Thursday, September 17, 2009

DIY: Furniture Makeovers

I'm obsessed with making-over old, worn out furniture. It's amazing how almost any old piece can be totally transformed with new paint, hardware and a little imagination! Here are three examples from Ladies Home Journal...click here to read the entire article.

Out-dated side table with stone top transformed into a bright and cheerful accent piece!

*First they removed the hardware and stone top, sanded the table all over, and applied a coat of primer.
*Then they gave it two coats of semigloss latex paint in a lively citrus hue.
*For a pull, they threaded a length of cord through the existing hardware holes, knotted the cord on the inside and trimmed the ends.

*They cut a length of seagrass wallpaper to fit the inset and topped it with a pane of 1/4-inch glass. Switch the paper to change the look.

Old dresser transformed into a chic sideboard with plenty of storage!

*They gave the whole piece a light sanding, a coat of primer, and two coats of semigloss latex paint in a pale blue shade on the outside and a deeper blue inside for contrast.
*To dress up the doors, they picked out a pair of modern nickel pulls.
*Click here to read the details on how they transformed the inside...
Old entertainment armoire transformed into a stylish home office!

*They replaced the upper pullout shelf with a fixed painted plywood shelf hung on wooden brackets, which we screwed directly into the armoire's back wall.
*They cut Homasote boards (recycled fiberboards soft enough to sink pushpins into) to fit the back and the side door panels and covered them in fabric secured with a staple gun. Small screw hooks hold each panel in place; you can also simply screw the panels to the corners.
*They swapped out dated brass hardware for pretty (and inexpensive) glass knobs.

The original TV shelf became a functional slideout work surface. To make it movable, they screwed two drawer glides (available at hardware stores) into the top of the base about 6 inches in from the sides and then set the shelf into the glides. Knobs make it easy to pull the shelf out and push it back in.

40 comments:

  1. I love these. I have seen the before pieces so many times at yard sales and things and passed them up, now I wish I hadn't. I am obsessed with the lime green side table!

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  2. these will certainly make you re-look at the tackier pieces you thought of passing by for the fact that all was lost. all is NOT lost as you've shown, and i'll have a different outlook next time i come across pieces like these "befores" and we all know we see them from time to time! great post :) i think the t.v. cabinet was the biggest surprise transformation. there are so many ugly ones out there that i now will have patience with if i come by one.

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  3. The sideboard piece is fabulous in its new digs! I have been hunting for one on craigslist to give a fabulous makeover. Love Love furniture makeovers! :)

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  4. I too love furniture makeovers and I think I need frequent inspiration to remind myself of the great possibilities that exist. Love these- especially citrus green!

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  5. Wow! I am so inspired. I was just about to get rid of a cabinet that is so ugly but now I'm going to give it a remake. Thanks!

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  6. very nice transformations....

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  7. Much as I love viewing all the beautiful images on all the wonderful "home" blogs, nothing beats a before and after post. Thanks so much for posting.
    Ange

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  8. Wow I'm impressed - these look like amazing pieces!

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  9. Wow! This is really great inspiration for those of us who have lots of "befores" in our homes and don't have the budget to buy new. Thanks!

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  10. Your transformations are gorgeous! Definitely makes me look around and wonder... :)

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  11. I love fun before and afters! These are great!

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  12. these are ALL great "After's" .. LOVE THESE!!

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  13. Beautiful transformations!!! I love how you completely repurposed the armoire.

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  14. just spray painted and decopaged a bookshelf that used to be bubble gum pink...I love diy projects

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  15. AnonymousJune 16, 2010

    Absolutely LOVE the entertainment center makeover! Practical and pretty all at once!

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  16. wow! these all look really great!

    it's amazing what a little paint and tlc can do for old furniture that you could probably pick up at a yard sale for pennies on the dollar

    i especially love the bright pops of color from the green citrus color and the yellow sunshine color

    thank you, stumbleupon, for showing me this post!


    http://www.theyoungcurator.com/

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  17. AMAZING! LOVE IT!

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  18. Fun fun fun! I am about to do this to several items in my home - a bookcase and an old desk. I have had been on the fence about certain pieces since they were antique - a warning to all, make sure you know your piece's worth before you start sanding.

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  19. Now if only upholstered furniture were as easy to spruce up.

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  20. It is amazing what you can do with an old piece of furniture. very clever

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  21. I love what you've done with these pieces! They're truly given new life!

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  22. Wow, you did a great job! Gives me some ideas!!!

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  23. I saw this after passing up several items at a second hand store this weekend. This is a great way to get a unique piece.

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  24. Beautiful!! I love the bright color choices!

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  25. What fantastic changes. Puts new meaning to the saying, "One mans garbage is another mans treasure". I wish I was able to visualize stuff like this and transform them into a new updated piece of furniture.

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  26. AnonymousJune 20, 2012

    this is awesome i love it!

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  27. Awesome! Very green. You have given me inspiration to make few changes.

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  28. Very creative!! Love all the pieces and the transformations. This is a great way to have a fabulous piece of furniture which is also unique at a very affordable price!

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  29. This is really cool. I came to this page via stumbleUpon.com and I am now saving it to my bookmarks. Keep up the fantastic innovations!

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  30. I love trash to treasure projects! I love how innovated you are!!! Great Blog!

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  31. Inspiring! Keep up the furniture facelifts- well done!

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  32. I love your ideas. I too love to see the old become new.

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  33. Great ideas! Thanks for sharing.

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  34. Great colors! I feel like this jar would look great placed in this room, I absolutely love the color combination. Also could be used as a good statement piece.

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  35. Nice transformation. Proof that nothing is bad, depends how you look at

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  36. AnonymousMay 06, 2014

    Impressive!

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  37. Love the transformations of those old furnitures. Repurposing old stuff solves the separation anxiety of most people I know on their stuffs. At least you won't throw away the stuff that you have for years. You also save money.

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Thank you for your comments! I appreciate you stopping by :)