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Teak is the reason so much mid-century furniture is still around to argue over. The oils that made it a shipbuilder’s wood also make it forgiving, and most “ruined” pieces at an estate sale are about twenty minutes of honest work away from looking loved again. Gray, thirsty, dull under fifty years of supermarket polish: nearly all of it comes back with dish soap, a nearly dry cloth, and a thin coat of teak oil. The whole routine, from monthly dusting to full revival, is in this week’s guide, How to Clean and Restore Teak Furniture Without Ruining It. Read it before you walk past the sad credenza with the water rings. That one is the bargain.
Five finds
TwoDays 20-Inch Starburst Wall Clock
The classic sunburst silhouette with a silent quartz movement, and at 20 inches it holds the wall above a credenza without looking lost. From our wall clocks roundup.
Plank+Beam Mid-Century Square Side Table
Solid pine in a warm pecan finish with clean lines; no lower shelf, and pine dents easier than walnut, but it looks like more money than it costs. From our side tables roundup.
Nathan James Hallie Wood Bar Cart
Solid wood trays on brass-finished legs at a comfortable 33-inch serving height; it reads mid-century without shouting about it. From our bar carts roundup.
Rivet Velvet Texture Pillow ($25 to $30)
Amazon’s in-house line, and the mustard colorway is dead-on for a mid-century palette, though the velvet does show pet hair. From our throw pillows roundup.
Umbra Flapper Coat Rack (about $45)
A solid birch pole whose hooks flip out when you need them and fold flat when you don’t, so it looks tidy even standing empty. From our coat racks roundup.
One fix
Most art hangs too high. Galleries center pieces at 57 inches from the floor, which is average eye level, and it works in living rooms too. Above a sofa, aim for a gap of 8 to 10 inches between the frame and the sofa back. Lowering a few frames costs nothing and makes the whole wall settle down.
Subscriber bonus: your printable 7-Point Mid-Century Authentication Checklist, the one-page version of our authentication guide. Take it to your next estate sale.