Old and worn furniture can make the rooms in your home outdated and dingy. However, throwing away these unique pieces shouldn’t be your first option. With a little creative ingenuity and craftsmanship, you can turn your junk into timeless treasures. Here are five creative ways to reuse and restore your old furniture.
1. Outdoor Uses
Old and outdated items of furniture may clash with some of your most current pieces, and you need to find alternate uses for them. An end table, chair or loveseat may make the ideal setting for your front porch or outdoor patio. Add some greenery in vases or planters, and you have a homey place to unwind when the weather is nice.
2. New Role
Before you toss your cabinet, book shelf or claw foot bath tub in the trash, you may be able to find a creative use for it. Filling a claw foot tub with dirt and adding a sea of flowers and greenery can add character to your garden. A cabinet with sagging shelves may not be strong enough for heavy books, but it can house your child’s doll or plush toy animal collection.
3. Restore and Repair
Sometimes a simple repair or restoration may be in order to spruce up your old furniture. A cabinet with a squeaky hinge or missing knob can be refurbished easily with a bit of oil and new hardware. For a chair or loveseat with wobbly legs, you can handle the repair by making a new leg out of fresh lumber. When fixed right, you may be able to get some extra years of enjoyment out of your favorite pieces of furniture.
4. Extreme Makeover
The options are endless when it comes to refurbishing some of your favorite furnishings. For worn dining room seat cushions, chairs or a sofa, you can add a new bolt of fabric to mesh with your current decorating scheme. A drab cabinet or table is a cinch to liven up when you add a fresh coat of paint or stain. For scratched or worn lamps, a recovered shade and decoupaged base can brighten your great room or den.
5. Deciding What You Wish to Keep
A once beautiful cabinet, table or sofa may not be completely salvageable. However, you can dissect your favorite pieces and keep the areas that may be of value later on such as the hardware, glass and legs.
Instead of spending money to redecorate every room in your home, you can utilized some crafty ideas to transform your tattered pieces into unique gems.
