When it comes to interior design today there are two clear camps emerging; the vintage vixens and the brand-new babes.

Here we take a look at the pros and cons of new versus old furniture to help you make informed decisions when you redecorate.

Brand new Babes

If you are a brand new babe then you will be drawn to the shiny new furniture that you see in display windows and show rooms. You will most likely subscribe to and peruse a number of furniture catalogues at home and perhaps spend Sundays ambling round Ikea filling blue bags with knick knacks, eating meatballs for lunch and dreaming of that high gloss red kitchen.

Pros and Cons of Buying New

The obvious pro of buying new is the accessibility and choice that is available. There are so many outlets that cater for every style and budget. You have the choice of budget, mid or top line you can pick solid wood furniture like these Oak pieces from Fortune Woods or flat pack furniture, home delivered or collected. Everything in this camp is rather convenient and easy to do.

The downside to all of this is of course the price tag which can very quickly escalate. You also run the risk of other people buying the same pieces as you, particularly if you shop from popular shops. We’ve all seen the pottery barn episode in friends right?

Vintage Vixens

The vintage scene is a little bit more difficult to navigate and it starts by knowing where to go and be prepared to do a bit of searching. If you are a vintage vixen you are likely to be drawn to features or materials that are typical of a particular period. Perhaps you read vintage life magazine or spend Sundays down at the local car boot sale?

Pros and Cons of Vintage

You will most likely be purchasing unique pieces that no one else will have that can build into part of a style or mood for your own individual decor for your home.. It’s good for the environment as pieces are being recycled that would otherwise go into landfill and generally vintage pieces are cheaper because they are second hand.

On the flipside, it can take weeks or months to find the piece that you want and pieces may not be in perfect condition when you buy them. Charity furniture shops, housing clearance outlets, vintage stores and car boot sales are where you will find the best retro pieces. But you do have to be prepared to rummage through a bit of rubbish to get the gems.

Photo  from cool-for-chaos on tumblr