Gateleg Table

If one is in search for great furniture, wood is a good start. Wooden furniture has a certain feel to them. Such furniture exudes the sensation of warmth, of simplicity and of sheer elegance. Imagine having a piece of furniture that emanates timeless beauty like that of an oak writing desk or the intricacies of a hand-carved mahogany gateleg table which is traditional yet at the same time chic.

With a lot of choices that the market offers, how can one spot quality wood furniture? Here’s how.

Material. There’s solid wood and then there’s sheets or layers of thin wood, which is called wood veneers. Here’s the scale: on the left you have high quality, expensive wood while on the right you have a slightly lesser quality but is affordable.

These are your hardwood. Maple, oak and cherry trees are a few of the more popular hardwood in the market. On the flip side, trees such as cedar and pine are considered softwood. If you like intricate carvings, then softwood is for you. Hardwood can also reflect elaborate carvings like an elegant mahogany gateleg table. If your budget allows you to invest in solid wood then by all means purchase the same.

Construction. How was the wood parts joined together? Are they nailed together? Or stapled together? Good craftsmanship is equated to seamless and tight transition from joint to joint.

Duration. Will the furniture that you’re looking for need to last a lifetime? Or close to that? How will it be used? More often than not, children would climb up the table. Do you need one that could handle the weight of a typical toddler?

For decades, we have in our house a mahogany gateleg table that miraculously endured continuous burden from four very active children. For the drawers, make certain that same slides smoothly, whether it be the push or pull motion. Are the knobs glued or screwed? Check the little details.

Look Inside. It doesn’t follow that if the furniture seems well-made, the insides are too. That’s why you need to check the insides of the pine drawers and teak cabinets. Look underneath the mahogany gateleg table. Don’t assume anything. You should see for yourself if such piece is really of quality.