to the rest of the elegant entryway. The statement table placed in the center of the room adds additional character and provides the perfect surface for natural accents and artful accessories.
“The third thing was this tiny dresser that we had in the entryway of the house,” Nate continues. “It was a 19th century French oak dresser. It was in our very first rental house in LA and we bought it at this weird thrift store in Beverly Hills. It wasn’t super expensive, but I loved that it was small and very manageable. I thought it was very beautiful.”
When it comes to buying vintage furniture, it’s not too often that you come across the perfect piece for your space, so it’s important to act fast (and hold on tight). If furniture tells a story and has sentimental value, it’s worth keeping.
