How to make the most of hand-me-down decor

Hollenbach showing the transformation of an antique settee that had been among his late mother’s prized possessions. Photo: Shawn Hollenbach/AP

As we move through a world of disposable things, it’s easy to forget that previous generations kept nearly everything.

Furniture was made to last. Pieces of crystal or china were investments passed down from parent to child to grandchild.