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My neighbor's comment about his old oak table made me rethink 'character'

I was helping my neighbor move a table he bought at a yard sale. It had a lot of dings and a dark water ring. He said, 'I love it, it's got a story.' I always saw those marks as damage to be fixed. For years, I would have sanded it down and made it look new. But his comment stuck with me. Now I look at a piece and ask if the marks are part of its life. Last week, I had a 1920s dresser with some deep scratches on the top. Instead of a full strip, I just cleaned it and used a light wax. The owner was thrilled it still looked its age. When do you decide to keep the history versus making it perfect?

2 comments

2 Comments

johnson.lee22d ago

Honestly that really hits home for me. I used to be the same way, wanting to make everything look brand new and perfect. Tbh your neighbor is totally right, those marks are the story. It's like trying to erase the past instead of letting it show. I'm trying to get better at seeing the beauty in the worn spots too.

loganhart22d ago

My old wooden table just looks sad with all its scratches though.