9 Old-School Furniture Pieces Poised for a Comeback
These throwback furnishings offer modern function with vintage style. Do you have one at home?
If you enjoy strolling flea markets and treasure-hunting in antiques shops, you’re bound to spot unusual items like telephone benches, valet chairs, pie safes, big wood record player cabinets and more. And while not all vintage furnishings are created equal, many can find a useful new life in our present-day homes. Not into the hunt? New versions of many of these nine styles are readily available today.
2. Telephone bench. This little seat-and-table combo was once used as a spot for someone to sit while chatting on a (corded) phone. Storage drawers kept phone books and notepads within reach.
How to use it today: A telephone bench is handy in the entry as a perch for putting on shoes, and many come with a built-in drop zone for keys and mail. In the living room, a telephone bench can pinch-hit as extra seating during a party.
How to use it today: A telephone bench is handy in the entry as a perch for putting on shoes, and many come with a built-in drop zone for keys and mail. In the living room, a telephone bench can pinch-hit as extra seating during a party.
3. Valet chair. With the backrest fashioned in the shape of a hanger, and sometimes including a small shelf for personal items on top, a fold-up bar for pants and shoe bars below, the valet chair helped hold those day-old but still wearable clothes.
How to use it today: Still useful in the bedroom, a valet chair would also make a thoughtful touch in the guest room for friends and family who are visiting — especially if you’re short on closet space.
Browse valet chairs
How to use it today: Still useful in the bedroom, a valet chair would also make a thoughtful touch in the guest room for friends and family who are visiting — especially if you’re short on closet space.
Browse valet chairs
4. Roll-top desk. The beauty of a roll-top desk is that it allows you to close the lid at the end of the day, without needing to clean up your work. This makes it ideal for messy writers and clutter-prone kids.
How to use it today: While the typical roll-top desk isn’t roomy enough to fit a desktop computer, your laptop will likely fit just fine — perfect when you need to have your desk in the living room or bedroom but don’t want to stare at your tech devices 24/7.
How to use it today: While the typical roll-top desk isn’t roomy enough to fit a desktop computer, your laptop will likely fit just fine — perfect when you need to have your desk in the living room or bedroom but don’t want to stare at your tech devices 24/7.
5. Secretary. Similar to the roll-top desk in that you can hide your messy work surface, the secretary differs in a few ways. First, since the desk surface folds down or slides out, you’ll need to clear it before closing up. Second, a secretary tends to have a full set of drawers below the desk surface (and sometimes above too), giving it more storage potential.
How to use it today: With lots of drawers and a compact footprint, the secretary makes a good choice for the bedroom, guest room or anywhere you could use extra storage.
Color Glams Up the Old-Fashioned Secretary
How to use it today: With lots of drawers and a compact footprint, the secretary makes a good choice for the bedroom, guest room or anywhere you could use extra storage.
Color Glams Up the Old-Fashioned Secretary
6. Pie safe. Once used to hold freshly baked pies, the pie safe traditionally has punched-tin door panels, which let air flow while keeping bugs out.
How to use it today: Put this storage piece to work in the kitchen holding dry goods or dishes, or in the bedroom or hall as a freestanding linen closet.
Shop china cabinets and hutches
How to use it today: Put this storage piece to work in the kitchen holding dry goods or dishes, or in the bedroom or hall as a freestanding linen closet.
Shop china cabinets and hutches
7. Record player cabinet. With its storage for albums and a compartment for a turntable, the record player cabinet was designed with music in mind.
How to use it today: If you’ve taken part in records’ resurgence in popularity, this piece provides the perfect spot to showcase your favorite vinyl. Bonus: When you’re not playing records, pop the top down and everything disappears. Open or shut, it can anchor the back of a seating area in an open-plan layout and serve as a platform for table lighting or another accent.
Simple Pleasures: Put Your Records On
How to use it today: If you’ve taken part in records’ resurgence in popularity, this piece provides the perfect spot to showcase your favorite vinyl. Bonus: When you’re not playing records, pop the top down and everything disappears. Open or shut, it can anchor the back of a seating area in an open-plan layout and serve as a platform for table lighting or another accent.
Simple Pleasures: Put Your Records On
8. Dressing table. At one time, the dressing table was a bedroom staple, providing a spot for someone to sit while putting on makeup and jewelry or doing hair.
How to use it today: Forget the princessy associations; a dressing table is still as useful as ever. An extra mirror is always handy for getting ready, especially if the bathroom in your house gets lots of morning traffic. And you can use the top as a drop spot for change and smartphones.
Dressing Table Ideas for Bedrooms of All Sizes | Find dressing tables
How to use it today: Forget the princessy associations; a dressing table is still as useful as ever. An extra mirror is always handy for getting ready, especially if the bathroom in your house gets lots of morning traffic. And you can use the top as a drop spot for change and smartphones.
Dressing Table Ideas for Bedrooms of All Sizes | Find dressing tables
9. Bar cabinet. The chic grown-up sibling of the bar cart, the bar cabinet offers storage for bottles, glassware and linens, sometimes with built-in details like a wine rack.
How to use it today: You don’t have to drink alcohol to put this sleek cabinet to work. Use one in the living room as an appetizer station during parties, and a spot for all sorts of beverages, alcoholic or not.
More
Simple Pleasures: Host a Casual Happy Hour
10 Retro Items Ripe for a Revival
5 Tips for Successful Secondhand Shopping
Browse midcentury-style bar cabinets
How to use it today: You don’t have to drink alcohol to put this sleek cabinet to work. Use one in the living room as an appetizer station during parties, and a spot for all sorts of beverages, alcoholic or not.
More
Simple Pleasures: Host a Casual Happy Hour
10 Retro Items Ripe for a Revival
5 Tips for Successful Secondhand Shopping
Browse midcentury-style bar cabinets
How to use it today: The tête-à-tête sofa, while not ideal for watching TV, is perfect as a room divider in a space made for entertaining. Or put one in the bedroom for quiet conversations.
Get Close With a Tête-à-Tête