Woman recognizes furniture worth “thousands” at thrift shop—then sees price

A mom of two who is carving out a career restoring and refurbishing furniture has shared what might well rank as her best-ever find.

Erin Shuford, from Florida, has been refinishing furniture full-time for more than five years after deciding to take the leap following the birth of her second child.

“After going back to work three months postpartum, I was really struggling,” Shuford told Newsweek.

“I started contemplating finding a work-from-home job and came across furniture flipping. I sold two pieces and quit my job on a whim. Very impulsive and out of character for me, but I just had a gut feeling that it was where I was supposed to be.”

Shuford has a keen eye for furniture, and as a lifelong thrifter, the opportunity to unearth pieces and flip them for a profit sounded like the perfect meeting of those two worlds.

“I’ve worked very hard to make sure it worked out, and I don’t regret it one bit,” she said. “I’m so thankful I took the leap to follow my dream.”

As with any job, there are good days and bad. One recent day, however, probably ranked among the very best of Shuford’s career to date.

It all started with a phone call about a Broyhill Brasilia bedroom set.

“A friend actually called me in a panic because she saw it and knew I would want it,” Shuford said. “I missed the call, and she sent me pictures. I almost dropped my phone when I opened her message.”

Broyhill Brasilia is one of the most collectible mid-century modern furniture lines. Introduced by Broyhill in 1962 and inspired by the modernist architecture of Brasília, Brazil, it is known for its sculpted walnut construction, distinctive arched pulls and carved geometric details. The line remains highly sought after by collectors today.

Depending on the piece and its condition, individual items such as nightstands can sell for several hundred dollars to more than $1,000, while dressers, credenzas and complete bedroom sets often fetch several thousand dollars. Rare or restored examples can command even higher prices.

“The Brasilia collection was inspired by the architecture of Oscar Niemeyer,” Shuford said. “They were only produced for a limited time, making them rare and hard to come by, especially in good condition. A full set like this can range from $7,000 to well over $10,000.”

Given their provenance, Shuford assumed the pieces would be priced at a significant markup, but that wasn’t the case.

“The market for Broyhill Brasilia is extremely competitive, and it’s very rare to find these pieces at thrift stores,” she said. “When I heard they were $115, I immediately asked her to buy them for me, which she gladly did, and I picked them up the next day. Gotta love friends like that.”

Then it was down to Shuford to work her magic. The furniture was refinished using a standard restoration process commonly used to recreate the original look of Broyhill Brasilia pieces. She followed a step-by-step finishing method—including staining, sealing and applying protective topcoats—and used products from Mohawk, a professional furniture-finishing brand.

It was a painstaking process, but one that was very much worth it.

“I didn’t count the hours, but I think it’s safe to say this took around 50 to 60 hours to thoroughly restore,” Shuford said. “I sold it for $9,000 in less than 24 hours on Facebook Marketplace.”

Shuford has unearthed many hidden gems during the past five years, but she says this is “easily” her best-ever find.

“I’m afraid I cashed in my lifetime karma points for this, and it will never be beaten,” she said. “I debated keeping it, but the set isn’t right for our space, so I ended up selling it. I know I’ll regret it forever, but its new owner loves it. And that in itself is so rewarding.”

Shuford knows it is rare to find Brasilia furniture in thrift stores, though she has come across pieces on Facebook Marketplace and at estate sales. Ultimately, her main advice to anyone hoping to unearth gems like these is simple: Know your stuff and stay vigilant.

“Being knowledgeable enough to recognize what type of furniture is high quality, valuable and currently sought after is the most important thing,” she said. “And go to the thrift store and check Facebook Marketplace as often as you can!”

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Rebecca Flood and Emma Lee-Sang