In an effort to increase sustainability and reduce waste in the furniture industry, upcycling has gained massive popularity, with more and more homeowners getting on board with reclaiming and giving new purpose to their old and worn-out furniture.
10 Upcycling Furniture Ideas to Give Your Home a New Look
In an effort to increase sustainability and reduce waste in the furniture industry, upcycling has gained massive popularity, with more and more homeowners getting on board with reclaiming and giving new purpose to their old and worn-out furniture.
Upcycling is a sustainable and cost-effective way of upgrading and finding a new purpose for an unwanted item. It provides a way for aged and worn-out furniture to get a new lease on life. Furniture upcycling takes a piece of furniture that is otherwise considered waste and repurposes it into something that is more functional and beautiful, thus, improving its value.
If you have some aged furniture just sitting in your garage, here are 10 upcycled furniture ideas to help you find a use for them.
1. Convert Wooden Boxes to Shelving Units
Have some wooden boxes or crates just lying around? Why not convert them to shelving units? You can create a unique, one-of-a-kind shelving arrangement by hanging a collection of small wooden boxes and crates on the walls of your home. The surface of each wooden box (or crate) can even be sanded, stained, painted or varnished to create a look that aesthetically stands out and makes the arrangement a point of interest in the room. The shelving units will serve the purpose of providing both storage space and aesthetic appeal to your home.
2. Repaint a Tired-Looking Wardrobe
Wardrobes are big furniture items that take up a lot of space and their appearance can really impact the look and feel of a room. If your wardrobe has seen better days, you can give it a much-needed facelift with repainting. Depending on the type of finish, the process of repainting a piece of furniture can be easy or complicated. To avoid making costly mistakes, it is recommended that you let a furniture restoration professional or company handle all furniture repainting.
3. Create a Coffee Table From Pallets
This is actually one of the easiest ways to upcycle old wooden pallets. All you need to do is add small wheels to the bottom of a small or medium-sized pellet, and Voila! You have a rustic coffee table.
4. Turn Wooden Pallets Into an Outdoor Seating Area
Instead of spending money on new furniture for your outdoor seating area, you can repurpose old wooden pallets for cheap. Finding them is also pretty easy. You can ask your neighbours or check for them at newsagents, grocery stores, and even online. With the old wooden pallets, a saw, some nails, paint, and a little bit of time, you should be able to build some pretty decent outdoor furniture set that includes; a coffee table, a one-seat arrangement (placed at floor level), or a double-stacked four seat corner.
5. Reupholster Old Armchairs and Sofas
Sometimes all you need to revamp an old and dated sofa is to add some new foam cushions and change out its upholstery fabric. Furniture reupholstering can, however, be a time-consuming process, but the results will be worth it.
6. Give Old Furniture a New Look With Stencilling
Stenciling involves the application of designs and patterns onto a surface by spraying, sponging, dabbing, or rolling paint through a cutout overlay that is placed over the surface.
If you have a sizeable piece of furniture, such as a drawer chest or a sideboard, stencilling can be a great way to give it a makeover.
7. Turn Old Tin Cans Into Plant Vases
Instead of throwing away old tin cans, you can get some colourful paints and a paintbrush and proceed to paint some designs on the back. Once the paint has dried completely, add water and a collection of flowers or plants to the tins. This can be a really cheap way to create your own personalised vase.
8. Hang Homemade Storage Hooks
If you have pieces of salvaged wood (maybe from recent construction work) just lying around, you can carve them into stylish wall hooks. You can also paint over a plank of old wood, add some hooks and stylishly secure it to the wall.
9. Upcycle an old Ladder or Scaffolding Into a Towel Holder
You can give an old and unused ladder or scaffolding a new lease on life by repurposing it to serve as a towel holder in the kitchen or bathroom. The ladder can be painted to coordinate with the kitchen or bathroom walls so it blends well with the interior decor.
10. Turn Empty Glass Jars Into Candles
Repurpose old and empty glass jars by turning them into candles. Get a pre-waxed wick and place it in the jar before proceeding to fill up the jar with melted wax (while keeping a hold of the wick). Once the wax is poured, cut off the wick just above the wax level and enjoy your new candle.
Conclusion
Furniture upcycling is a great way to repurpose and find new use for old and unwanted furniture pieces around your home. Above are some easy and cheap furniture upcycling ideas you can use to upgrade your furniture and improve the look of your home.
