10 tips for revamping old furniture

Have you collected your grandmother's old furniture that doesn't match your decor? Have you found old furniture on the street or in a recycling center and you want to give it a second life? Or are you simply tired of your chest of drawers, your table or your cupboard which are no longer up to date? Here are ten tips for revamping old furniture in style!

For several years now, the trend has been to decorate Scandinavian : clean lines, light colors, graphic patterns and simple designs. Exit moldings, gilding and other frills; no more clumsy furniture and overloaded interiors. The key words are sobriety and style. However, this is not a reason to throw away your old furniture or to refuse your grandmother's old furniture... You just have to throw them away. makeover ! Indeed, nothing is lost, everything is transformed.

With a little imagination, a little creativity and a lot of willpower, it is possible to transform any old piece of furniture, whether it is a chest of drawers, a table or a wardrobe, into trendy furniture. If you have recovered your grandmother's old furniture that does not match your decor; if you have found old furniture in the street or in a recycling center and you want to give it a second life; or simply if you are tired of your chest of drawers, your table or your cupboard which are no longer up to date; here are ten tips for revamping old furniture with style !

Tip #1 for revamping an old piece of furniture: choose the right piece of furniture

All furniture (or almost, depending on its condition) can be revamped. But, before starting, you have to know what you are doing. A beginner will prefer to start with an old bedside table or an old chair, in short small furniture , before tackling a huge wardrobe or renovating an old kitchen. Then, you have to prepare: write down your ideas, draw your project before carrying it out, plan the necessary equipment, think about the different stages of the makeover. This will help avoid errors and hiccups.

Makeover idea: start small / Photo credit: Pinterest

Tip #2 for revamping an old piece of furniture: prepare the piece of furniture

Before painting a wooden furniture , it should be prepared. Start by removing the handles, detaching the doors or taking out the drawers. If it is varnished, it must be stripped first. If it is painted or if it is made of raw wood, it must be sanded. Do not forget to clean it well to remove wood or paint residues that could leave traces. And before repainting the furniture, do not forget to apply an undercoat to protect the wood.

Makeover idea: sand or strip the furniture before repainting it / Photo credit: Pinterest

Tip #3 for revamping old furniture: repaint the furniture

To revamp an old piece of furniture, the simplest and most effective is often to simply repaint it. To do this, choose the right paint, i.e. paint suitable for wood. Two coats are required for an optimal finish. It is also possible to add a gloss varnish or a matte effect varnish.

Makeover idea: put two coats of paint for a nice look / Photo credit: Pinterest

Tip #4 for revamping an old piece of furniture: opt for color

For a modern effect on an old piece of furniture, you can opt for colors pep’s , yellow, green or electric blue… Gray or black will also give vintage furniture a more modern, almost industrial look. For a more refined spirit, white will immediately make your furniture more trendy. In short, everything is possible to match the revamped furniture to the decoration of your interior. It's your turn !

Makeover idea: dare to use pep's colors / Photo credit: Pinterest

Tip #5 for revamping an old piece of furniture: draw graphic patterns

If you want to be inspired by the Scandinavian trend, you can repaint your old furniture with graphic patterns . Triangles or lines of different colors. This will immediately bring a modern look to your wardrobe, chest of drawers or sideboard. Feel free to play with patterns and colors. To avoid drips or smudges, remember to use paint tape to mark out the patterns.

Makeover idea: painting patterns / Photo credit: Pinterest

Tip #6 for revamping an old piece of furniture: leave the wood raw

You can completely repaint your furniture to makeover, or you can have fun leave raw wooden parts , for a modern effect. For a table, for example, paint only the legs and not the top (or vice versa). For a chair, leave the legs in natural wood. For a chest of drawers, just repaint the support but not the drawers. This will allow them to be modernized, while keeping their vintage charm.

Makeover idea: leave exposed raw wood / Photo credit: Pinterest

Tip #7 for revamping an old piece of furniture: think about wallpaper

It's not just paint to revamp old furniture, there is also wallpaper. Far from being cheesy, it will give the furniture a facelift. Especially if it is used by small touch. Please note: if you decide to put wallpaper on wooden furniture, remember to opt for the appropriate glue.

Makeover idea: use wallpaper / Photo credit: Pinterest

Tip #8 for revamping an old piece of furniture: change the hardware

To modernize a chest of drawers, wardrobe or bookcase, sometimes you just need to change the hardware . Opting for sober handles, designs or graphics, allows you to completely transform the appearance of the furniture. Add to a trendy paint, you will no longer recognize your furniture before after .

Makeover idea: bet on new handles / Photo credit: Pinterest

Tip #9 for revamping an old piece of furniture: add designer feet

To break the clumsy effect sometimes associated with old furniture, it is sometimes necessary to bring height. Little trick: add wooden or hell feet to raise, and you're done.

Makeover idea: enhance the piece of furniture with feet / Photo credit: Pinterest

Tip n°10 to revamp an old piece of furniture: divert the function of the piece of furniture

A vintage chest of drawers that becomes a bathroom cabinet; a dresser who leaves the kitchen to decorate the living room; a bar chair that becomes an office chair… anything is possible. Thanks to the makeover you can divert the function of the furniture , to give your home a look that is both trendy and quirky!

Makeover idea: dresser redesigned as a bar / Photo credit: Pinterest