As an interior designer one of my goals is to help clients understand what size and style of furniture works best for their home. Sometimes when I visit a client for the first time I can see that the size and layout of the furniture is perfect but the pieces are dated and tired. 

It’s most common that I would help source new furniture but that’s not the only option. If you have pieces that are high quality and well constructed it’s possible to repurpose or refinish them. These options are not inexpensive so this isn’t necessarily going to save money but it will allow you keep the pieces that you love right where they are and just give them a facelift. 

Furniture Pieces That Can Be Repurposed

Maybe you’d like new living room furniture but the old pieces are worth salvaging and reusing somewhere else in your home. I love to see furniture donated but there are other ways for you to keep your own pieces and reuse them.

Before you begin, examine the piece closely and ask yourself these questions. Is this piece solid wood? If so, is it free of cracks, splinters or significant damage? If it’s an upholstered piece you’ll want to know the quality. If you bought it at a big box store the chances are the frame is made from plywood and probably glued together. It’s not worth investing more money in a low quality piece. On the other hand, if this is a well constructed piece with a solid frame it can be updated and given a brand new life. 

1/ Dressers Become Bathroom Vanities

Have you ever admired a bathroom vanity that looks like a sink sitting atop a dresser? In fact, it’s a common way to reuse a beautiful dresser that just needs a second life. If the wood is intact you can simply get started but if it’s in need of work, consider painting it first. A fresh coat of stain or paint can absolutely transform an old piece. An addition of new knobs or pulls can also brighten up a tired dresser. If you want to learn about how to select knobs and pulls, read this post. 

With larger closets in many homes we often don’t have a need for a dresser. If you have one you can’t part with this is a great way to reuse it. 

A handyman or a carpenter can convert the piece by cutting out holes in the back for pipes. Now you can select a sink, faucets and a countertop and arrange for the installation. While it may sound intimidating it’s often less expensive to pay for the labour of converting a dresser than to buy a poorly constructed vanity from a big box store.

2/ Table Becomes Kitchen Island

It’s not necessary to spend thousands of dollars on a brand new kitchen island, particularly if the island is just to provide additional prep space. By adding a shelf at the bottom for storage you’ve just given yourself the extra countertop you require and you’ve given your old table a brand new life.

The issue to be aware of is that standard countertop height is 36” from the floor but a table is typically 30”. You can be creative and add something to the bottom to increase the height. This island transformation above includes the addition of wheels to bring the height closer to the countertop and it looks great on that rustic table. If you don’t like the idea of wheels you can add furniture feet in a style that works best in your space. Be creative and find solutions that make the transformation personal to you and look best in your home. 

3/ Utility Stand or Credenza Becomes Bar Cart

If you haven’t shopped for a bar cart you might be very surprised to see the cost. They’re generally an expensive item and they can be hard to source because they’re not in high demand. Consider the placement before you invest in one. If it’s going to be tucked into a corner you might not want to invest the money required for a new one. Alternatively, if this is something that’s on display it’s a good investment to splurge on something you love. 

If you enjoy a DIY project this can be a really easy and fun project. The most common transformations reuse a small tv stand or a credenza that might otherwise find its way to the landfill. Even a small bookshelf can become a beautiful bar cart. This gives you options as to whether you prefer open or closed storage for your bar. 

Furniture Pieces That Can Be Refinished

The quality of your old furniture piece will always be the predetermining factor as to whether or not it’s a good candidate for a transformation. You’ve probably heard about furniture having good bones but may not know what it looks like practically. Below I’m describing what to look for to help you determine whether your piece has good bones and is ready to begin a new life. 

More important than whether the piece qualifies for transformation is whether you still like this piece. Even if it’s in great shape, if you’re not loving it anymore you probably won’t love it afterwards either.

If the answer is yes you’ll need to find out if the quality is good enough to warrant refinishing it. Here’s how to tell:

1/ Solid Wood Tables

Any solid wood table can be refinished by a professional and could come back to you looking like a brand new piece. Maybe the stain is dated or there are water stains that you can’t remove. Your old piece could come back looking like a star with just a little work.

If you’re not sure whether it’s solid wood you can speak to  a refinisher who will be able to give you specific information about how to determine what the piece is made from.

If you only need the piece to be stripped and restained that will be the most economical. When adding in stain removal and repair to chips and cracks you’ll be incurring additional expense. This type of work varies in price depending on where you love. It’s always best to reach out to a local business to determine what the price will be. 

2/ Solid Upholstered Pieces

Your favourite sofa or chair doesn’t necessarily need to be retired but instead could possibly be reupholstered. The first step is to determine the quality of the frame and the condition of the seat and back cushions. Reupholstering is only possible when the interior is in good shape. A reupholsterer can repair damage to most frames if the damage is repairable meaning it’s not damaged beyond repair. Same for the seat and back cushions. If they are salvageable they will be reused but if they are deteriorating, they will also need to be replaced before upholstering can begin. 

If your piece is determined to be repairable you can select an up-to-date fabric and you will be able to keep the the shape and size you love but with a very updated outer appearance. Only you will know it’s the same piece as so often they are unrecognizable when they’re updated.

It’s best to speak to a local upholsterer who will be able to answer all of your questions about moving ahead. 

3/ Area Rugs 

An area rug that’s made from natural fibres like wool, silk or jute is an investment but it’s one that can pay off for a long, long time. This is especially true when you consider that it can be repaired even after many long years of use.

We all know that rugs can be cleaned to remove stains but it’s also possible to breathe new life into your old rug in other, more significant ways. Rips, fraying edges and even damage from water can be restored and repaired. This additional investment allows you to reuse your rug for many years to come. 

When To Let It Go

Sometimes regardless of how much we love it, a piece may be beyond repair. If a table has a wobbly, cracked or broken frame it may be time to say goodbye.

If you have upholstered pieces that have been damaged by water you may be experiencing stains but worse than that is the mold and mildew that could exist underneath the upholstery. It’s possible to replace all of that but if the damage is significant you likely have damage to the frame as well. That’s when you know it’s time to say goodbye.

For those of us that love our pets it’s hard to admit that sometimes they can be responsible for ruining our furniture. If your pets are responsible for odours in your furniture you can first try a cleaner specifically designed for pet odour. If that doesn’t help try a rented or professional steam cleaning. The problem with odours is that once they become trapped into the fibres of a piece of furniture it can be next to impossible to remove it. You may have come to the end of the road with this piece.

I hope this helps to give you some confidence to move ahead with a transformation of your own. If you are certain that it’s time for a more significant change to your home, reach out to me. I’d love to speak to you about an upcoming project that requires professional assistance. 

Warm regards,

Adrienne