9 Genius Upcycled Furniture Projects to Give Your Home a Fresh Look
Upcycling antique furniture is a creative and environmentally friendly way to refresh your home decor. By recycling old or discarded items into functional and stylish pieces of art, you not only reduce waste but also provide your home with unique character. The following are nine ingenious upcycled furniture ideas to inspire your next DIY venture:
1. Dresser to Chic Kitchen Island
Need a kitchen island but don’t have the cash to have one installed, marble top and all? Consider upcycling an old dresser into a trendy kitchen island by removing the top drawers to create open shelving and giving it a fresh coat of paint. This transformation provides additional counter space and storage, enhancing the functionality and attractiveness of your kitchen.
2. Vintage Suitcase as a Table
Breathe new life into an old suitcase by adding wooden legs and converting it into a quirky side or coffee table, depending on its size. The suitcase’s interior offers hidden storage, and its outside adds vintage character to your room, creating a unique, conversation-starter in your living room or bedroom.
3. Wooden Ladder to Bookshelf
A handy tip for decluttering your home is to add vertical storage using the open spaces on your wall. To take this tip further, consider repurposing old, wooden ladders as a rustic, trendy wall-mounted bookshelf. Mount the ladder on the wall and insert wood planks between the rungs to create shelves perfect for storing books and other decorative items.
4. Door to Headboard
Headboards are a lovely addition to any room but can be costly. Instead of spending thousands on the “perfect” design, consider using a reclaimed door to create a unique and one-of-a-kind headboard for your bed. To make it stand out further, sand the door-come-headboard down and paint or re-stain it to match your décor, adding architectural interest and a focal point to your bedroom.
5. Crib to Bench
Cribs are expensive and only used for a short period of time, begging the question of what to do with them when your kids no longer need them. A fun DIY project for the family could be to convert an outgrown crib into a functional bench by taking off one side and bracing the frame. Top it with cushions for comfort, and you have a charming seating solution with sentimental charm.
6. Coffee Table to Ottoman
Need a place to rest your feet that isn’t hard on your heels and ankles? An ottoman converted from an old coffee table might be exactly what you need. You can turn a coffee table into a usable piece of furniture by putting foam padding on top of it and covering it with fabric to create a comfortable ottoman. This DIY is both trendy and functional, offering both seating and a place for your feet.
7. Window Frame to Mirror
If you are renovating your home and wish to reduce the waste inherent in construction, consider reusing your old window frames. These can be used as framing for a countertop, pictures, and a variety of other décor purposes. However, one truly genius idea is to upcycle a vintage window frame by fitting mirrors in place of the glass panes. This old-fashioned-style mirror will add light and the feeling of space to any room.
8. Filing Cabinet to Garage Storage
The bits and bobs that litter our garages all need a place to go, otherwise the space can become overwhelmingly cluttered and messy. Therefore, consider reusing old metal filing cabinets, commonly found at thrift stores or auctions, as durable garage storage. Take out the drawers and flip the cabinet onto its back, and you will have open shelving that is perfect for tool and supply storage.
9. Piano to Bookshelf
Pianos, while beautiful, take up so much space, and if you aren’t one to play instruments, can be rather useless as décor items. However, a trend has emerged where outdated upright pianos that have outlived their utility are being converted into stunning bookshelves. Take out the inner components and add shelves, retaining the exterior beauty of the piano while creating a unique storage unit.
Sources
Revamp Your Space: 9 Clever Concepts for Upcycling Old Furniture
15 Repurposed Furniture Ideas That Will Give Your Pieces a Fresh Look
