Mateusz Watt 
Buying new furniture is a great way to update a room, but it’s not always feasible. If you love the look of new furnishings but can’t afford to buy them, there are a few creative DIY ideas to help you make over your existing pieces.
Small changes like upgrading hardware can transform a piece. Other options include stenciling and decoupage.
Upcycling
Upcycling involves turning something old into a new, unique item. You can do this by painting, stenciling or swapping out hardware.
It’s also about repurposing furniture to make it more functional or to add style. This could include making a bookcase out of an old cabinet or repurposing a wooden crate as a table.
You can find a lot of inspiration by checking out online DIY furniture makeover projects. Some of these feature before and after photos that show a transformation from boring to beautiful.
Upcycling is a great way to save money and also supports a circular economy (where items are reused instead of being discarded after one use). You can start by looking for items at your local Habitat ReStore or a thrift store.
Stenciling
Adding stenciling to your furniture makeover projects is a quick and affordable way to add a pop of color or pattern. Whether it’s a wall mural, a trellis stencil on the top of a dresser, or an ethnic floral pattern on an end table, you can bring your decorating vision to life with just a little paint and some basic tools.
When creating a stencil with a repeating pattern, adding registration marks will help you keep your design straight and clean. Trace your pattern on contact paper and cut along the lines with an X-acto knife or craft knife. This will make it easier for you to line up your stencil when you’re painting so that you don’t have any paint bleeding or unwanted spots in the finished product.
Painting
New furniture can be a hefty investment, especially for homeowners on a tight budget. However, a little bit of paint, a few brushes, stencils, and elbow grease can transform the shabbiest of furniture into gorgeous home decor pieces. This is a great idea for upgrading or flipping thrift store finds or even for painting over old laminate pieces that you can no longer stand.
Besides being budget-friendly, DIY furniture makeovers are also a fun way to express your creative personality and add flair to your home. It’s also environmentally friendly because you’re reusing an old piece of furniture and keeping it out of the landfill. Plus, you can experiment with different techniques to create one-of-a-kind pieces that are truly unique. The results are nothing short of amazing!
Upgrading Hardware
Giving new life to old furniture is a favorite DIY project for many. It’s also a sustainable way to get unique pieces for your home. Whether you’ve got an ugly dresser, an outdated chair, or a piece of furniture you went dumpster diving for, breathing new life into it is easy with paint, stencils, and other methods.
Replacing the hardware is another easy way to give a piece of furniture a brand new look. Mixing and matching different hardware styles can add visual interest and personality to a piece. For example, you can swap out a nightstand’s old drawer pulls for fun hairpin legs or modern metal ones for a contemporary feel. You can find inexpensive furniture knobs and handles at most hardware stores.
Reupholstering
Changing the fabric on a piece of furniture can make it look entirely different. It’s also a great way to incorporate your style and personality into the room. You can use a wide variety of fabrics, from velvet for an opulent touch to linen for a classic feel.
Many people assume that they have to buy new furniture when their space needs a redesign, but there are many ways to transform existing pieces to fit the new design. With a little bit of creativity and time, you can save money and give your home a fresh new look. These DIY furniture makeover ideas are simple to do and don’t require much technical knowledge or artistic skill. Just a few tools and some patience will do the trick!
