10/28/2025
You guys, I can't stop staring at this piece, and I'm honestly paralyzed about what to do next. I found this stunning American solid oak sideboard with leaded glass at an estate sale last weekend. The woman selling it, 89 years old, got teary-eyed when I asked about the piece, telling me it belonged to her mother who passed during the Depression. She said her family had gathered around this buffet for every holiday meal for over 80 years. 'I just can't bear to see it go to someone who won't love it,' she whispered, and something in her voice broke my heart. I paid her asking price without even trying to negotiate. How could I?
Now it's sitting in my garage, and I'm completely torn. I started scrolling through the Tedooo app looking at what other people have done with similar pieces—some are painted beautifully, others are restored to their original glory. Part of me wants to paint it white or sage green to match my farmhouse kitchen, but every time I pick up a brush, I hear that sweet woman's voice talking about all the memories this piece holds. I even connected with this amazing furniture restorer on Tedooo who's been refinishing antiques for 30 years and offered to walk me through the process if I want to go that route.
But here's what's really eating at me: three days after I bought it, the woman's granddaughter reached out through a mutual friend. Apparently, her grandmother had been having second thoughts and wondering if the piece went to 'the right person.' Now I feel this huge responsibility. Do I honor the original craftsmanship and restore it, or do I make it work for my family's needs? I know some of you might think I'm overthinking a piece of furniture, but when someone trusts you with their family's history, it feels like so much more than that. What would you do? I really need some wisdom here because I'm afraid of making the wrong choice with something so precious.