Sourcing antique furniture takes time, patience, and a careful eye, so finding the perfect piece for your home can feel like winning the lottery. After dozens of flea markets, hours of sifting, and (if you're determined) some back-and-forth bidding, the sentimental value of each piece far exceeds the price tag. That's why moving is such a challenge for the most devoted vintage lovers among us.
Although moving doesn't always mean giving up furniture – sometimes it means gaining new pieces, too – those downsizing or moving quite far will be faced with a few difficult decisions. While a few of your favorites will come along with you, others will have to be passed along to a brand-new home.
As it turns out, even those who source and style antique furniture each and every day feel quite attached to the pieces left behind. Famed interior designer Nate Berkus, known for his timeless style and anti-trend stance, recently took to Instagram to share three of the vintage pieces he still thinks about – years after leaving them behind. These are the items, and why Nate wishes he'd held onto them longer.
'For somebody who is deeply connected to furniture and decoration and my passion about collecting and sourcing really special things, one of the hardest things that I have ever done was when Jeremiah and I sold our townhouse here in New York City and the people that bought it wanted furniture,' Nate explains in the video. 'Here are a few things that I still think about that live in our former home with our wonderful new owners.'
The home that Nate shared with his husband, Jeremiah Brent – the newest star of Queer Eye – is chock-full of gorgeous furniture and bold, daring design moments. While sticking with the pair's characteristic neutral palette, the home is warm, inviting, and expressive. The first two pieces that Nate misses most could be found in the home's parlor – he shares a few stunning images of the space.
'First is a French daybed that created this incredibly cool kind of loungey space in the parlor,' he says. 'In front of the daybed is the second thing, which was an absolutely beautiful table in the original ivory paint with a black marble top, 19th century. A round center table. I've never seen another one with the original stone top and the original paint in that color combination ever, and I wish I had it back.'
Nate's known to be a fan of 1960s French furniture, and this rich, lush daybed is another example of the country's wealth of decor inspiration. With upholstered cushions and carved wooden arms, the bench serves as a welcome to the rest of the refined entryway. The statement table, placed in the center of the room, adds an extra layer of character, and provides the perfect surface for natural touches and ornate accessories.
'The third thing was this tiny chest of drawers that we had tucked into the entry of that house,' Nate continues. 'It was a 19th-century French oak set of drawers. It was in our very first rented house in LA, and we bought it from this kind of funny consignment shop in Beverly Hills. It wasn't super expensive, but I loved that it was small and the scale was very small. I thought it was very beautiful.'
When shopping for vintage furniture, it's not too often that you'll stumble upon the perfect piece for your space, so acting fast (and holding on tight) is important. When furniture tells a story, and holds sentimental value, it's worth keeping around.
