Creating stylish custom-made furniture from your old belongings is always better than spending a hefty amount on a ready-made piece that doesn’t meet your expectations.
And that’s exactly why repurposed furniture is becoming increasingly popular today. However, it’s no secret that finding new design techniques and tricks is crucial while giving new life to old chairs. So, to inspire you, we’ve put together this extensive list of the 21 best ideas to repurpose old furniture.
So, without further ado, let’s begin.
Ideas To Repurpose Old Furniture
Table of Contents
- Ideas To Repurpose Old Furniture
- 1. Giving Your Old Dresser A Makeover
- 2. Redoing Old Entertainment Cabinets
- 3. Making Your Own Little Wine Bar
- 4. Upcycling A Dresser Into A Chair
- 5. Revamping A Small Cabinet
- 6. Making A Chalkboard Tabletop
- 7. Making An Art Table
- 8. Repurposing A Barn Board
- 9. Utilizing Old Window Shutters
- 10. Repurposing Tufted Benches
- 11. Creating A DIY Clothing Rack
- 12. A Rack Made of Crates
- 13. Upcycling Trays And Dresser Drawers
- 14. Spray Painting Old Furniture
- 15. Utilizing Wooden Pallets
- 16. Making Drawer Chests More Functional
- 17. Repurposing A Bedroom Chest
- 18. A DIY Mail Sorter
- 19. Creating A DIY Glam Vanity
- 20. Making Headboards From Old Doors
- 21. Upcycling A Piano Bench
- Final Thoughts
1. Giving Your Old Dresser A Makeover
Wondering what you can do with the old wooden dresser in your bedroom? For starters, a simple makeover can easily add a rustic touch to your decor.
All you need to do is turn the standard wooden look into a dark shade that exudes a vintage feel. And for that, you’ll need some gel stain and DIY chalk paint. While you can get these in any hardware store nearby, the chalk paint can be made using water, latex paint, and plaster of Paris.
2. Redoing Old Entertainment Cabinets
Dress-up storages are useful furniture pieces for keeping your little one’s dress-up costumes and reducing the main wardrobe clutter. On that note, you can make a cute little kids’ dress-up storage using the old TV cabinet that may have lost its charm once you brought home the flat-screen TV.
After you’ve cleaned the cabinet, gather a spring rod and fix it within the space for the TV so that you can easily hang the dress-up outfits.
Plus, you can create DIY holders for accessories and jewelry and a patterned fun backdrop to pique your child’s interest. And don’t forget to paint it in a bright and inviting hue. You may also use DIY chalk paint to enhance its look and do away with the need to add a primer separately.
3. Making Your Own Little Wine Bar
While you’re hosting a party at home, an attractive little wine display in the living room or patio can set the mood. And the good news is that you can make one pretty quickly using an old foldable stool or table.
While the table will act as the base of the mini-bar, you can place a crate on top stuffed with wood and cardboard. This will provide some height to the structure and also enhance its grandeur.
4. Upcycling A Dresser Into A Chair
As surprising as it might sound, a straightforward DIY method can help you turn an old dresser into an ottoman and chair. In fact, it’s one of the best DIY projects to try out if you wish to upcycle a dresser at a minimal cost.
While the ottoman can be made by separating the top drawer of the dresser, you can use the remaining drawers to make the chair seat. Side by side, the drawers of such chairs can provide extra storage for some daily-use items.
5. Revamping A Small Cabinet
If you’re an artist or craft enthusiast looking for additional storage space for your art supplies, consider revamping an old, discarded cabinet.
While it will be able to hold all your supplies comfortably, coating it with durable paint can enhance its longevity too. Plus, you can add a unique to its look by using a crackle medium along with acrylic paint.
6. Making A Chalkboard Tabletop
Next up, here’s another out-of-the-box idea to enhance the visual appeal of an old table. The end result can quickly elevate the decor of your dining space.
All you need for this project is chalkboard paint. However, before you apply the paint on the tabletop, make sure to sand it properly so that you get an even coat. Another point worth noting is that the edges must be taped off to get smooth and clean lines.
Once the application is complete and the paint has dried, you can come up with your own fancy designs on the tabletop using chalk. Furthermore, you may choose to put it in the kids’ room, as they would love to have a table for their homework and to create new artwork.
7. Making An Art Table
For little ones who love drawing more than anything else, this art table will be the perfect DIY gift you can create out of repurposed furniture. It can be made using a medium-sized old coffee table and will have a cute paper-roll holder along with separate buckets for organizing their art supplies.
There can also be a “chalkboard” in the middle of the tabletop, which you can create by fastening a small piece of adhesive chalkboard vinyl. Additionally, you can stick a small metal drawer on one of the front legs of the table to make for a cute and convenient chalk holder.
8. Repurposing A Barn Board
Boards are ideal for making visually appealing furniture pieces such as a console table to hold stunning decor items in your living room. But you might need to purchase the legs for the table separately, so don’t forget to include that in your budget.
Hairpin legs are the best choice in this regard, as they will not only make the table convenient to handle but can also go well with any decor style. Another significant point to note is that you must cut the barn board to a suitable size, smooth out its edges and sides, and finish it with a sealer and stain.
9. Utilizing Old Window Shutters
Spotted a couple of attractive-looking window shutters at the flea market? What if we told you they could be utilized for creating a vintage-style cabinet for the living room?
Indeed, you can paint them in white or dark green and assemble them with some sized fiberboard pieces to build a highly functional cabinet. You can even decorate its top with some candle holders and keep a bowl of your favorite cookies or fruits.
But make sure to decide on the required dimensions beforehand as per the room size and your storage needs.
10. Repurposing Tufted Benches
An old or reclaimed tufted bench can be transformed into a gorgeous chair for your entryway. So, if you stumble on such a furniture piece at a garage sale, don’t hesitate to bring it home. For the revamp, you’ll need to remove the tufted seat, paint the frame with two coats of your favorite shade, and add a cushion made of upholstery foam.
The only thing that you must be careful about is cutting the cushion from a chunk of upholstery foam according to the size required.
11. Creating A DIY Clothing Rack
With an open clothing rack at home, your favorite accessories and go-to layers are always easy to access. So, getting dressed becomes a breeze.
And if you’re looking to add such a rack to your bedroom, the most effective DIY trick will be to use two small wooden ladders. Apart from that, you’ll need a four-foot-long wooden rod, two planks to make for shoe racks, two pipe brackets, and a can of white paint. Note that you may also use a darker wall color, depending on personal preferences.
12. A Rack Made of Crates
The unused wooden crates at your home double as a bonus storage unit for any space. For instance, you can design it in the form of a low horizontal rack, a cube shelf, or one shaped like a pyramid depending upon your needs.
To create such a functional piece, you merely need to stack and restack a number of crates till you obtain a suitable configuration. Then on, fasten the edges of the adjoining crates using binder clips and your rack will be ready for use. Just avoid piling heavy objects such as appliances in the upper racks to ensure the crates don’t topple.
13. Upcycling Trays And Dresser Drawers
Provide a new life to an old dresser drawer or tray by enhancing its exterior using a darker matte paint.
You can also add new hardware to the structure based on your preferences. Note that this repurposed tray can not only serve as an accent decor item but can also be used to store some essentials. Speaking of the color suited for repainting the structure, it can range from lighter to darker shades based on the appearance of the decor items therein.
14. Spray Painting Old Furniture
At first thought, it may seem difficult to repurpose metal furniture that’s heavily scratched or beaten-up.
But the reality is that you can spray paint these furniture pieces to remove all signs of poor maintenance and enhance their functionality. For example, a metal tanker desk that has worn out due to extensive use can be repurposed through effective spray painting and some additional decoration.
To impart a new look to this desk, choose a color that will complement the room decor beautifully, and get hold of a matching fabric for the tabletop. And the best part of this revamp is that it won’t alter the original decor style of the desk. So, if the desk originally came in a retro style, the visual appeal would be retained in the long term.
15. Utilizing Wooden Pallets
Reclaimed wooden pallets used for transporting goods in bulk are available in any local home improvement store. And they’re also priced quite affordably.
Apart from their basic function, these pallets can even be utilized to create furniture. For example, you can join multiple crates and wooden planks to make a potting bench for your patio or backyard. And to facilitate ease of movement, attaching some metal casters or wheels will be a great idea.
16. Making Drawer Chests More Functional
Medium-sized dressers or drawer chests are commonly used in many homes, so it isn’t surprising if you chance upon a pair of old chests in your attic. Alternatively, you can buy such chests from any garage sale or online site selling reclaimed goods.
Speaking of how they can be utilized, two of these chests can be attached with a plywood plank to make a stylish and convenient oversized workstation. Just make sure to paint the dresser fronts and the plank with a suitable color as per the room decor. And once the paint has dried up, you can add the hardware to make it a full-fledged study table.
17. Repurposing A Bedroom Chest
Planning to set up a mini office at home? Then you’ll definitely need storage space for all important documents, big and small, a bulletin board to remind you of upcoming events and many more such resources.
And since budget is a factor when you’re organizing your office space, consider making a DIY storage system for all the essentials. A large bedroom chest that’s no longer in use can be utilized to create such office furniture.
As for the other structures required, some wooden drawer organizers can help store the smaller papers and cards, while file-folder frames can be added to the chest. Note that the lid of the chest will act as the bulletin board, and all the structures must be painted beforehand so that they go well with the surrounding decor.
18. A DIY Mail Sorter
Old or reclaimed coat hooks can be used to make another interesting addition to a home-based office — a daily mail sorter.
Other items you’ll need for the project are a wooden plaque and some sturdy ½-inch wood screws. Begin by mounting the hooks onto it, and secure them side-by-side using the screws. You may choose to paint the wooden plaque and the hooks beforehand for a more refined look. And soon, your small mail sorter will be all set for use.
19. Creating A DIY Glam Vanity
If you’re looking to donate your existing make-up vanity to a pick-up service and bring home a more stylish option, we’d suggest reconsidering the decision. Why? Because upcycling can be one of the best ways to achieve the desired look on a budget.
You can paint the dresser fronts in different shades on a swatch to create a color-coordinated look. For instance, in the above image, shades of pink have been used to complement the wall color, and the dresser indeed looks glamorous!
In case you can’t decide on the suitable shades, you can even request some sample cans beforehand.
20. Making Headboards From Old Doors
An old door, when hung sideways and refinished, can be an inexpensive headboard for your bed. So, if you’re shifting to a new house and designing it from scratch, you can consider utilizing the old doors for the purpose instead of disposing of them. Add crown molding on the top edge of the door as that will make for a neat finish and will also be a perfect spot for your alarm clock.
21. Upcycling A Piano Bench
Before we end our list, let’s talk about another exciting way to create a convenient dresser. It’s ideal for those who have a tiny dressing area but prefer keeping all their dress-up accessories organized.
You can repurpose the piano bench at home by painting it in a suitable color and fixing a cushion on the top. Note that the built-in storage bin will hold the accessories, so you’ll need to line it with paper and place clear trays for the purpose.
Final Thoughts
With that, it’s a wrap for today. We hope you enjoyed reading about the different ways to repurpose old furniture, just as we enjoyed compiling this guide.
So, get started with the project you find the most suitable for your home and surprise your friends and family by creating a unique and stylish furniture piece.
But don’t forget to make a proper estimate of the budget involved by listing all the essential tools and other materials required. Also, if a furniture piece looks too worn out or weak, you must repair and refurbish it before turning it into something new. This will ensure the product is durable and long-lasting. See you next time!
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