After spending the last couple of months indoors, waiting for warmer days to arrive, you’ve probably grown tired of looking at the same-old furniture. So, why not take the opportunity to throw in a home makeover into your annual spring cleaning ritual, and give your worn-out pieces a brand new look?

Time to choose your ‘victim’ and give one of my eight favorite ways to breathe new life into your old furniture a try – quick and easy!

Words: Ethan Johnson

1. Go Back To Basics

Everything else you do will be in vain if you decide to skip this vital step, so take the time to assess the situation and see what you’re working with here. The truth is, you’ll always be able to do more with strong woods such as oak or parawood, than with particle boards.

Plus, sometimes all your furniture needs is a few simple touch-ups – tightening a couple of screws, some glue here and there, or a set of new, shiny handles and knobs. Before you start planning your DIY project (and I hope you’ll pick one from my list of suggestions), be sure to check the basic stuff first. You’d be surprised how much of a difference these minor repairs can make!

2. There’s Nothing A Fresh Coat Of Paint Won’t Fix

One of the simplest ways to give your old, shabby-looking furniture (unless shabby chic is a look you’re going for, but more on that later) is to add a new coat of paint.

So, pick a color you like, get all your brushes ready and get down to business!

3. Distress To Impress

Breathing new life into old furniture by embracing the “aged” look might sound like a confusing concept, but here’s the thing – if done right, distressed furniture can truly bring a unique look to your home. If you were never a fan of the cold, straight lines of minimalism, and want something that feels a bit more “homey” and stylish at the same time, then a few carefully distressed pieces are the way to go.

For the best results, opt for a soft base color – creamy white, duck egg blue, and grey-white are some of my favorites for a shabby chic vibe – and go from there.

4. Opt For Reupholstering If Your Furniture Is Looking A Bit Worn Down

In some cases, the structural pieces of your furniture might still be in great shape, and it would be a shame to mess around with them – but the upholstery started showing signs of daily wear and tear. So, if the fabric and cushions look like they’ve seen better days, reupholstering is the way to go.

The key here is not to be afraid of making a statement. Now’s not the time to be shy – if you like striking colors or bold prints, don’t be scared of picking fabrics that show off that part of your personality!

5. Give The Dipped Look A Try

Why should our shirts and hair be the only ones that get the dip dye treatment, when it could work with furniture, as well? Not only will it give a new, modern twist to an old (and often uninspiring) furniture but could result in pieces that are unique – just like you!

Play around with pops of vibrant color, let some of the natural wood show through, or combine dark base colors (such as a deep, dark blue or black) with a bold metallic dip-dye for a touch of elegance and chic – the options are endless.

6. Get Crafty With Wallpapers

I can almost guarantee I know what you’re thinking right now:

What do wallpapers have to do with furniture?

But, as I said many times before, now’s the time to get creative and yes, that includes moving some of those eye-catching designs meant for your walls to your plain, old furniture.

The key word here is “balance,” though. I mean, sure, you could go all out and cover the entire piece with wallpaper, but don’t forget about the big picture – it should still fit in with the overall vibe of your home and, most importantly, the surrounding furniture.

7. Single And Ready To Mingle

Yes, we’re still talking about the furniture. Here’s the thing:

Sometimes it’s not about what you do to the furniture, but what you do with it – and when things start looking dull, but you don’t feel like tackling a DIY project right now, mixing it up a bit could be all you truly need.

8. Artistic Souls Will Love The Splattered Paint Look

I should probably warn you that this one isn’t for the faint of heart, because, let’s face it, splattered paint isn’t a look everyone can pull off without looking like a complete mess. However, if you have an inner artist waiting to be unleashed, now’s your time to shine!

Pick your base color (I’d recommend you go with a something darker, such as a deep navy blue), dip your brush of choice into accent colors (light blue and purple, for example) and start splattering. It will be a fun and liberating experience, and you’ll get to transform your furniture pieces into tiny galaxies in the process, too!

Final Touches

Okay, time to wrap things up! I sincerely hope you found this DIY guide helpful – and inspiring – enough to make you reconsider getting rid of your old furniture. There’s hidden potential in every single piece you own, no matter how worn-down it may look right now – but you have to be willing to dig below the surface.

So, instead of kicking them to the curb, remember why you bought them in the first place, and do your best to rekindle that fire with my eight ways to breathe new life into your old furniture!