The surge in popularity of “repurposed” and “upcycled” furniture has dramatically risen over the past 10 years. I think that’s due, in no small part, to the reality of the economy and what it has done to the personal spending habits of Americans since 2007. Although we see the economic forecast improving around us, we don’t always feel it in our own wallets, right? So, over the past 7 or 8 years we have seen the interest in more DIY projects that involve dated, forgotten pieces re-imagined into charming, eye-catching ones. Yard sales, dumpster diving, and Goodwill finds have never been so en vogue.
If you follow crafty, decorating blogs, business pages on Facebook, or the plethora of decorating shows on television then you’re already aware of the phenomenon. The exciting part of these furniture transformations is that you can save tons by re-thinking the purpose and possibilities of a piece. The most important thought process when contemplating a repurposing project is to know the integrity of the furniture. Does it have good bones? Is it worth saving? How much time and money will it take to make the necessary changes? Where will I use the piece in my home? When you determine that a dated piece of furniture is worth your efforts then it pays to go online and research the options.
Several years ago we flipped the contents of two adjoining rooms in our home. That involved finding a new place for the television. We thought the fireplace mantel was too high for comfortable viewing so I began to think on other options we had. I realized that my unused 1980’s dark wood dresser was sitting in our guest bedroom just collecting dust and taking up valued space. I decided that the dresser would fit perfectly into our living room space. Then after choosing a color, I chalk-painted the dresser (no sanding required!), removed two drawers for the tv components, and bought acrylic knobs to replace the dated brass pulls. I sanded the edges to give it a slightly distressed look, gave it all a light coat of wax, and I was finished! It felt like a completely NEW piece of furniture with a functional purpose. It’s my favorite project to date and all it took was a try.
It’s amazing what you can do with a yard sale or Goodwill find that has been tossed to the side. I love how painted furniture adds warmth and interest into a room. It’s breaks up the monotony of “sets” of furniture and brings a creative flair that becomes a great topic of conversation. Repurposing furniture is a huge money-saver but it also allows you to mix pieces into different rooms of the house that you may not have imagined before giving you many more decorating options. So, what’s the downside? Do it once and you may find yourself addicted to treasure hunting and transforming more pieces around your home.
Jennifer Ingram is the owner of Gracious Spaces, an interior styling and home staging business in Brentwood. She specializes in consultations, interior styling, move-in design, & home staging services in the Brentwood/Franklin/Nolensville area. Questions? Email [email protected], http://facebook.com/graciousspacesstyle, or http://gracious-spaces.net for more details.
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