Ways To Make Old Furniture Look More Modern
Everyone has that one piece of furniture that doesn't seem to fit anywhere, but there are plenty of ways to make old furniture look more modern.
31/01/2021
pinterest.com/pin/738168195155929024/
When you start out decorating your first home, or looking for ways to save money but still wanting a beautiful home, it's nice to know that you can buy secondhand furniture - or grandma's hand-me-downs - and transform them into modern pieces that fit perfectly into your home, and do it at an affordable cost. Because let's be honest, furniture isn't cheap these days and buying new furniture can cost a fortune if you are looking for something unique or a bit different from what's out there. That's why it pays to look around for bargains that someone discarded and that might just be a hidden treasure just waiting for you to find it.
Making furniture modern isn't just about slapping on a coat of paint, it's about using paint to enhance the beautiful features and make it look perfect for your home.
pinterest.com/pin/20055160830183017/
MAKING WOOD FURNITURE LOOK MODERN
Vintage wood furniture holds great appeal for DIY enthusiasts and those that love to upcycle old furniture and give it a new life. There are plenty of older pieces out there that have beautiful lines and only need some TLC to turn them into Instagram-worthy pieces of any home. And it has become so easy to do this that plenty of entrepreneurs now do it for profit. In many case, it only takes a little bit of effort and some paint to transform something that was thought of as beyond repair to give it a new life and a new purpose.
Wood furniture that is no longer wanted can become an accent pieces for someone else's home and all it takes is a bit of creativity.
pinterest.com/pin/99571841752530130/
The trick to making old furniture into more modern pieces is to only work with those that have good bones - where the frame itself is rock solid. If it's flimsy and barely held together, don't waste your time and money. Give any considered pieces a good going over to check that joints are strong or can be fixed without too much effort. Do try to avoid veneered furniture as the veneer usually covers a multitude of sins, usually in the form of chipboard or MDF.
Solid dark wood furniture can overpower a small bedroom but once painted a lighter colour it is not as overwhelming.
pinterest.com/pin/101964379045679267/
There are many different brands of chalk paint on the shelf and everyone has their own favourite. Look for a brand that offers a wide range of colour choices and finishing options.
MAKING UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE LOOK MODERN
A stroll through my favourite secondhand store reveals some really great bargains out there if you are looking for Boho, Mid-Century or Retro sofas, couches and chairs. I will admit that they look pretty scary at first glance, but when you take a closer look at what's underneath that stained, smelly topping, there's usually a solid frame that makes it easier for you to work with.
The hardest part of making a sofa, couch or chair is putting the framework together, after that, it's simply a case of wrapping everything with foam and batting and then adding your choice of fabric. Re-upholstery an old sofa lets you pick one in a style you like, know that it is well made and sturdy and then upholster in your choice of fabric. When shopping around make sure to look underneath to check that the frame is made from a hardwood and that there isn't a piece of chipboard in sight and then make sure that it hasn't got any holes in the wood, which is a sure sign of insect damage.
pinterest.com/pin/738168195155929024/
With all the tutorials and YouTube videos out there, anyone can tackle an upholstery project and the easiest way to get started and jump right in is to find an old piece of upholstered furniture that you can get stuck into. The Internet has demystified the whole upholstery process so that everyone understands how easy it is to rip of mouldy fabric and foam and reupholster in trendy fabrics.
pinterest.com/pin/290271138475900617/
Any easy project for your first attempt at upholstery is to find a chair that needs recovering on which you can practice your skills. From there, move on to larger more difficult projects.
Upholstering an old sofa isn't going to cost that much either, depending on the fabric you choose for the upholstery. You are looking at some pieces or foam and batting that will probably cost around R600 bucks, your tools and upholstery supplies, and the fabric to finish it all off. So even if you fork out around R3000 for a sticky old sofa, you can still make it look almost new and definitely modern for under R4000 - not bad for an original! and that's why everyone is getting on board with upholstery projects.
pinterest.com/pin/417920040404283887/