As we focus in on furniture choices this June, it bears repeating that often the best "new" furniture solution is a rethink of the furniture you already own — no one can argue that keeping pieces out of landfill while giving them a second (or third) life isn't a worthwhile way to go. Sometimes a good refinish is all that is needed, but you may have a piece that is too far gone (or wasn't up to snuff to begin with) and in those cases, adding a coat of color can help; here are ten from our archives that are worth a peek.
• SHOWN ABOVE: Iris's Newly Colorful Credenza: Her trusty IKEA piece — formerly brown with glass doors — is now a colorful Knoll-inspired piece that not only hides things more successfully than the old credenza did but is a bright spot in her calm and neutral space.
• Beverley's Kitchen Island: After seeing your post on DIY kitchen islands a couple of months ago, I was inspired to forego an IKEA or other pre-made solution and make something that would be unique to us.
• Centsational Girl's Cabinet Transformation: Adding crown molding, priming the laminated surfaces, brightening with white paint, and coloring the interior with a small green paint sample from True Value transformed this standard shelving into something really special.
• Jason's Dramatic Table Overhaul: The table itself is an affordable little occasional table I bought at Target.com about three years ago. The table's finish hasn't aged very well — it chipped off on the legs and around the edges of the top, revealing an undercoat that's much lighter than the dark finish.
• Meg's Mid-Century Dresser Repainted: What you can't see is that this dresser was torn apart on top. It had gauges and scratches all over. It took a very coarse sandpaper and a thick coat of primer, but we were able to get it smooth.
• Johnny's Painted Dining Chairs: While perusing Craigslist earlier this year, I came across these handsome retro chairs. The set of four was sturdy and chic, but the chippy varnish was a mess. Our painted pine floor looks lovely, I thought, so why not paint these pine chairs too?
• Becki's Thrift Store Find Color Makeover: The paint color she used is Martha Stewart Milk Pail: a medium aqua blue that isn't too shocking. The finished result is such a great complement to her chocolate brown wall and white television stand, and has inspired me to find something in my own home to makeover with this pop of color.
• Lindsey's Rescued Kitchen Cart: I rescued this cart from an estate sale for 25 cents. And with the help of sand paper, spray paint and barkeeper's friend I refreshed it with a new color and shiny, polished legs again.
• Veronica's Dresser Turned Yellow Charmer: You know the drill. A roadside find that is just begging for a makeover, so you pull over, somehow manage to get it in the car and think to yourself--lucky find! That's exactly how Veronica came to acquire this dresser (but knew the messily applied grey enamel paint had to go).
• The Dresser and the Orange Bottle : We're no strangers to saving a great piece of furniture by giving it a little love which in turn gives it a longer life. One thing we've always struggled with however, is brush strokes. For the most part we like to use a foam roller to help out with that, but there's an easier way — and it comes in a magical little orange bottle.
List originally compiled as part of our year-end review: Best of 2010
Veronica & Keith's Handmade Chic 
Before & After: A Bathroom Goes From Pinky Peach to Sleek and Chic
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Hunslet Dinner Plate
A Beginner's Guide to Superb Stir-Fry: Quick, Healthy Meals from a Wok
Easy Pitcher Cocktail Recipe: Strawberry Basil Margaritas
Comments (18)
Woah I have Johnny's chair! I painted just the seat hot pink. I'm actually not using it... its on Boston Craigslist if anyone wants it.
These are awesome! We all are guilty of throwing old pieces away too quickly. A little vision goes a long way. Thanks for sharing.
Theresa at http://www.brandwave.org
ok, you're making me want to paint!! ahh!! great stuff!!
I love the colorful credenza... would look so great in my space (hint hint). I love the magazine side table.
I agree that all these pieces had great bones to begin with.
absolutely IN LOVE with that cute magazine side table, the bold red occasional table, and the yellow charmer dresser is to die for!!! Can I have all of them please???
<3 this! my eyes are permanently peeled for fixer uppers.
I am in the middle of a chair repainting nightmare! I've tried brushing on primer as well as spraying-- that floetrol tip came right in the nick of time! Thanks!!
The dresser that was painted, I just love it and the fact that there are no brush strokes! I'm curious to know what the magical orange bottle is. I live in Canada so perhaps this is a product that is not available here.
BevG, the orange bottle is referring to Floetrol, although mine came in a beige bottle with only a bit of orange on the logo. I've used it and it definitely helps.
This is timely, I just came across three tables in the ditch near my home in the country. Usually I bristle at roadside dumping but the tables I happily loaded into the truck and brought home to refinish. They've got to be some kind of sturdy to survive being pitched out of the back of a truck ay? How to pick a color though, ay de mi!
I painted a piece of furniture with latex paint and it never really dried. Anything we set down on top or on the shelves for a period of time would stick. (Not to mention the brushstrokes, I'm glad to know about Floetrol.) Is there a specific topcoat that helps with that? Or is oil-based the best solution.
I love the red table. The original was a cheap Target table. I wanted to paint my nightstand red inspired by that red side table but then I couldn't commit to a color. I am currently painting it black but am thinking about painting the drawer and the door white.
A repost of a year-end repost/roundup?
Gosh I love Jason's newly red originally Target table. It is so aggravating that they don't carry pieces like that in Target here in Oz.
Can you explain a little more about the transformation of the orange and green piece of furniture. I love it but obviously it wasn't just painted.
It's amazing what a coat of paint and some new hardware will do. I recently did this with my kitchen cupboards with knobs and pulls from LookInTheAttic, and then added some vintage hinges. They look great!
the stars were aligned when i read this today...just getting ready to paint a dresser similar to the last one and COULD NOT remember the name of the paint conditioner... Floetrol...thanks AT!
I love the idea of turning 'trash to treasure' as seen in these pics particularly of the older items. BUT- before painting an older item we should always check the items value before painting ect. Case in point- an artist friend of mine offered to strip and paint one of my dressers as a birthday present. I'm so glad she asked me before doing anything- this small dresser has the original finish ect and estimated at $3500! Another friend of mine found a 1920s Hoosier cabinet- stripped, gutted the inserts and refinished it to match her 3 kitchen makeover in 5 years--only for her husband to make her husband and mother cry because the cabinet had been all original and insured for almost $10,000....re-purpose and redo but with caution!!!
When refinishing furniture with paint, I always finish it with a polyurethane to protect the paint's finish and avoid that stickiness of paint. I like a wipe-on poly. Just be sure to match the paint's finish with the poly's. For example, a satin poly will negate a glossy paint. Wipe the poly on fairly heavy and give it a few coats.