Skip to Content

5 Tips to Revamp Old Furniture

Table 1

Do you have any old pieces of furniture that could use a breath of fresh air? Don’t we all? I have pieces that just don’t match my decor or my colour scheme anymore, pieces that don’t match my style, and pieces that I inherited. There are great ways to revamp an old (or new!) piece of furniture and I’m going to share 5 tips that helped me reinvent this piece! before and after

We’ve all seen that classic Ikea nightstand before. I bought that piece back when I thought all of the furniture in my home should be the same colour. My bed, dresser, nightstands, ottoman… all the same dark brown. Now my tastes have matured and this piece just doesn’t fit the decor. I thought about tossing it in the garage sale pile, but it’s still in great shape, and still so functional! New plan: reinvent the piece.

 1. PAINT – This one may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people will get rid of a perfectly beautiful piece of furniture just because they don’t love the colour of the wood or stain anymore. Chalk paints are very popular these days, and can cover almost any finish without any leg work. Using store bought paints means cleaning and sanding your furniture first, but it’s worth it! Paint can give new life to a piece. For inspiration, follow my DIY Furniture board on Pinterest!

 

IMG_1189b

2. CHANGE THE FINISH –  There are so many ways to change the finish of a painted piece that will change the style. You can sand and wax chalk paints as much or as little as you want to achieve different finished. When using store bought paints, you can choose anything from matte to high gloss. Matte options will hid any of those imperfections – perfect for older pieces. Eggshell and satin paints result in a glossy, mirror-like finish. Glossy paints are even smoother and more reflective. On the piece below, I used a dark wax and a teensy bit of sanding over my chalk paint.

IMG_7831 IMG_7858

3. ADD NEW HARDWARE – Look back at the “before and after” photo above to see just how important new hardware can be. I used the same hardware on this piece as I used on my wardrobe and it tied the room together perfectly. One shiny new knob can make a drawer look custom made. Your local hardware store will have loads of options, but my favourite place to look for knobs is Anthropologie!

IMG_7833

4. DRESS IT UP – The paint and finishing added new life to your piece, now add some character! Paint the shelves or the inside of the drawers a different colour.  Line the drawers with fabric or wallpaper. Add a stencil or create your own pattern with chalk paint (don’t forget about my furniture pinterest board for inspiration!). On the Industrial Side Table I recently posted about, I wood and faux bolts to add a brand new industrial style top to the side table. Get creative!

IMG_8320a

5. RE-STYLE  – Sometimes all it takes to revamp an old piece of furniture is some new accessories. Put the piece in a different room and change-up the decor. I love to style almost all of my furniture with greenery (living or not!), and photos. The two pictures below show how I styled the same nightstand in two different ways – one to appear more feminine and one to appear more masculine. Simple re-styling gives the piece an entirely different feel.

IMG_7590 IMG_7829

Good luck with your furniture projects!

Make sure to come see how I transformed an old side table into this beautiful Industrial Side Table!

Industrial Side Table

Signature 2 200x100

Dario Gimenez

Tuesday 13th of June 2017

Great makeover!!! I love these tips and i will inspired from them.Thanks for sharing.

Louise Clark

Friday 21st of October 2016

We finished construction on our patio last summer, and are starting to look at furniture for it. I think it’s interesting that you should look for wooden furniture with wooden screws. I never thought that the crews in the furniture would rust.

Lindivs

Friday 21st of October 2016

Very true! Thanks for sharing!

Tobias Armstrong

Wednesday 20th of April 2016

I love the ideas for revamping old furniture here! It never ceases to amaze me how many things you can do after just a short trip to your local hardware store. and this is no exception. You can change a lot with just a coat of paint, a change in hardware or stuff like that. I love the tips, so thanks for sharing!

Lindivs

Wednesday 20th of April 2016

I completely agree! SOOO many simple things that will completely transform a piece. Thanks for sharing your thoughts :)

Laurie

Wednesday 6th of April 2016

Whether it is a piece of furniture that you already have or you purchase it pre-owned, there are so many things that you can do to transform a piece of furniture to put your personal touch on it. I love what you have done to this side table, very cute. Thanks for sharing!

Corinna - ADesignerAtHome

Sunday 3rd of April 2016

Loving how versatile these tips are! This piece is beautiful. Thanks for sharing at the creative circle link party!