Unbelievably Easy Hacks to Make Old Furniture New Again
If you were to make a completely honest assessment of some of your furniture, would you conclude that it looks amazing? Or could it stand some major TLC?
If the latter is the case, you might be inspired to bust out your inner DIY warrior and bring some new life to those old couches, tables, and chairs.
Of course, we’d be just fine with you coming in to check out our new showroom of gorgeous and affordable furniture but hey, if you want to try to resurrect your old pieces, we're not going to stop you. In fact, we're going to share with you some easy and reliable hacks that even the most inexperienced DIYer can tackle.
Strip Away the Old Stain
Head to your local hardware store and pick up some wood stripping tools, bring your furniture out into the backyard, and use plenty of elbow grease and determination to remove old paint or varnish. This will reveal the natural wood grain of your table or chair.
Next, you can apply a coat of clear polyurethane; this approach is great for more modern furniture pieces because it dries to a hard and durable finish. If you prefer, you can also replace the old stain with a fresh one in a different color.
Paint the Piece a New Color
If the idea of stripping and staining your old furniture is not exactly appealing, forego this idea and opt for some new paint. As a bonus, this choice can be cheaper and less labor-intensive than staining.
Plus, for a newbie DIYer, it can be very rewarding to select a dramatic color of paint and transform a relatively small surface in a short amount of time. You might be so proud of your work, you may end up repainting more old items than you had planned — and that’s okay!
Reupholster an Old Chair or Sofa
Even old and beat up chairs and sofas can have great bones — in other words, they are not rickety, but solid and well-made. If this is the case, and you love the way the furniture fits in your rooms, look into getting it reupholstered. Think of it like changing your sofa’s clothing — you are tossing out the old threadbare bell bottoms and cowl neck sweater for a modern and stylish set of duds.
You don’t have to spring for designer fabric; you can watch for sales or buy second-run fabric for a few dollars per yard. You can also change the overall style of the furniture by swapping out fabric for leather or vice versa, or by switching to a new color and pattern that matches a new paint job on the walls.
Now, if you have experience reupholstering furniture, more power to you. But if this is all Greek to you, consider hiring a local reupholstering company who can handle the work and get it done correctly the first time.
Re-Purpose the Old Into Something New
Sometimes, making a piece of furniture new again can be as easy as giving it a fresh purpose. For example, start with a relatively simple project like turning some of your old stuff into bookshelves, seating, or planters. Some other fun ideas include transforming a trio of old kitchen chairs into a bench or making an old dresser drawer into a super comfy dog bed. You might even consider taking an old dresser and turning it into a dining room buffet or converting an old wooden cabinet into a dog food station.
Don't want to tinker too much? Another option is to simply move an older piece of furniture into a new location in your home — if it’s still in decent shape, the new spot may figuratively give it new life.
Or, Come on In — We Have Distressed and Rustic Furniture Galore!
It’s great to know that in our often throwaway society, you can definitely bring new life to old pieces of furniture. If you are able to save some of your older items with your skills and determination, our hats are off to you.
Having said that, if you are not feeling that crafty, if your items are too old to be refinished, or if you repurpose a dresser into a table and now need a new dresser, please know that you can come on into Jerome’s at any time.
We are proud to offer a wide assortment of rustic and distressed pieces that look old while being brand new — just enter “distressed” in our search bar and you’ll find dozens of options, including the Florentine Dining Table Set that has the perfectly imperfect look many homeowners love.