Treasure hunting for a sofa? Follow your nose.

Question: I have been looking for a used sofa at the antique stores in Spokane and have not been able to find one. I find lots of wood furniture but rarely a sofa. What direction would you suggest for me to find a good used sofa in the Spokane area? -- Dana Martin

Answer: What a great question. Over the years, I've looked for sofas at junk stores and antique shops, but to be honest, I usually end up either buying new or finding something in the classifieds.

The sofas that come through the thrift stores are just a little too "used" (besides, I'm always a little concerned about what kind of abuse they suffered in their previous home) and antique sofas aren't always as comfortable as I'd like.

Estate sales and garage sales are good places for finding upholstered pieces. That way you get a chance to observe their home. You can tell if animals were on them, and get a few other clues as to how they were lived on.

Finding something through the classifieds also gives you a chance to see just how the piece was treated.

Once you find something, no matter where you buy it, give it the sniff test. (I used to make my kids do this until they got old enough to figure out they didn't look cool sniffing around old furniture.)

I bought a wonderful slipcovered chair at an upscale antique sale once and didn't do the test. When I got it home I discovered a funky cushion. Fortunately, replacing the cushion fixed the problem, but it reminded me that old furniture is old furniture, no matter where you buy it.