Buying Tomorrow's Antiques

With genuine and dramatic fourth quarter price reductions at Dimitroff’s Furniture and Design, quality wood furniture can fit your budget. Here, owner Nick Dimitroff offers insider tips on what to look for when comparing finishes and why you should always turn a chair upside down—before you buy it.

By: Beth Newcomb
Date: 10/21/2008
There’s no sense in crying over spilled milk. And by purchasing quality wood furniture with a catalyzed finish—instead of varnish—you won’t have to, says Nick Dimitroff, who along with wife Pat owns Dimitroff’s Furniture and Design in Bath.

“Because it’s more stain resistant, spilling milk or coffee on a better piece of furniture is a non-event. Simply wipe it up with a damp cloth. A solid wood dinette with a catalyzed finish can last up to 100 years. It’s not bulletproof, but it’s much more usable,” he explains after recalling the story a police officer’s wife shared with him.

While cleaning his gun, the officer inadvertently left a bullet in the chamber and shot a hole in the top of his dining room table. “I told his wife that because the table was solid wood we could come out and fix it without any problem, but she said, ‘No way.’ She wanted the hole to stay so she could tell the story for the next 25 years,” he laughs.

Most of us won’t end up shooting a hole in our table, but the story is a testament to the ease of repair commonly associated with better quality furniture. In the unlikely event that damage should occur, holes, gouges and scratches of any origin can be repaired with ease.

When shopping for quality wood furniture, Nick recommends flipping chairs upside down to look for the angle brace that should be found in each corner of the seat. Those braces should also be screwed into place and glued for added stability. “Never be afraid to ‘kick the tires’ on better furniture before you buy,” he advises.

“We encourage our customers to ask questions and take a close look at the little things they might not normally think about.”

Those “things” include English and French dovetail corners and tongue and groove construction. “These are the hallmarks of better wood furniture,” Nick provides. “Why buy a bedroom set that will end up in a landfill a few years later? For just a little more money you can buy one that will last 75-100 years. You’re essentially buying tomorrow’s antiques.”

Dimitroff’s sells a gorgeous, solid wood maple bedroom set by Brown Street that includes a queen-sized bed, mirror, dresser, nightstand and chest—all made in the U.S.—for just $2,600. “Because we are independently owned and operated, and don’t have the huge corporate salaries and marketing budget our big box counterparts have, we’re able to price our furniture more competitively,” he says.

And those prices have just gotten lower.

While some mass merchants have recently jacked up prices to keep their margins healthy, Dimitroff’s is tightening the belt. “Even in times like these people still need to buy furniture. We want them to be able to take advantage of quality,” Nick explains. “We understand that if we raise our prices, we’ll be pricing some consumers out of certain brands. We respond to the needs of our customers and right now that means lowering prices.”

To do that, Dimitroff’s is passing legitimate factory savings right on to its clients. They’re also adjusting the store’s business model in order to feature price points that have—up until now—been unheard of. “We have literally slashed prices,” he shares. “We’re offering price points that we’ve never had before. Now is really the time to get the best value. It doesn’t get any better than this.”

They also offer value-added services free of charge like an in-house professional design staff that includes Pat Dimitroff. “Everyone is on a budget,” she assures. “Don’t be afraid to tell us what yours is. It’s a tremendous advantage to have a professional help guide you in the right direction and it’s something that will ultimately save you even more money.”

Look for the new fabric gallery at Dimitroff’s, which features more than 10,000 fabrics and is open to the public. Dimitroff’s is located at 981 Ghent Road near I-77. Hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Tuesday and Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m. The website is www.DimitroffsFurnishings.com.

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