Is that tired old chair or worn-out dresser taking up space and gathering dust? Forget about tossing it and start thinking about ways to upcycle it and give it a new life instead. Upcycling old furniture isn’t just kind to the planet; it’s also a great way to infuse your home with character. From reupholstering vintage chairs to adding a splash of fresh paint to an old dresser, there are endless creative ideas to turn outdated pieces into stylish focal decor points. Read some of my top upcycling tips below:
Update hardware & fixtures
For maximum impact with minimal effort, this is always the very first step I take when updating a piece of furniture (or a room!). In our kitchen, we kept the original cupboards but swapped out the old door knobs for sleek new brass ones, and the transformation was incredible. The entire space instantly looked fresher.
Reupholster furniture
If you have an old chair collecting dust in your storage, or maybe you fell in love with a beautiful antique armchair but the upholstery is in bad shape, then get reupholstering! When I still lived in LA, I found a beautiful captain’s chair in an antique shop and stored it for quite some time in our garage until I found the perfect fabric for it. It now lives in my living room and gets so much wear.
Over the years, I’ve also discovered that upholstering is a real creative outlet for me. I love getting lost in fabrics and patterns and picking the right one for any piece of furniture that needs a freshening up. I’ve written about all my favourite fabric brands here
Add a fresh coat of paint
Nothing gives furniture an instant makeover quite like a fresh lick of paint. In my dressing room, we decided to keep the old cupboards that came with the house and just give them a new life with a good clean, a new coat of paint (I went for Ladybug by Earthborn) and artist Amy Balfour’s magic. I wanted a Bloomsbury-inspired panelling, and you can see the video of how it all came together here.
Wallpaper is not just for your walls!
Try dressing up the back panels of old bookcases with pretty wallpaper or lining the inside of old drawers for a beautiful surprise every time you open them. You can even cover front panels of cabinet doors with a bold patterned wallpaper to add a touch of colour and personality to a dull corner (it’s also a great way to cover up any permanent damage the piece may have).
Move it to the garden
If you’re left with a spare piece of furniture that just doesn’t fit in your home, turn it into a beautiful outdoor piece for your garden or balcony. Use water repellent and UV-resistant paints (there are so many environmentally friendly ones too) to make your furniture suitable for the outdoors. Nothing beats having a charming antique dresser under the pergola to display plants and ceramics. You can find more ideas on how to decorate your outdoor space here
Reimagine the Function
Another creative way to upcycle old furniture is to rethink its original purpose entirely. For example, instead of simply restoring a worn-out chest of drawers, consider turning it into a unique bathroom vanity - that’s what we’ve done in our old bathroom! An outdated wooden door can be repurposed as a stylish tabletop, an unused ladder can become a chic bookshelf or plant stand.
