8 Ways to Spruce Up Your Old Furniture

You scored an excellent deal on some furniture when your great aunt Fifi threw in the towel. It’s hard to pass up free furniture, but your house is starting to appear a little 1970’s for your taste. But hold off on throwing that furniture out and consider what new furniture will cost! A nice dining room table’s price tag will come in near or over $1000. A good new dresser will cost you nothing short of triple digits.

“Then how do I keep my house from looking like my grandma’s?” you ask. I’m glad you did. Make your furniture new and chic with some easy revamps. There are several different options to consider, so try out the style you like best.

 

Paint It

Entire Piece

source: Southern Revivals

You can keep it all one basic new shade or give it a distressed look with some sanding. Throw on some new knobs for an even more updated look.

Around the Edges

source: DIY N Crafts

Keep some of the nice wood exposed and only paint around the edges. Talk about a luxurious look.

 

Stencil It

Bold Patterns

source: Home Stories A to Z

Make your furniture pop with a bold statement pattern on the front.

Delicate Pattern

source: Paint and Pattern

Give your furniture character with a unique stencil.

 

Stain It

Fully Stained

source: DIY N Crafts

Give your wood a whole new richer color. These methods also apply to second-hand furniture from thrift stores. Don’t be scared away by furniture missing drawers. Fill them in with baskets to give it an even more modern look.

Stencil Stained

source: Pinterest

One of my favorite ideas. Sand the wood down. Paint over a stencil with white paint. After it dries, stain over the paint for a fancy and unique design.

 

Paper It

Accent Insides

source: Love of Family and Home

When you can’t find the design you want in a stencil, find it on paper. Mod Podge the paper on the inside of your furniture to give it an accent design.

Accent Outside

source: Pinterest

Try some cute design paper on the outside edge of furniture.

 

Textured-Wallpaper It

Textured

source: Better Homes and Gardens

Wallpaper might not be as useless as you think. Look for some with a cute textured pattern. Look past the color of it. Place it on your furniture, and paint it the color you want.

 

Resurface It

Tiled

source: Fox News Magazine

A good idea for outdoor furniture. Tile the surface of an old table for a new look.

 

Wood Paneled

source: Mamma Mia Moments

If you like the wood look, but want some more excitement, take old panels of wood of different types and create a new and unique tabletop. The more marked up, colored, and used wood panels the better!

Reupholster It

Comfy Ottoman

source: House Beautiful

Convert a boring wood coffee table into a comfy ottoman coffee table combination. Just secure a cushion of the same size on top.

Chair Seat

source: I Heart Naptime

Maybe you found a sturdy ornamental chair, but the wild paisley seat cushion makes you closer to lighting it on fire than sitting on it. Choose a cushion pattern you like and reupholster that seat.

 

Restructure It

Make it Roll

source: Wayfair

Add some wheels and shelves to the bottom of a desk for a useful storage space in the kitchen.

Make an Island

source: Pinterest

Just because your kitchen didn’t come with an island doesn’t mean you can’t have one! It doesn’t need to cost thousands of dollars, either. Repurpose an old dresser as your island and add some wheels (optional, of course), hooks, a paper towel holder, and a cutting block or stone surface. Who can say no to more counter/storage space?
 

Give your old, outdated furniture a makeover that suits your exact style. Soon your visitors will be asking you where you got your new, fancy furniture.

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