Why I Quit Buying Coffee Tables to Sell

When out treasure hunting, I often came across coffee tables.  Most of them needed painting, but they were such good deals that - for awhile - I couldn't resist getting them.  Over time, I learned to resist them - both from my own experience and from watching coffee table sales in general.

Vendors in the store where I promote often bring in coffee tables. They almost always take FOREVER to sell.  

At first, the vendor features it prominently.  After a bit, the price is reduced.  A bit later, it is moved out of the focal area and used for stacking other things in an effort to maximize limited booth space.  If enough time goes by, the coffee table gets so buried that even someone looking for a coffee table might not see it.

What gives?  The coffee tables were pretty.  They were reasonably priced.  Many were neutral colors.

This coffee table is really pretty, but it might take longer to sell than you think.
Source

Here's the deal.  Some pieces of furniture have very specific uses.  A coffee table is one of those.  There's not too many places you can use one.  As if that weren't enough,  if someone wants a coffee table these days, they often prefer to use something more creative - like a trunk or a big ottoman.  They can't use a coffee table somewhere else. A coffee table would look pretty dumb as a foyer table.  In other words,  a coffee table isn't very versatile.

There are exceptions.  If you find a trendy, fabulously cool coffee table, it might sell just fine.  But a run-of-the-mill coffee table?  Think twice before spending time and money on one to put in your booth.

If you have a small booth or if your booth is more than a hobby, try to get pieces that can be used a number of ways in a customer's home.  The more versatile the piece, the more likely you'll make a timely sale.

Source

The table above is not a neutral color, (you know how I feel about paint colors) but it would STILL be likely to sell faster than the neutral coffee table in the first photo because this table is versatile.  Have you noticed yet?  VERSATILE is the word of the day!  This blue table would be right at home in a foyer, or a bedroom, or a kitchen, or a living room, or a porch... I could go on.  It's VERSATILE!!!

When you are buying furniture to resell, always factor in how versatile it might be.  Did I use that word enough times?

One more thing about color - I don't want anyone to think that I don't love or appreciate colorfully painted furniture. If you saw my house, you'd know I am not a neutral kind of gal.  But, when it came to selling furniture, I learned to limit my fun with color to the smaller pieces.

The One Wall Booth- part 2

Chris sent a photo asking for suggestions for her booth, which consisted of one wall.  She inspired me to write the post about one booth walls.   After reading the suggestions, she reworked her booth and sent the AFTER photo!  Check it out!

Chris said she is still looking for an anchor piece.  I love that she didn't let that stop her from creating her own.  She wasn't satisfied to wait.  Look what she did - she used her tall shelf to create two smaller ones and added a table top.

In the before photo you can see many vertical lines in the booth - many columns.  The shelf is vertical. The shutters - vertical.  The curtains and the slim white shelf - all vertical.  In the after photo, the shelf table broke up the columns to make a more pleasing display.

The only horizontal statement in the booth was the ruffled ribbon, but I'm glad she removed that.    Even though the ribbon was pretty, it made the booth feel even smaller and shorter.  Her new look feels taller and should she ever want to stack anything higher than her wall, it won't feel as if there is a border to stop her.

Interestingly, the booth without the ribbon seems a little brighter.  Notice the white wire wall shelf.  See how much better it shows up?  That could be just a photo quirk, but I'll bet it really is brighter there.

One more feeling I get as I look at the after photo.  Is it just me or does this booth feel easier to browse?  In the before booth I would probably stand further back to look through her items.  In the new booth, I would be more likely to walk up close and pick things up.

All of these changes are subtle, but they truly are important!  Chris, thanks so much for sharing your photos!

LIGHTING - lamps, Chandeliers and Twinkle Lights

Adding lighting to your booth serves a number of purposes.  Most obviously, it can brighten up dark areas.  Lighting can also bring attention to special vignettes or objects.  It can also set a mood.

In the dreary winter months, lighting can make your booth feel cozier and more inviting.

The lights can be fancy and elegant - a crystal chandelier.  Simple twinkle lights / fairy lights could be strung.  A table lamp could be used.  If you don't have any extra lighting in your booth at the moment, grab something - even if it's the lights you decorated with at Christmas - and put it in your booth.  Try it.  Youll like it.

As always, pictures are worth a thousand words.  I have a few inspiration photos in this post, but loads more are over on the VSO Facebook page.  I now have an entire album devoted to lighting.  I plan to add loads more photos to all the albums as time goes on.

You can see loads more booth lighting photos on the Vintage Show Off Facebook Page.

A chandelier adds a touch of elegance.
Source

The lights add MAGIC to this display.
Source

Tree bracnhes set up with twinkle lights can be used in your booth all year round!
Source

Lights down low add dimension.
Source

Inspiration Photos on Facebook!

I have been adding inspiration photos to Facebook since Day 1 of creating Vintage Show Off.  There are tons of photos you won't find here and I'll add more and more as time goes on.  Bonus - they are now grouped by categories so you can jump right to what you're interested in.

Click here to jump right over to the VSO Facebook albums.

This is just the beginning of what I have planned!  I have several more photo album categories that I'll be adding soon.   I have a pile of photos marked to add as time allows.

I have soooo many posts I want to write and so many resources to add to the Vintage Show Off pages.  I sure hope you're following along here and on Facebook so you won't miss a thing!

Also...  Please leave comments!!!   I can see from my numbers that I'm getting more and more traffic all the time.  But numbers are so impersonal.  Whenever I ask myself why I'm working so hard on this, I get a comment on this blog or on the Facebook page that let's me know I'm helping somebody.  That makes it all worthwhile.  Your comments REALLY do mean alot.