3 ms·

> People no longer need 50-100 years furniture, because nobody wants to inherit old stuff anymore. I'm going to challenge this assertion: did anyone, ever? Loo

> People no longer need 50-100 years furniture, because nobody wants to inherit old stuff anymore. I'm going to challenge this assertion: did anyone, ever? Looking around in my parents' house (retirement age), there's no furniture from their parents (post-WW2). I don't remember whether my grandparents had any furniture of their parents in use either. I do recall going to the charity shops and finding older wooden furniture; while I recognize it as better quality as what you can get today, at the same time it's no longer useful today. TV cabinets (with doors) for CRT TVs and video tapes, writing tables, those kinds of things are obsolete. Tables are timeless though. But also, over time a lot of that old furniture was either destroyed or bought up and exported. What you find in the charity stores near me today is mostly 90's and onwards.

lmm 1y ago
> did anyone, ever? Yes. Pre-railroad people mostly didn't move and inheriting furniture was extremely helpful. Go back earlier and the cost of buying your own furniture would have been prohibitive.
Semaphor 1y ago
> Looking around in my parents' house (retirement age), there's no furniture from their parents (post-WW2). I don't remember whether my grandparents had any furniture of their parents in use either. My parents are both 70+, they have 3 big cabinets from their parents, made from solid wood. I’d not mind having them in the right place. They look and handle great, only the drawers could use some finetuning ;)
JKCalhoun 1y ago
Beds, tables, chairs. Only "style" has changed.
- bluGill 1y ago
  More than style. Humans are generally taller than in the past (a good diet will do that) and thus old furniture won't fit the modern body. A modern mattress won't fit on the old fame and will be more comfortable. If you replace the stuffing of the old mattress maybe it will be as good.
- dagw 1y ago
  Beds I disagree with. Modern high end mattresses are far more comfortable and ergonomic than old mattresses.
  - johnisgood 1y ago
    I have a >40 years old spring bed. I prefer it over modern beds, but I have never had the luxury to try out modern high end mattresses though.
    - johnisgood 1y ago
      Why the down-vote? I do have a >40 years old spring bed, and these "modern" beds I can get from Jysk or Ikea (or wherever it was gotten from) are awful in comparison, in fact, one of them broke after a month of use (with my ex) (it cost ~222 USD) and most modern beds I have laid on, they were all too hard for me, unlike the spring bed. The mattresses might be good, however. I have not tried the memory foam ones, for one. sighs.
      - prawn 1y ago
        It might be because you're making a judgement about preference when you haven't actually tried modern mattresses and (presumably) toppers?
        johnisgood 1y ago
        I literally said I have not tried modern mattresses though. I am sure they are great, and I have always wanted to get one. I have tried new beds (granted, not as expensive ones) and they were worse than the 40 years old spring bed I have.
bluGill 1y ago
My grandpa had in his attic letters from his great grandpa (great great?? not sure how many generations)'s brother back in Germany, written around 1860. The letters were in the old script not used anymore, and language (Not German, but I'm not sure what it was). Grandpa got them translated and then following the addresses discovered some [great...] granddaughter was living in the house so he sent he a copy of the letters. She then found some cabinet described in the letter and was able to find it in the barn. Until she got the letter that cabinet was meaningless to her, but now that she knows the history it is an important part of her house. This somehow a point in your question, but I leave it to others to figure out what. Grandpa donated the letters to the local historical society so they are accessible, though I'm not sure how.
nmcfarl 1y ago
My stepmother (in her 60s) inherited or rather lot of furniture from her parents, enough to furnish most of a house. It’s spectacular and at this point it has to be well over 100 years old. She both wanted it and has lived with it daily for coming on 40 years. And my wife inherited three pieces from her parents and they make up much of our dining room, and her uncle gave her two pieces that he made by hand, and that did not fit into his new house. I was dubious about the stuff from her parents, but it’s beautiful if dated and we’ve gone with a very “eclectic” decorating style, no room has to look like any other room. And now I’m very grateful for all of it.
kiney 1y ago
actually most of my furniture is either inheritend (mostly from my grandpa and an aunt) or just "was there" in the old house (1835) I bought... Couldn't imagine living with modern Ikea junk.
- mixmastamyk 1y ago
  Ikea has a range. If you choose the junk aimed at dorm rooms you got what you paid for. The rest sells easily at moving time, being a known commodity.
  - kiney 1y ago
    even the highest and ikea stuff is still complete junk.
    - mixmastamyk 1y ago
      BS. Let me guess... you are one of those "connoisseurs" who looks down on products that are a good value. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24829405 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24829405
modo_mario 1y ago
My entire house is filled with mostly inherited stuff. I'm frugal and grew up between both lower and old money upper class but i have to say if you can make it look coherent it's fine and has saved me tons. Where it isn't it's a mix and match of thrifted high quality and low quality stuff. My electric standing desk and chair being one of those modern things that costed a couple of thousands but i got secondhand for a combined 200. The desk is built like a tank. For the chair i replaced the cracking armrest covers with leather. I also have some hardwood old tables and cabinets that are a couple generations old and as functional now as they were back then.
Aeolun 1y ago
Our house is full of second-hand 50s furniture though. At least some of it gets a second life, even if not from the children.
bobbruno 1y ago
I am responding to this from my living room in Berlin, sitting on a sofa that belonged to my father, after having dined on a table he inherited from my grandfather. Both were brought with us when we moved from Brazil. So yes, people do want to inherit the old stuff. I have some IKEA stuff (the beds were just too big, and mattress sizes are different), it just can't compare.

lmm 1y ago

> did anyone, ever? Yes. Pre-railroad people mostly didn't move and inheriting furniture was extremely helpful. Go back earlier and the cost of buying your own furniture would have been prohibitive.

Semaphor 1y ago

> Looking around in my parents' house (retirement age), there's no furniture from their parents (post-WW2). I don't remember whether my grandparents had any furniture of their parents in use either. My parents are both 70+, they have 3 big cabinets from their parents, made from solid wood. I’d not mind having them in the right place. They look and handle great, only the drawers could use some finetuning ;)

JKCalhoun 1y ago

Beds, tables, chairs. Only "style" has changed.

bluGill 1y ago
More than style. Humans are generally taller than in the past (a good diet will do that) and thus old furniture won't fit the modern body. A modern mattress won't fit on the old fame and will be more comfortable. If you replace the stuffing of the old mattress maybe it will be as good.
dagw 1y ago
Beds I disagree with. Modern high end mattresses are far more comfortable and ergonomic than old mattresses.
- johnisgood 1y ago
  I have a >40 years old spring bed. I prefer it over modern beds, but I have never had the luxury to try out modern high end mattresses though.
  - johnisgood 1y ago
    Why the down-vote? I do have a >40 years old spring bed, and these "modern" beds I can get from Jysk or Ikea (or wherever it was gotten from) are awful in comparison, in fact, one of them broke after a month of use (with my ex) (it cost ~222 USD) and most modern beds I have laid on, they were all too hard for me, unlike the spring bed. The mattresses might be good, however. I have not tried the memory foam ones, for one. sighs.
    - prawn 1y ago
      It might be because you're making a judgement about preference when you haven't actually tried modern mattresses and (presumably) toppers?
      - johnisgood 1y ago
        I literally said I have not tried modern mattresses though. I am sure they are great, and I have always wanted to get one. I have tried new beds (granted, not as expensive ones) and they were worse than the 40 years old spring bed I have.

bluGill 1y ago

My grandpa had in his attic letters from his great grandpa (great great?? not sure how many generations)'s brother back in Germany, written around 1860. The letters were in the old script not used anymore, and language (Not German, but I'm not sure what it was). Grandpa got them translated and then following the addresses discovered some [great...] granddaughter was living in the house so he sent he a copy of the letters. She then found some cabinet described in the letter and was able to find it in the barn. Until she got the letter that cabinet was meaningless to her, but now that she knows the history it is an important part of her house. This somehow a point in your question, but I leave it to others to figure out what. Grandpa donated the letters to the local historical society so they are accessible, though I'm not sure how.

nmcfarl 1y ago

My stepmother (in her 60s) inherited or rather lot of furniture from her parents, enough to furnish most of a house. It’s spectacular and at this point it has to be well over 100 years old. She both wanted it and has lived with it daily for coming on 40 years. And my wife inherited three pieces from her parents and they make up much of our dining room, and her uncle gave her two pieces that he made by hand, and that did not fit into his new house. I was dubious about the stuff from her parents, but it’s beautiful if dated and we’ve gone with a very “eclectic” decorating style, no room has to look like any other room. And now I’m very grateful for all of it.

kiney 1y ago

actually most of my furniture is either inheritend (mostly from my grandpa and an aunt) or just "was there" in the old house (1835) I bought... Couldn't imagine living with modern Ikea junk.

mixmastamyk 1y ago
Ikea has a range. If you choose the junk aimed at dorm rooms you got what you paid for. The rest sells easily at moving time, being a known commodity.
- kiney 1y ago
  even the highest and ikea stuff is still complete junk.
  - mixmastamyk 1y ago
    BS. Let me guess... you are one of those "connoisseurs" who looks down on products that are a good value. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24829405 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24829405

modo_mario 1y ago

My entire house is filled with mostly inherited stuff. I'm frugal and grew up between both lower and old money upper class but i have to say if you can make it look coherent it's fine and has saved me tons. Where it isn't it's a mix and match of thrifted high quality and low quality stuff. My electric standing desk and chair being one of those modern things that costed a couple of thousands but i got secondhand for a combined 200. The desk is built like a tank. For the chair i replaced the cracking armrest covers with leather. I also have some hardwood old tables and cabinets that are a couple generations old and as functional now as they were back then.

Aeolun 1y ago

Our house is full of second-hand 50s furniture though. At least some of it gets a second life, even if not from the children.

bobbruno 1y ago

I am responding to this from my living room in Berlin, sitting on a sofa that belonged to my father, after having dined on a table he inherited from my grandfather. Both were brought with us when we moved from Brazil. So yes, people do want to inherit the old stuff. I have some IKEA stuff (the beds were just too big, and mattress sizes are different), it just can't compare.