Give The Gift of Family History

In a time when "reduce, reuse, recycle" is a mantra for a generation, why do millennials flock to stores like Ikea for inexpensive, easy to assemble, trendy furniture that they will dispose of in a few years while resale shops are filling up with quality-built antique and vintage pieces?

A quick glance at HGTV can shed some light---the Tiny House phenomenon. Millennials are drawn to smaller spaces and therefore, less "stuff."

Not every 20-30 year old wants a tiny house, but they do share common design themes such as clean lines, light colors, and the urban/rustic combination.

So where does a treasured family heirloom fit into that design aesthetic?

The good news is that millennials enjoy knowing the story behind a piece. And they value artisanship.

But they generally don't like brown wood furniture. Nor do they like overly ornate pieces.

If you want to gift a piece of family furniture to a millennial, look for a piece that has a connection to the recipient and can be refinished to match their taste. Also think about the size of the piece--will it fit in their current home and will it be easy to move?

Consider their design style: are they fans of Farmhouse Chic, Urban Loft, or Mid-Century Modern?

Style is important to millennials; they want to have pieces that reflect who they are, not who their parents or grandparents are. And they love having unique pieces. There are so many options for updating "brown wood"--clean white paint works in almost every decor, black lacquer gives a modern edge, metallic finishes, distressed, pickled wood...possibilities are endless. The finishing team at C & S Refinishing and Upholstery has dozens of samples to choose from or we can work from a picture.

Taking a family piece that has a back-story, is small in scale, and matching its finish to a younger design style can be the perfect gift this Christmas!