Furniture Pieces You Should Always Buy Used

Mid-Century Modern Coffee Table

The clean lines and simple shapes of mid-century modern furniture will always have fans. One surefire way to bring the 1950s and 1960s into your living room is with a mid-century modern coffee table, the kind that once held issues of Life Magazine or Davy Crockett coloring books. Iconic shapes include the guitar-pick-shaped triangular version or the famed boomerang-like design, with its kid-safe rounded edges.

Benefit: Used furniture of this era is usually made from real wood and built to last. If you’re concerned about stability, give the table the wiggle test before buying to make sure those decades-old legs still have game.