Distressed furniture - do you like it?

@JudyEv (323672)
Rockingham, Australia
November 24, 2022 2:54am CST
A lot of the furniture in our house-sit was ‘distressed’. This was/is fashionable but I always thought such furniture looked like it needed a good coat of paint. ‘Distressing’ a piece of furniture makes it look old and weathered. Another name for it is ‘shabby chic’ but we used to tease our friend that a better name would be ‘shabby sh*t’. It is easy to ‘distress’ your own furniture if you like the look. There are instructions on various websites. Attacking a painted finish with sandpaper and steel wool will take off some of the paint, giving you the desired look. The cabinet in the photo is an example. The owner of the house is a Vietnam veteran and the cabinet displays citations and memorabilia from the Vietnam battles.
28 people like this
29 responses
@Beestring (13061)
• Hong Kong
24 Nov 22
I don't like the look of this one.
7 people like this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
24 Nov 22
Neither do I.
4 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
It was all the rage for a while. I suppose it's still popular. @Beestring @MALUSE
3 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137251)
• United States
24 Nov 22
Nope. It's never been a look that I liked. (I agree that it looks like "shabby sh*t".)
6 people like this
• Philippines
24 Nov 22
it is not that bad
6 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137251)
• United States
24 Nov 22
@DevMrSamEleazar It looks like it needs painted, at least.
4 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
Our friend would rave about it but I couldn't stand it.
3 people like this
@LadyDuck (454862)
• Switzerland
24 Nov 22
I agree with you on this, I would rush to give it a good coat of painting.
4 people like this
@LadyDuck (454862)
• Switzerland
25 Nov 22
@JudyEv Hard to resist.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
I was itching to 'improve' it with a coat of paint too. lol
2 people like this
@Fleura (28933)
• United Kingdom
24 Nov 22
It's one of those trends that's fashionable because it isn't real. If you have some real distressed furniture you're probably trying to renovate it!
4 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137251)
• United States
24 Nov 22
Very true! Renovate it or buy something new.
3 people like this
@Fleura (28933)
• United Kingdom
25 Nov 22
@JudyEv It looks rather as if it's got that white powdery mildew all over and it makes me want to clean it up - but of course you wouldn't know that unless you had ever encountered old wooden furniture covered in powdery mildew, so for most people it probably looks quaint!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
It didn't look so bad here as any of the painted furniture was like this so it didn't look so out of place
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (84953)
• Bangalore, India
24 Nov 22
Well, it is a personal choice..But it's definitely not for me. My OCD triggers looking at it and I want to paint it and fix it
5 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
Yes, me too! Not my taste at all.
2 people like this
• Philippines
24 Nov 22
for me it is good as it is more like designs.
5 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137251)
• United States
24 Nov 22
Yeah, but you're kinda crazy, too.
4 people like this
• Philippines
24 Nov 22
@DaddyEvil Yea lets say a psychopath.
5 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137251)
• United States
24 Nov 22
@DevMrSamEleazar Well, I wouldn't go that far.... I'd just call you a little strange.
4 people like this
@rsa101 (37952)
• Philippines
24 Nov 22
So that is what it's called. I seldom see that kind of furniture in our place. Maybe not that popular because most that I see are really nice one. Maybe I see that in Museums where they are not really restored to its original state to look authentic antique.
3 people like this
@rsa101 (37952)
• Philippines
28 Nov 22
@JudyEv I guess it depends on its surroundings if they blend well in the surroundings then that is good to look at.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
Yes, it's meant to look old and antique and if it isn't, then they paint it to look like it is. Sometimes they hit the top of a table with a hammer so it looks battered.
1 person likes this
• China
24 Nov 22
Each to their own ! I don't like those fake antiques.Don't know if the washed-out jeans belong to the distressed ones.
3 people like this
• China
25 Nov 22
@JudyEv I don't like wearing jeans,because I am a little overweight.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
I don't like fake antiques either. And people pay a lot for jeans that I would turn into cleaning rags.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
@changjiangzhibin89 I have put on some weight while we were at this house-sit. I guess we weren't active enough.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (48226)
• Canada
24 Nov 22
I love to see the wood grain on wood furniture and dislike painted or distressed coverings. I grew up in the home that my Grandpa had built for him and my Gramma to raise their family in. As a result there were lots of cast offs in the home that Gramma did not deem necessary when they moved to their new home in their elderly years. One day my hubs, who was just my boyfriend at the time, was in the basement getting cleaned up after helping load tomatoes, spied a huge table with an ugly big plastic flowery tablecloth near the washing machine. He spied the double pedestal and my Dad took him over to it and lifted the cloth up so that he could see it better. It had many coats of paint on it, most of which were peeling back. My Dad explained to him that it was hickory and originally belonged to his grandparents, but now was a cast off which my mother used to store laundry soap on. He was so interested that he gave it to my hubs. My hubby took it to a place where they took it all apart and dipped and stripped the layers of paint off of it. It remains in bits and pieces as the pedestal itself was rotted. We have the claw feet that go on the bottom of that pedestal and the 3 leaves as well as the table top and the skirt that goes around it. I believe that when our son owns a home large enough for such a piece that we will take it to a woodworker to put the pieces back together and then invite our son and his wife to choose a stain. Of course it has no chairs, so they will be on the hook to buy some.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (48226)
• Canada
25 Nov 22
@JudyEv Thank you, I love that story. We are in our fifth home since we married, and that table has come along with us to each home we've had. The significance of the wood from which it was made, hickory, is that it was made from a tree which is native to our area that the family farm is located. The very early generations began a sawmill, out of necessity, as they had to clear the land, and everyone needed furniture. Little did my ancestors know that this particular table that they made would stand the test of time, and mean so much to me, who has never met any of them.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
What an interesting story and won't it be a wonderful piece when it is eventually back in one piece. It will be a very special family heirloom.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
@Juliaacv It's very special indeed and hopefully will go on to bring pleasure to many more generations. Such items well and truly outlast people, don't they?
1 person likes this
@marlina (154183)
• Canada
24 Nov 22
I don't like distressed furniture"
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
It looks pretty awful really.
@kobesbuddy (73891)
• East Tawas, Michigan
24 Nov 22
When I get distressed, my value goes down. When furniture gets distressed, it's considered more valuable!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
That's a good difference between people and furniture! lol
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
@kobesbuddy Older items have a lovely patina though.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (73891)
• East Tawas, Michigan
25 Nov 22
@JudyEv But don't forget, the basic material is hard wood the same as my head!
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (73891)
• East Tawas, Michigan
24 Nov 22
I actually like this distressed piece of furniture, but I'd never mar up furniture to give it this older look.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
All the painted furniture in the house was like this so it didn't look completely out of place.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (73891)
• East Tawas, Michigan
25 Nov 22
@JudyEv I would love to have this in my home, it's unique!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
@kobesbuddy So much of the furniture was Balinese inspired if not actually from Bali.
1 person likes this
@sarik1 (6721)
25 Nov 22
I agree to you point .
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
I don't like it much.
2 people like this
• Indonesia
24 Nov 22
Hi, greetings . . . seems you have an art desire and that's awesome, congratulation to you
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
Thank you. Do you see this type of furniture where you live?
1 person likes this
• Indonesia
25 Nov 22
@JudyEv I have for my own; however, it's at night for me now, so I'll definitely take a shot to show you tomorrow. Thank you and Good night . . . .
1 person likes this
• Indonesia
26 Nov 22
@JudyEv This is a shot I promise you, have a nice weekend
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45217)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
24 Nov 22
In a word: "NO!" Not into the artificially distressed look.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45217)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
25 Nov 22
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
No, I don't like it either.
1 person likes this
@averygirl72 (37544)
• Philippines
25 Nov 22
I like the feel of antique furniture. I didn't know it can be distressed
1 person likes this
@averygirl72 (37544)
• Philippines
28 Nov 22
@JudyEv Sounds cool
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
There are instructions on how to take perfectly good furniture and make it look old and weathered.
@rebelann (110754)
• El Paso, Texas
24 Nov 22
It's not my cup of tea but some people like that sort of thing. If I had a genuine antique I would love it.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (110754)
• El Paso, Texas
26 Nov 22
me too.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
I much prefer genuine antiques.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (84363)
• Wheat Ridge, Colorado
25 Nov 22
It is a lovely bit of work he has done there.
1 person likes this
• Wheat Ridge, Colorado
26 Nov 22
@JudyEv Oh I see he did not distress the cabinet then..many people do that here.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Nov 22
@RebeccasFarm They would have bought the cabinet like that.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
Do you mean with the memoribilia? I think so too.
1 person likes this
@noni1959 (9842)
• United States
25 Nov 22
It depends on the piece. I love old antique and prefer the real distressed thing.
1 person likes this
@noni1959 (9842)
• United States
25 Nov 22
@JudyEv Yes. They have character and are "real." I have one piece of shabby chic left from a project I did back when everything was blue and white in my place and giving it away soon as I get a good TV table. It was done on an old 50's piece that needed a lot of care. I'd love an old hutch in it's old glory.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
I'd prefer naturally weathered/worn pieces.
1 person likes this
@Dreamerby (3060)
• Calcutta, India
25 Nov 22
Oh that's interesting. Are you in interior design field?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323672)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Nov 22
No, not at all. I thought myLotters might find it interesting.
1 person likes this
@Dreamerby (3060)
• Calcutta, India
26 Nov 22
@JudyEv Oh I see. I thought interior designing is your field of work...I love the furniture as it is though
1 person likes this