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How to Make Old Furniture New Again
By Elana Watson
Older pieces of furniture that you may already own or can pick up for very little at a garage sale or consignment shop offer an inexpensive way to freshen and change up your decor. A piece that’s tucked away in the garage or basement might be just what you need to give a room a little eclectic twist and it could possibly even work as a focal point for a particular space. Usually, all that’s needed is a little creativity and an open mind towards repurposing: A can of paint or stain and some fabric may help as well. As well as making your interior look uniquely personal, repurposed furniture helps both you and the environment: You save money over what a new piece would cost, eliminate the cost of producing and transporting a new piece of furniture, and an old piece of furniture stays out of our overburdened landfills. How to Freshen with Fabric
An old style of fabric or worn fabric might be the only thing that makes a piece of furniture look threadbare, dingy or dated. New fabric that ties in with your decorating scheme can be used to blend in with your style or create a stylish punch of accenting color or pattern. Recovering chair cushions and ottomans is very easy to do and an old side chair from a dining room set might find a second act as a bedside stand, beside a bathroom vanity or as a convenient place to sit in a bedroom or entry. Reupholstering more complex pieces of furniture is more difficult, but there are many websites that offer step-by-step instructions. Professional reupholstering is an option for valuable antiques or sentimental furniture that you just can’t part with but is usually too costly for average furniture. However, slipcovers may be a more affordable and practical option. Refinish and Repaint for a New Look
Refinishing a sound piece of wooden furniture that is scuffed, scratched or dull is a great way to create a one-of-a-kind focal point for your decor. You can use paint to coordinate the color of a piece with your color scheme, making it functional and even dramatic, if you wish. Many times your creativity actually improves on the original look of the piece because your custom touches have made it a perfect accent for a room. Metallic paints and faux painting techniques let you get as creative as you wish. Repurpose with a Fresh Eye
When you see an old piece of furniture that appeals to you – whether it’s in your own attic or a flea market – don’t be constrained by the original use of the piece, but think outside the box. For instance, a corner hutch that may have been used in a dining room could be the perfect extra storage piece you need in your kitchen or entry or it may even a great display piece to house books and collectibles in a living room. I have a friend who refinished one of these old hutches and used in a corner of her bedroom to store sweaters and blankets; the colors of these stacked woolens behind the glass gave the room a cozy ambiance; it also made it easy to access these items in winter and was the perfect place for them to spend the summer. And don’t overlook the fact that you can often create a whole new look for a room by swapping out furniture from one room to another. This is like getting to redecorate for free!
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PLEASE VISIT THE CONTRIBUTOR'S WEBSITE
Aluminum Sculptures
Sculptures made out of aluminum.
www.americanartisanart.com/aluminum-art-....html
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Thank you for sharing these tips on furniture refinishing, Elana. Many areas have evening education classes of this subject, for people who want to learn hands-on.
Best wishes.
Frederick
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Hi Frederick, Thank you for your comment.
I've got an old cupboard I'm going to refinish and use for small garden tools, collecting baskets and gardening shoes. It will be out of the rain, just under the steps. We have a tool shed but I think this will be handier. Thanks for the reminder. I will get to that tomorrow.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Hi larainerose, Good luck and have fun with your new project.
This article certainly makes me reconsider throwing out the old furniture. Thanks for sharing Elana.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Hi SYRGRADUATE, Thanks for stopping in. Glad to know you appreciate my ideas.
I had a wood flooring customer once who refinished wood furniture. She told me about one project where she found a beautiful old Boston rocking chair that someone had painted green. She spent hours and hours when she could spare time getting all the green paint out from between the grooves in the spindles. After three months she finally had it ready and she stained it and put out for sale. A person came by and wanted to buy it. She said, "I love this chair. I can see it now I'm going to paint it green and put it in my living room. In shock the woman thought fast, "Whoops, wait a minute I just remembered. I think someone just gave me a deposit on that chair." She went in her house for about 15 minutes and came back sand said, "Yep, sorry that chair is already sold!" She told me that if it was any other color than green she might have let it go. 
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Hi biblefreeorg, That’s a very funny story indeed. Well, at least for us. Certainly not for the lady who spent hours getting all the paint out.
Thanks for sharing it.
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