A New Purpose for the Old : Upcycling Furniture

Have an old stool that is as rough to look at as it is to sit on? Maybe you have a collection of hand-me-down mismatched furniture and you’re at a loss for what to do with it. But you should think twice before tossing or donating your rejects. You may be able to breathe new life into your old furniture and amaze yourself with stunning renovations. With a little bit of creativity and patience for DIY projects, your old, dated, and unused furniture can become functional once again adding beauty and personal style to your home.

In recent years, due to the economy and current trending “vintage” style, re purposing furniture has become more popular. Chairs become planters, headboards become chalkboards, dressers become benches, and old nick knacks become useful. It may be a bit daunting and overwhelming to consider transforming a timeworn, dingy, rejected chair or table but fear not, there are countless websites available featuring creative designs and resources for giving your furniture a make-over. Try some of these few simple tips and tricks to get you started and then let your imagination take over and watch your old furniture become new again.

Sometimes it just takes a fresh coat of paint. You don’t always have to stretch your creative juices by finding a completely new purpose for your old furniture.  Try painting a coffee or end table a bright fun color. You’d be surprised how great a royal blue or saturated yellow coffee table can look in your living room. The unexpected pop of color in contrast to the traditional lines of the woodwork creates an eye catching focal point.

Think twice before tossing damaged furniture. Consider hiding imperfections with decoupage. Find a cool patterned paper you like and create a custom look. You can also use things like old sheet music, maps, excerpts from a favorite childhood book, and magazine pages to add personal style.

Even your smallest outdated trinkets and treasures can have new life once again. Find old frames and freshen them up with a bright coat of paint or an antique glaze. Add hooks to an old tray and mount it on the wall for a convenient place to keep your keys.

If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, try completely re-purposing a piece of furniture. Although a bit more challenging, projects like transforming a dresser into a mudroom bench or an abandoned headboard into a decorative chalkboard, will allow you to create custom one of a kind pieces that will leave your friends drooling in jealousy. Don’t limit yourself. Find your inspiration and create. You’ll be surprised at all the purposes you can find for the neglected pieces around your house.

Article by Amber Burkhart

photo - Amie Fedora