Cheap furniture doesn't always have to look it. When you're bored with that hand-me-down dresser, thrift store-sourced table or the IKEA coffee table everyone has, know that the answer isn't throwing it away. You CAN do something to make even the most basic piece of pressed board seem a little more stylish -- even a little more expensive -- without spending more money. Check out these DIY ideas below, then tell us: What's the best advice you have for updating old furniture? (No, "buying something else" doesn't count.)
The easiest way to update any plain piece of furniture is with bold paint.
The original tutorial for this faux wood bed shows you how to fashion a headboard from scratch, but you can use the same easy technique to cover one you already have.
Metal tables are durable, but can look utilitarian. A coat of gold paint changes that.
You don't have to paint the whole piece, either. Here, only the bottom portion of this shelving unit is painted gold, creating a trendy "dip dye" effect.
New knobs can make a big impact for little work. All you have to do is screw them in.
Similarly, a new set of legs can also completely change the look of a table.
Another way to update an old piece of furniture is just to paint a few specific details in a contrasting color, like blogger Kate Riley of Centsational Girl did with a damaged nightstand.
If you're more ambitious, paint a new design on the drawer fronts and add new pulls, like designer Courtney Johnson did with an old dresser.
Really, really, REALLY ambitious? Then turn your metal coffee table into a tufted bench. Blogger Krys Melo will show you how over at Melodrama.
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