Crikey, we have my husband's mother's buffet that we have completely restored. It was covered in a 'black lacquer' which totally hid the real grain of various woods. Eventually, we managed to get all the black stuff off, clear varnish it about 8 times and finally, up came the grain, it is amazing and to think she was going to throw it on the tip made me shudder ... 
I had a burnt orange bench top. No longer 
Something about a fire, blah blah, burning down the kitchen and most of the ceiling blah blah blah ex-husband blah blah. etc etc.
No more burnt orange benchtop.
I wear my grandmother's engagement ring, my great grandmother's wedding ring, great great aunty's eternity ring and great grandmother's engagement ring.
Also my great grandmothers rose gold "slave" style gold bangle.
Oh and great great aunty's gold locket.
Most all my jewellery belonged to dead people.
I reckon wearing so much dead peoples jewellery scares the ghosts away from me. 
I have a gold bracelet of awsomeness I bought for myself - it's an estate piece belonging to another dead person (obviously with awesome taste).
may be a bit extreme for me hahaha. 