How to Transform Your Home Without Buying New Furniture
If your furniture is bringing you down, don’t assume you have to replace it. Discover new ways to revive and disguise it
Familiarity can breed contempt. It’s true of human relationships, but also the case when it comes to our furniture. That chest of drawers you once loved may suddenly seem terribly dated. That chair you inherited but never liked may now actively offend you. That sofa you saved up for may have lost its shape or grown a little grubby.
But just because you’re losing the love for your furniture doesn’t mean you have to ditch it altogether. Instead, think about transforming what you already own. Sometimes, all it takes is a small tweak, a clever disguise or an artful rethink to give old pieces an exciting new look.
But just because you’re losing the love for your furniture doesn’t mean you have to ditch it altogether. Instead, think about transforming what you already own. Sometimes, all it takes is a small tweak, a clever disguise or an artful rethink to give old pieces an exciting new look.
Embellish with art
If you simply want to refresh familiar pieces, rather than radically overhaul them, consider stickers and stencils. Add a pattern over the surface of a coffee table, on the seat of a wooden chair or across one corner of a chest of drawers. The furniture won’t be drastically altered, but it will be enhanced.
If you’d prefer a more permanent – and personalised – design, consider contacting a local artist to customise your piece.
Find artists and craftspeople in your area.
If you simply want to refresh familiar pieces, rather than radically overhaul them, consider stickers and stencils. Add a pattern over the surface of a coffee table, on the seat of a wooden chair or across one corner of a chest of drawers. The furniture won’t be drastically altered, but it will be enhanced.
If you’d prefer a more permanent – and personalised – design, consider contacting a local artist to customise your piece.
Find artists and craftspeople in your area.
Redesign those drawers
Upcycle a neutral, inexpensive piece with pretty colours and decorative knobs. This is an Ikea chest of drawers, hacked creatively to look colourful and quirky.
Paint achieves a cheerful effect or, for speed, try using sticky-back plastic. Redecorating only the drawer fronts makes this a quick and straightforward job.
Upcycle a neutral, inexpensive piece with pretty colours and decorative knobs. This is an Ikea chest of drawers, hacked creatively to look colourful and quirky.
Paint achieves a cheerful effect or, for speed, try using sticky-back plastic. Redecorating only the drawer fronts makes this a quick and straightforward job.
Spread a cloth
The easiest way to disguise an unimpressive dining table, or simply give an existing table a fresh new look, is to spread a tablecloth over it.
Go for classic white linen for a cool, timeless look, or repurpose a length of printed fabric as a tablecloth.
The easiest way to disguise an unimpressive dining table, or simply give an existing table a fresh new look, is to spread a tablecloth over it.
Go for classic white linen for a cool, timeless look, or repurpose a length of printed fabric as a tablecloth.
Layer on the throws…
If your sofa or armchair has seen better days, disguise its tired upholstery with throws and blankets. Go for ones made from weighty, thick fabrics that will pad out the sofa and add to its comfort rather than mould to it.
Be sure to layer up throws in various textures, too, to create a deep, sumptuous feel. Look out for patterned quilts, animal skins, knitted blankets and patchwork throws, then have fun combining them.
If your sofa or armchair has seen better days, disguise its tired upholstery with throws and blankets. Go for ones made from weighty, thick fabrics that will pad out the sofa and add to its comfort rather than mould to it.
Be sure to layer up throws in various textures, too, to create a deep, sumptuous feel. Look out for patterned quilts, animal skins, knitted blankets and patchwork throws, then have fun combining them.
…or make a singular statement
Alternatively, use a single throw or blanket and arrange it in a visually exciting way.
Of course, there’s nothing to disguise about this elegant daybed, but the blanket artfully rumpled on it should inspire you if your own seating is a source of visual frustration.
Rather than neatly folding blankets or throws over the back of a sofa or covering the seats, try mussing it up and enjoy how the textured, wavy result brings energy to familiar seating.
Alternatively, use a single throw or blanket and arrange it in a visually exciting way.
Of course, there’s nothing to disguise about this elegant daybed, but the blanket artfully rumpled on it should inspire you if your own seating is a source of visual frustration.
Rather than neatly folding blankets or throws over the back of a sofa or covering the seats, try mussing it up and enjoy how the textured, wavy result brings energy to familiar seating.
Remove some layers
Rather than painting furniture to revive it, try stripping it back. Vigorous sanding will remove paint on a wooden piece and produces a pleasingly patchy, distressed result.
For a cleaner finish that reveals the wood below completely, use a chemical paint stripper, although you’ll need to wear protective gear and may have to work outside.
This kitchen cupboard demonstrates another easy way to reinvent a piece of furniture – an offcut of wallpaper lines its interior, and is just glimpsed through the glass.
If you’re not confident about tackling a piece of furniture like this yourself, contact a local furniture restorer for a professional result.
Rather than painting furniture to revive it, try stripping it back. Vigorous sanding will remove paint on a wooden piece and produces a pleasingly patchy, distressed result.
For a cleaner finish that reveals the wood below completely, use a chemical paint stripper, although you’ll need to wear protective gear and may have to work outside.
This kitchen cupboard demonstrates another easy way to reinvent a piece of furniture – an offcut of wallpaper lines its interior, and is just glimpsed through the glass.
If you’re not confident about tackling a piece of furniture like this yourself, contact a local furniture restorer for a professional result.
Use a sizzling shade
Painting furniture is a brilliant way to give it a new lease of life, but simply whitewashing a pine chest of drawers is only the start. Why not choose a zingy, neon shade to bring a sharp accent to your space? And consider painting metal pieces as well as wood – this iron four-poster bed was radically brightened up with car spray paint.
Painting furniture is a brilliant way to give it a new lease of life, but simply whitewashing a pine chest of drawers is only the start. Why not choose a zingy, neon shade to bring a sharp accent to your space? And consider painting metal pieces as well as wood – this iron four-poster bed was radically brightened up with car spray paint.
Twist convention
Give new design direction to an old piece of furniture by tweaking it slightly. This is a witty take on a chest of drawers. The main body of the piece remains, but its drawers have been replaced with vintage suitcases. It’s a whole new look for a familiar bit of furniture, offering the same amount of storage, but tons more style.
Give new design direction to an old piece of furniture by tweaking it slightly. This is a witty take on a chest of drawers. The main body of the piece remains, but its drawers have been replaced with vintage suitcases. It’s a whole new look for a familiar bit of furniture, offering the same amount of storage, but tons more style.
Spray for a miracle
Spray paint makes updating smaller pieces a breeze. Here, copper spray paint has been used to give a classic wooden standard lamp a funky new look. If budget allows, top off with bold new shade to complete the transformation.
Tell us…
Do you have any tips for transforming furniture? Add them to the Comments section.
Spray paint makes updating smaller pieces a breeze. Here, copper spray paint has been used to give a classic wooden standard lamp a funky new look. If budget allows, top off with bold new shade to complete the transformation.
Tell us…
Do you have any tips for transforming furniture? Add them to the Comments section.
Bored of your headboard? Find a piece of patterned fabric you love – an offcut might well be big enough – then ask an upholsterer to re-cover your headboard with it. Any leftover material could be turned into a simple runner, as here, for a finishing touch.
Read reviews of upholsterers in your area.