These creative furniture makeovers will inspire you to turn that tired old dresser into a showstopper…
Sure, it’s easy enough to refinish a vintage or thrifted piece of furniture with a bit of paint or stain but what about reimagining a piece entirely?
The following examples go beyond the basic sand and paint approach. From adding a new set of legs with a modern twist to applying textured paintable wallpaper, these creative makeovers are anything but average and the end results are spectacular.
1) A vintage dresser restoration ‘a la’ caviar chalk mineral paint
This tasteful transformation was created by Denise from Salvaged Inspirations. She used Caviar Black Chalk-Mineral Paint with black wax and the end result is simply stunning!
The salvaged dresser was already beautiful so Denise’s ‘less is more’ approach was a good call. The caviar black gives it a touch of drama that doesn’t stray from the time period in which it was made and I appreciate that she chose to simply freshen up the existing hardware. The Grecian Gold Rub’n Buff really made these pulls pop!
2) 70’s side tables get a modern metal-based makeover
These DIY metal based night stands by Maggie Overby look super expensive but they were actually a fairly simple and straight forward project you could tackle in a weekend or even a single day.
By replacing the wood base with a new metal base and giving them a fresh coat of paint (Krylon CoverMaxx, Hunter Green and Design Master® Premium Metals spray paint) these end tables went from average to eye-catching.
3) A ‘seen-better-days’ veneer dresser gets a gorgeous stenciled furniture makeover
The creator of this show stopping furniture makeover certainly wasn’t afraid to go bold!
Julie McDowell left as much of the original wood veneer in tact as possible, painted the remainder black for a high contrast finish, and followed it all with Royal Design Studios’ Lisabetta Damask Stencil and Lacy Leaves Furniture Stencils. I love the use of two different but complimentary stencil designs. Trés chic!
Don’t be afraid to try new things, be fearless and give these wondrous pieces a new beginning.
– Julie McDowell
4) An ‘un-salvaged’ furniture makeover ? – Try this IKEA TARVA Hack!
This IKEA hack is just so darn good! – The process is pretty straightforward but the style possibilities are practically endless.
Annie of Champagne Chaos applied paintable wallpaper, pine stop trim, and copper pipes held in place by leather pulls taking this IKEA dresser from basic to badass! I also fell in love with the color – Behr Marquee Cypress Vine in matt finish. LOVE!
5) Automotive paint – An unconventional fix with a quick turn-around!
I literally cannot get over how this final furniture makeover turned out!
The piece was already so beautiful, it wouldn’t have occurred to me to touch it. I also don’t think I would have thought to go with a super high-gloss finish as Kayla Payne did, but she nailed it!
Creator Kayla Payne, needed this piece to dry and cure within a much faster timeframe than normal so she wasn’t able to use the paint she would traditionally use on wood furniture, but in a pinch, automotive paint came to the rescue. The ultra-high sheen that it creates is so reflective it’s practically mirror-like, and I imagine it will hold up incredibly well.
There are, however, some major drawbacks:
1) Automotive paint smells super strong and you’ll need a respirator!
2) You’ll also need a spray gun – a paint brush is out of the question.
3) The paint and supplies can be pretty expensive. Like, add an extra zero to whatever dollar amount you might have in your head…
I really love this look but I think it can be similarly achieved by using a high-gloss paint or lacquer that will satisfy you and your pocket book.
Do any of these pieces inspire you? Tell me your thoughts in the comments below!