Drab-to-Fab DIY Furniture Projects

May 20, 2016
Have old, boring furniture sitting around? Not anymore. Thanks to these fab makeovers, your tired dressers, hutches, chairs, and nightstands are just a project away from a new lease on life.
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Before: Shabby Desk

With a beat-up, worn-over-time look (and not in a good way), this desk was in desperate need of a rescue.

 

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After: Sleek and Chic

Glossy red paint and new hardware redeemed the piece. Go the next slide to learn how to paint furniture like a pro.

 

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How to Paint Furniture

Watch and learn the steps to a perfect painted finish.

 

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Before: Past Its Prime Time

The once ubiquitous entertainment center has fallen out of favor in our era of flat screen TVs and Roku boxes. With fewer cords and stacks of DVDs (and video tapes) no longer family room fixtures, these forlorn units are begging for makeovers. And so we give you ... 

 

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After: Kitchen Central

Every last inch of this former entertainment center is packed with smart kitchen storage. Removing the door creates easy-access open storage. Pegboard turns the open back of the TV shelf into hanging storage. Four-inch PVC pipe cut to length and painted was adhered to the former VCR shelf with construction adhesive for wine storage. Oh, and did we mention that new fabulous paint job?

 

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Before: Basic Dresser

A simple dresser was ripe with potential as something out of the ordinary.

 

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After: Clever Desk

Diane Henkler, of In My Own Style, turned the dresser into a clever desk with a drop-down front. Painting the interior blue and attaching false drawer fronts with vintage-style pulls to the bottom drawers gives the piece a unique look.

Diane completed this project as part of our Makeover Madness challenge, and she was declared the winner! Go to the next slide to learn more about her project.

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Dresser-to-Desk Makeover

Watch and learn more about Diane's makeover.

 

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Before: Boring Brass

Right now, this brass lamp base isn’t chic or stylish. But with a little paint and a round metal baking sheet, it can be turned into a new, custom end table.

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After: Stunning Table

With a little imagination, an old lamp can become a custom table. Here's how: Disassemble the lamp by unscrewing the lampshade harp, removing the lamp socket using pliers, and cutting the lamp cord below the socket and pulling it away from the base. Drill through the center of a round metal baking sheet using a hole saw bit. Unscrew the nut on the lamp and apply a bit of metal epoxy. Slip the baking sheet over the threaded rod and press down to secure to top of lamp. Thread a washer and the nut that was removed earlier onto the rod, applying epoxy first to each part. Finish the top by attaching a cap nut. Spray with lacquer spray paint.

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Before: Refurb-Ready

Once used as a changing table, this dresser was ready for a new purpose and new finish.

 

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After: Light and Bright

Creamy white paint lightens the look of the bulky piece. (And bonus, the color matches the closet doors of the room in which it resides.) Inexpensive new knobs and metallic dotted details complete the makeover.

 

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Before: Bookcase with Potential

With a crisp white finish and high-profile molding, this bookcase was on a course to better design.

 

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After: Bookcase Made Beautiful

Watch to see how a few simple styling tricks and DIY add-ons transformed the simple bookcase into a stunner.

 

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Before: From Just a Chair ...

You'll never guess what this chair became after its amazing makeover. (Hint: Your four-legged friends will be pleased.)

 

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After: Pet Bed

With a few extra pieces of lumber, an old chair can becomes a bed fit for your furry BFF. Here's how: Dismantle the chair, cutting the chairback and legs away from the seat. Build a frame of inexpensive pine and plywood to the size you need for the bed, adding a lip to hold the cushion in place. Use wood glue and screws to attach the chairback as the headboard and the legs as the footboard. Finish by painting everything a unifying color and adding a comfy, washable pet bed or cushion.

 

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Before: Honey Hue

The finish on this table needed a style makeover.

 

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After: Contemporary Finish

With so-hot gray stain and a pretty stenciled design, this table became a showstopper.

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Before: Midcentury Snooze

We're all for midcentury-modern furniture. But we also won't scoff at a make-it-better revamp. And so we give you...

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After: Most Improved

Watch and see how a simple paint makeover gave the piece a new lease on life in the 21st century.

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Before: Snoozer Headboard

Maybe it's a handmedown or maybe it's the bed from the set you've had forever. Either way, it's time to rethink your wood bedframe. 

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After: Stylish Focal Point

Yes, that really is the same headboard. Thanks to a tension rod, batting, fabric, and a few basic tools, this once plain-Jane headboard gets the Cinderella treatment, which fortunately doesn't go away when the clock strikes 12.

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Before: Unassuming Dresser

The simple white finish of this dresser begged to be reimagined.

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After: Antique Finish

Milk paint and an antique finishing glaze give the dresser a throwback vibe. The antique look is complete with vintage-inspired dresser pulls.

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Before: One-Dimensional Chair

With a great shape and fab design, a quick fix customized this chair to take it to the next level.

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After: Color Panache

By painting just the vertical spindles, this chair receives a custom look without the hefty price tag. To recreate the look, tape off the parts of the chair you want to leave unpainted. Apply interior/exterior latex primer, let dry, and then apply latex paint in your color of choice. For tight detail work, use a 1/2-inch flat detail brush.

 

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Before: Hodgepodge Hutch

Tall and gangly, this hutch was destined to store more than just knickknacks and china.

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After: Bath Storage Superstar

With a new back and fresh paint, this beauty is primed for primping supply storage in the bathroom. The shelves are perfect for storing frequently accessed items and stacks of folded towels, while drawers hide other necessities and less frequently used items.

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Before: Has-Been Hutch

With a formal profile and a dinged-up finish, this hutch was begging for a modern revamp.

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After: Fresh-Faced and Fabulous