DIY Furniture Makeovers - Before and After Inspiration

Transform thrift-store and garage sale finds into statement pieces with paint, fabric and other cosmetic upgrades.

An old laminate table that had been set aside for the curb received a makeover with an expensive-looking bone inlay top featuring stenciled designs, as well as new legs.

Painting furniture can be an economical way to give it a whole new look, from using splatter or drip paint for an artsy vibe, or by adding silver or gold accents.

Table of Contents

Dresser

Dressers are an often forgotten or disregarded component of bedroom decor; yet their potential can become the centerpiece of a transformation. Give your dresser some new life by giving it a coat of paint to boost its looks and functionality.

This gender-neutral dresser features an eye-catching chevron pattern to add flair. DIYer joined wooden blocks together and painted them for this distinctive design.

Use different shades of paint to give this shabby dresser its own distinct appearance. Begin with a light base color, adding contrast colors for the top and middle sections before mixing coordinating hues where they meet for an eye-catching effect.

Use a small paintbrush and painters tape to outline a geometric pattern on the top of this dresser, before filling in its space with white semigloss enamel paint for an updated and fresh look. As an extra touch, line its drawers with decorative paper attached with wallpaper paste for additional dimension.

Bookcase

Bookshelves are an extremely practical piece of furniture, used both for storage purposes and displaying collections and trinkets. If your basic bookcase doesn’t match your aesthetic, these DIY upgrades may give it an upgrade and make it look more pleasing.

Chalk paint was used for this makeover to give the wooden furniture a new layer of color, with fabric covering the back of the bookshelf for an eye-catching twist.

Beadboard installation can add an elegant custom touch to any bookshelf, as this tutorial from Confessions of a Serial DIYer shows. Furthermore, beadboard can also help reduce budget with its use of reclaimed wood.

At Girl in the Garage’s DIY workshop, they used yardsticks as bookcase backing instead. You could then fill your shelves with pretty vases and decorative objects as well as photos for an individualized touch.

Wing Chair

Reupholstering a wing chair can be an easy and affordable way to upgrade your favorite sitting space, adding new life and style to a tired old piece. Plus it’s environmentally-friendly by eliminating waste by recycling existing materials! First step should be removing old upholstery and prepping the frame – sand where necessary and apply furniture paste wax as required – followed by cutting fabric and batting according to size; generally 7 metres of fabric should do it per chair depending on its structure/size/shape & shape/structure!

Add wadding between the seat back and wings; this adds a soft feel while protecting fabric from wear-and-tear. Mark your fabric for tufting; distance between buttons should depend on foam depth; for diamond tufting leave an extra inch between buttons for this step.