Furniture Archives - Page 4 of 6 - Average But Inspired

January 8, 2016 by Bre

A Pretty Phone Charger Station Makeover

Along with the rest of the world, one of my New Year’s resolutions (which will be broken in approximately 2.5 weeks), is to get organized and clear out the clutter! I don’t particularly love organizing or decluttering, but I do love the way it makes me feel once it’s done. And something that really gets me motivated to clean up a space is using pretty organizational tools as part of the process.

In order to clean up my kitchen counter space, I needed a solution for all of those phone charger and iPad cords that lie around all tangled up and in a mess. But the el cheapo phone charger station that my husband bought in his bachelor days was not going to suffice. Look at it with its faux cherry finish and DUSTY AS HECK velvet lining. So gross.
Since it was in perfectly good shape, I decided to give it a makeover instead. Now I have a pretty phone charger station that no longer looks like it belongs in a bachelor bad. If you have something similar lying around, you can easily do the same! You don’t have to settle for plain or ugly.

Supplies Used in This Phone Charger Station Makeover

Before I give you the supply list, let me just give a big thank you to DecoArt for providing the paint used in this project! Also, some of these links are affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure policy here.

Instructions for This Phone Charger Station Makeover

First up, I removed the old velvet fabric from the charger station’s trays. Then I dusted off the entire thing, which was disgusting. I then painted the entire charger station (except for the trays) with two coats of DecoArt Chalky Finish Paint in Serene.
Once that dried, I dry brushed the charger station with a coat of DecoArt Chalky Finish Paint in Lace.
Next, I cut upholstery fabric to the size of the two trays. Then I put down a thin layer of DecoArt DecouPage onto the trays.
I pressed down my fabric and smoothed out the wrinkles. Once the DecouPage dried, I applied a thin, even layer over the fabric.
After that was dry, I sealed the painted surfaces of the phone charger station with matte varnish. I love this varnish because it has no odor, so it can be used indoors without passing out. Win!
Not gonna lie – my husband is not a fan of this phone charger makeover. He liked it better how it was before. Judging from his taste, I would say that means this makeover is a success. And hey, if it keeps our stuff neat and tidy, then it’s definitely a win! I’m loving how this cabinet bank is clutter free (and cute)!
Do you have any old and ugly organizational items that you can beautify? It might help inspire you to get your stuff in shape!

-Bre

November 3, 2015 by Bre

5 Ways to Update Furniture Without Paint

One of my favorite things to do is paint furniture. I LOVE transforming ugly, forgotten, or outdated pieces into beautiful assets for any space.

But sometimes painting a piece of furniture isn’t the best idea or just isn’t an option. Maybe it’s a family heirloom that would be “ruined” with color, or maybe it’s an antique that shouldn’t be altered in such a way. (Or maybe you have a husband who is sick and tired of you painting every surface in your house. Not that I’d know anything about that. . . .)

But even if you “can’t” paint a piece of old or outdated furniture for whatever reason, you don’t have to live with it the way it is! There are lots of ways to update furniture without paint. And they’re awesome!

This post contains affiliate links. To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

1. Washi Tape

Washi tape is a FABULOUS way to give furniture a new look! It comes in a million colors and patterns, and removes without damaging the surface. Use it to add Greek key detailing, a chevron pattern, or even simple lines! Wrapping it around the legs is also a fun way to use washi tape on furniture.

Canary Street Crafts has a great post on exactly how to add detail to furniture with washi tape. Look at how beautiful it can be!

And how about using washi tape to add some pop to plain bookshelves like Honey We’re Home did?

2. Furniture Tacks or Nailheads

If you don’t mind a piece getting a little “holey,” furniture tacks (nailheads) or pushpins can be a great way to give a piece of furniture a new look! Furniture tacks can be found in the hardware aisle at any home improvement store, and decorative pushpins are at any office supply store or even Target!

I used some cool Nate Berkus pushpins to update this table that desperately needed a new look and some detail!

And look at how stunning this table makeover is! Mad in Crafts nailed it. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

3. Fabric or Paper

Another great way to add some color or pattern to furniture is with fabric or paper!

I have a full tutorial on how I added fabric to my changing table upcycle right here!

I used the same method to add gorgeous wrapping paper to the drawer on my grandma’s old side table.

Just look at how amazing some fabric looks against a wood finish! This table makeover from Brepurposed is proof that a little color and pattern goes a long way to updating a piece!

4. New Hardware

Hands down the EASIEST way to update furniture without paint is with new hardware! Hardware is seriously like jewelry for your furniture. Change it out and LOVE your furniture!

When we renovated our kitchen four years ago, we insisted on saving the original, built-in china cabinet because we’re doing the best we can to maintain the vintage charm of the home. So we kept the walnut-colored finish and just updated the hardware to match that of our new cabinets. It was the perfect solution! Now we have the original piece with a slightly updated look.

Some of my favorite resources for amazing hardware are Anthropologie, D. Lawless, World Market, and Amazon. Check them out and be amazed at how quickly you can change the look of a piece!

5. Baskets (or Other Accessories)

Another easy way to change up the look of furniture is to replace drawers with baskets (if there are any drawers).

Creative Home Expressions plucked this beauty off the curb, even though it was missing two drawers, and made it her own with some new baskets!

If your piece of furniture doesn’t have drawers that can be replaced with baskets, try adding some new accessories on or around it. This will give the piece an updated look that you can change out whenever you feel like it!

So what do you think of these ideas? Would you try any of them on your own furniture? All I can say is that I sure hope my husband doesn’t read this post. If he does, I know he will forbid any more painting of our furniture and throw these ideas right back in my face!

-Bre

You Might Also Like Upgrading a Bookcase with Wrapping Paper

September 11, 2015 by Bre

Painted Nesting Tables Makeover

Several months ago I was so lucky to find a set of nesting tables for sale on a local resale website. They weren’t in terrible condition, but they did have some water rings, damaged veneer in spots, and an outdated floral motif painted on each of the table tops.
Nonetheless, I was PUMPED to get these babies into my possession. I knew I could make them gorgeous again. I promptly hid them in my basement storage area, hoping that my husband wouldn’t discover that I’d brought home yet another furniture project. (Womp womp. He found them and promptly began badgering me about when my “Russian dolls tables” would be out of here.)

With some elbow grease and TLC I got them spiffed up, and now my painted nesting tables look better than ever!

[Read more…]

September 1, 2015 by Bre

Stenciled Chair Seats – A Thrifty and Fun Kitchen Chair Makeover

Thank you to Cutting Edge Stencils for providing the stencil used in this project and the prize to be awarded in the giveaway. The project and opinions are all my own.

One thing I love is giving a plain object new life and personality with a simple change. Stenciling the seats of my beat up kitchen chairs is precisely that kind of project. With just a little patience and some paint, I was able to take my kitchen chairs from boring to beautiful in no time. And, thanks to Cutting Edge Stencils, you could do the same, because we’re giving you the chance to WIN a stencil of your choice (up to $50 in value), right at the end of this post! ::Happy dance!:: [Read more…]

August 25, 2015 by Bre

Pretty Painted Rocking Chair – A Beautiful Baby Gift

A couple of months ago I spotted the most PERFECT little rocking chair at Goodwill. You guys – it was $2.99. $2.99!!! I knew it was too small for my kids, but I snatched it up anyway because I enjoy buying things I have absolutely no need for.
It sat in my basement until my husband gave me the dreaded ultimatum that he makes approximately every other month – “do something with it or I’m getting rid of it.” So I decided to paint it for one of my oldest friends’ new baby girl, Grace. They’re moving to a new house next week and Grace will have her own little nursery, so I knew a pretty painted rocking chair would be a great addition to her room!
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