Before you send your old furniture to the landfill, check out these inspiring upcycling ideas for cabinets, chairs, sofas and more!
10 Upcycled Furniture Ideas That Give Your Pieces New Life
Updated on Jan. 20, 2024
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Midcentury Modern Desk
Professional upcycler @oliveandwhyte brings old furniture like this desk back to life with her distinctive style and refinishing skills. Her modern aesthetic features simple clean lines and exposed materials where possible.
The original orange-red finish of this wood desk was dusty and outdated. With sanding, black paint, and new gold hardware, the desk is now fresh and sophisticated.
Also, check how to decide which furniture is worth keeping and how to get rid of unwanted furniture.
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@studio_adash Check out thus makeover! Can you believe this dresser is made up of 90% particle board? 🤯 All dressers deserve to be saved from the landfill 🙌 #beforeandafter #upcycledfurniture #dressermakeover #furnitureflippersoftiktok #upcycle ♬ original sound – Ashley
Pole Wrap Dresser
Watch as @studio_adash uses pole wrap (a pliable sheet of decorative wood) to add texture and interest to this old dresser.
She starts by scuff sanding the entire dresser to remove the smooth finish. Next, she fills holes with wood filler and applies primer. She finishes by applying a couple of coats of green paint, adhering the pole wrap and attaching new sleek hardware. Now a piece that was headed to the landfill has a whole new modern look! Bring an old dresser back to life with these affordable painted dresser ideas.
Also, check out these DIY old dresser ideas to completely transform your old dresser into something stylish.
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Wallpapered Night Stands
To transform these French Provincial-style nightstands, @thedovestail applied wallpaper and painted everything (including the wallpaper!) a soft green. She removed some of the more ornate details to give the nightstands a cleaner look, then added textured wallpaper to the drawers and sides for understated pattern.
For a similar muted green color, try Halcyon Green from Sherwin-Williams.
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@riel.design Reply to @inthenameoflane wait for the surprise at the very END #furnitureflip #upcyledfurniture #chairupcycle ♬ Vegas (From the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ELVIS) – Doja Cat
DIY Dream Chairs
Can you believe these beautiful chairs were once a waiting room bench?
Because the seats were shaped like a high-end designer chair out of her price range, @riel.design got to work upcycling the bench to make her own dream chairs. The process was extensive, including sewing new fabric covers and making legs from scrap wood. But the results are stunning!
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Updated Cabinet
This old wood and glass cabinet is unrecognizable after @mod_restoration got ahold of it!
Removing the glass from the doors and attaching modern legs instantly updated the shape of the cabinet. Then she took it even further by adding geometric texture to the back of the cabinet with thin pieces of wood. Next, she painted the entire thing a rich teal color; check out Yorktowne Green by Benjamin Moore for a similar look.
Oh if you’re wondering what to do with that old sofa, rocking chair, or desk? Check this collection of options to know where to donate furniture.
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@ivorysharae Dyed my couch and im way happier with it now! I think ill eventually get a new one but for now fuck it we ball!! Dye is linked in my amazon #interiordesign #dye #dyecouch #dyechair #dyefabric ♬ original sound – RnB Nostalgic
Painted Couch
Bring an old, faded couch back to life with fabric paint! That’s how @ivorysharae took her green sofa from blah to beautiful, using FabriCoat Fabric Paint.
Simply apply the paint with a brush or sponge to change the color of the fabric without changing the texture. Once painted, the fabric remains soft and flexible, and the color won’t transfer to clothes. It’s a great way to get a new look without paying for expensive reupholstery services.
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Cane Webbing Details
This cabinet looks like something you could buy at Anthropologie, but it’s actually an old wine cabinet. To give it a fresh look, @kyleacivellodesign added doors with gold hardware and trendy cane webbing details. It’s a great example of using creative solutions to turn an outdated yet sturdy piece into a showstopper.
The doors also hide the wine clutter inside for a more streamlined look. Get to know about different types of furniture.
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Fluted Wood Contrast
For beginner-level upcycler projects, choose something small. Smaller furniture means smaller mistakes that are easier to correct.
The makeover for these simple nightstands from @flippedinstyle, include white chalk paint and fluted wood. The wood (aka beaded wood) attached to the front of the table creates the illusion of a drawer and provides a nice contrast against the white paint. Looking for more options? We’ve curated a list of clever chalk paint furniture ideas.
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@kikibhussy_ Another 2 day obsession passion project! Found a bench that was about to go into the trash and reupholstered it. Cost me under $250 for the whole thing. Found comparable benches for over $1-2k. I am obsessed. Tell me what you think? Do you guys want to see more of this stuff? #fashiontiktok #vintagefurniture #furnituremakeover #diyfurniture #upcycling ♬ In Ha Mood – Ice Spice
Upholstered Bench
This luxe upholstered bench was actually upcycled from an old wood IKEA bench. Watch the transformation as @kikibhussy_ covers the bench with foam, cuts indentations for the sections and covers the whole thing in soft navy blue velvet.
The final look is one-of-a-kind. But if you want to take a faster route, check out this similar bench that can be shipped straight to your doorstep.
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@genevavanderzeil Dining table made using planters #upcycling #diy #bunnings #bunningsinspo #upcycled #foundthenflipped #furnitureflip #thriftflip ♬ original sound – Geneva Vanderzeil
Sculptural Table Base
@genevavanderzeil created this gorgeous outdoor table with an old round tabletop and planters for the base. That’s right — planters! By stacking round planter bowls and filling the joints with plaster, this unique sculptural base was born.
Once everything was assembled with heavy duty Liquid Nails, she painted the entire piece with textured paint for a cohesive finish.
