Do you have some old or antique furniture lying around the house? Don’t throw it out! Keep reading to learn how to repurpose antique furniture with these DIY furniture tips.
Did you just become the proud new owner of some antique furniture? While there may be a lot of history or family connection with this new furniture, you might be at a loss for what to do with it.
Antique furniture has its own unique personality that most likely clashes with your home d?cor (unless, of course, you have a lot of vintage items). So, how can you repurpose old furniture to make it fit in with the look of your home?
Well, antique furniture doesn’t have to always look antique. There are tons of DIY furniture ideas that can make the most of your old furniture.
Do you want to know what we’re talking about? Keep reading to discover our tips on how to repurpose antique furniture.
Put New Cushions on Charis
Antique chairs are a great focal piece to add to your living room or bedroom. Their ornate structure with high backs and curving legs makes them stand out among your other furniture.
Unfortunately, the beautiful wood and unique shape are sometimes overshadowed by dull or stained cushions. If your antique chair only has a seat cushion, all you’ll need to do is swap out the cushion. Opting for a bright color or fun pattern will bring life back into your old furniture.
Some chairs are fully or partially upholstered. It can be difficult to do a DIY furniture makeover on these types of chairs, but it can be done. Just make sure you choose a fabric that will look good covering the entire chair.
Repurpose an Antique Chest
One of the easiest ways to repurpose old furniture is to upgrade the way you use it. Old chests are great for storage but they’re typically too big and bulky to keep against the wall or in the corner.
But who says you can’t use the top of the chest too? Many antique chests have a flat top, making them the perfect coffee table with storage! If you like the vintage feel, all you have to do is add a protective coat onto the top of the chest to prevent water damage.
Remove Old Paint and Restore Original Wood
Some antique furniture has been painted over time and time again. If you’re not a fan of the current paint job, you may want to restore your old furniture to its former glory.
Removing old paint and restoring the original wood can be a challenging project, but your DIY furniture makeover will add a unique elegance to any room.
Paint Bright Colors Inside Squares of Hutches
Have you found a great storage hutch? The large size and dark wood associated with antiques tend to make them look very bulky and can even make the room look smaller. Giving your hutch a DIY furniture makeover can make it look softer and more elegant.
The best way to do this is by choosing a neutral color, like white or light grey for the exterior of the hutch. To add some interest, paint the insides of the storage squares with a fun color. While we suggest going for a light hutch with soft colored storage squares, a black hutch with bold colored storage squares can also work in the right room.
Add Patterns
One of the best parts of old furniture is the funky patterns you can find.
If you want to create your own DIY furniture using antiques, consider adding a pattern that plays off what was common in that time period. Discover more about the unique style periods which can be used for inspiration to upgrade your furniture while keeping its vintage feel.
Headboards, dresser drawers, and bar carts are some of the best pieces of furniture to add fun patterns to. If you’re not too good with a paintbrush, consider using vinyl decals or some fabric and mod podge to add patterns to your DIY furniture.
Add Crown Molding to the Top of Dressers and Hutches
While you may associate antique furniture with having ornate designs and unique shapes, some old furniture can be on the boring side with straight edges and flat tops.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t add your own interest! Boring dressers and hutches can get a DIY furniture makeover by using crown molding. Since you’ll be placing it against a wall, make sure you only attach the crown molding to the front and sides, not the back – or it won’t lay flat against the wall.
Change Hardware on Dressers
If you’re still new to DIY you may feel nervous about doing a complicated DIY furniture makeover. But, that’s OK! Not every makeover has to be complicated.
Swapping out the old hardware on dressers is one easy project that can completely change the look of your old furniture. You can even use unique materials, like rope, in place of metal knobs.
Repurpose Old Suitcases
Do you love to travel? Why not reflect this love in your furniture by stacking 2 or 3 vintage suitcases on top of each other as a DIY end table?
There are several ways you can do this. If you like clean and organized, we suggest stacking them evenly and adding a piece of wood on the top. If you like the disheveled look, you can stack them a little crooked or forgo the wood top. Either way, you’ll have a useful and unique end table.
The Best DIY Furniture Makeover Ideas for Antiques
If you’ve found some antiques, you may want to create DIY furniture for your home.
While old furniture is unique, it typically doesn’t fit in with our current home design. To help create a cohesive look, you can repurpose old furniture to give them a second life. Some of the best-repurposed furniture ideas are to swap out the cushions, add patterns, and change the hardware.
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