SLIC Interiors focuses on refurbishing antiques with an emphasis on modern (but with a respect to the past). Sara combines her passion of old furniture with a love of sustainable design and all the pieces she refreshes for clients are given special care, while embracing an item's past and mixing in contemporary designs. If you've got lots of guests coming for the holidays and you're feeling like all your pieces look tired or old, Sara's given us four DIY ways to revamp furniture quickly, modernly and on a budget.
1) Put it on wheels! Add brass casters to a table or bench. You can find affordable brass casters at Van Dyke's.
2) Add lacquer to a stained or painted piece of furniture to add some shine. Get MinWax Polyurethane Semi-Gloss at Home Depot and brush it onto a piece. Sand between each application with 400 grit paper and add new shine to an older piece of furniture. For a green-friendly approach, visit Woodcraft and pick up their water based lacquer sealer.
3) Apply gold leafing with a stencil to create a fun pattern or shape on a table front or desk top. Go to Stencils Online and custom design a stencil or use blue painter's tape to create a simple geometric pattern. You can buy metallic paint at any local paint store or buy sheets of gold leaf at Jerry's Artarama.
4) Replace old hardware on a chest, desk or side tables. Shop Etsy for amazing new knobs & drawer pulls. Or visit your local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store. They have Mid-Century pulls, some for only .50/each. Spray paint the pulls a fun color and voila...amazing fix for under $10!
Check out SLIC Interiors' Marketplace listing. And tell us if you'll be revamping your furniture pieces for entertaining season rather than buying new items.
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If you lacquer and sand. . . does that 'ruin' the integrity of the piece though? I just see horror stories about old furniture that was ruined and I would hate to be 'that' person but some of my old stuff could use some sprucing up.
@wormy: I wouldn't do a 'quick sprucing up' to highly valuable or rare antique furniture, but if you're a Craigslist hound like me you have a few vintage pieces that you scored for next to nothing and likely hold little monetary value. That's where I would use the above tips.
Good advice Jess, thank you : )
I love what Sara has done! I too used to cringe at changing these pieces but I am cool with it now. I love the creativity.
Even if it is an antique sometimes you need to "ruin the integrity of the piece". If you cringe at the sight of it and it's so ugly you refuse to use it in any of your rooms, DYI it or pass it on to someone else. The idea of holding furniture for its value and not loving it and/or using it in the here and now makes me crazy.
Changing the hardware is so impactful but so easy! Great ideas...