If you want to try restoring tired tables, lamps or other furnishings, here are suggestions from Deerfield Designs in Ellicott City, Md.. :

• Look for an item that’s unique with interesting lines or an unusual shape.
• Find a piece that can be used for something other than its original function, such as turning a 1930s radio cabinet into a bar.
• Look for an item in reasonably good condition built of good quality materials.