I decided to recycle an old bookshelf my dad build years and years ago. It's remained in perfect condition and is exactly what I need for a bit of storage in the nursery. So, this week I'll be making a few necessary changes to it...
My husband has done a number of projects around our house. Mainly because it is less expensive to do it yourself sometimes. There is one project that he still needs some help on though and that is the bathroom.
Recently bought an "ugly" cabinet from Goodwill for my 9 yr. olds room. Cleaned it up and re-painted it, than added some chalk board paint to the front door. I have to say it is a beauty now. Thanks for inspiring!!
My favorite redo so far was a $5 shelf from a garage sale. It is about 5' x 7' and used to hold auto parts. It was three different colors and the shelves were all labeled with sharpie marker. I patched the holes then painted it a beautiful peacock blue. I now shelves all my books and school supplies for my homeschool room!
So, just the other day (Friday night) Brent saw that our neighbor had a pick-up full of wooden pallets. The neighbor informed him that apparently there's a paper company nearby that loves for people to take them because otherwise they have to pay to have them removed. Our neighbor said he already had plenty but the wood from these particular pallets is always so nice he can't pass them up so he gave them all to Brent. That night Brent was in the shop until 3 am. Well, Saturday night, we at dinner on our new back porch table and benches. You'll have to come by and see them! : )
i haven't done any redo's yet, but i am in the process of collection items and materials to do a living room transformation very soon! i've gotten a lot of great ideas from your blog!
My husband saved a 80+ year old door from my great grandparents general store that my dad was tearing down. We sanded it a bit but left the light blue and white paint on it, cut it up and turned it into shelves with the door knobs as hangers. What is the best part of it is on the side is my Papa's name that he carved some 70 years ago. It is perfect for our entry way and will be in the family for years to come.
I'm not too handy with power tools, but I've used lots of pain to give furniture a new look. Thanks for the giveaway...I'm working on a bathroom right now!
I wish I had some big news to share here but I have a few projects that I need to get a handle on. For now I will enjoy everyone's tips and tidbits and staying tuned in to your blog!
I recycled a brown dresser by painting it white. My tip is to use stencils to add finishing touches. It was for my daughter's bedroom, so I painted some pink flowers onto the drawers. KellywcuATyahooDOTcom
I redid two end tables and a mirror that I found out and about at a garage sale. Both were wood and I primed and painted them a fun aqua and teal for our bedroom. Now I have one of kind feature pieces without the expense of it.
Oh boy, I just got into the furniture refinishing thang this spring. I redid two end tables, an old kitchen table and all my kitchen chairs. I love them so much more now! Ooh I would love to win that gift card, especially since I am doing some painting soon. AND using the green paint color in your dining room!!
The finish on the shelf looks so neat in the picture! i think I would cover the back of the shelf with bright fabric or paper- that way you can quickly and easily change colors and styles depending on where the shelf is in your home or the age and interests of the kiddo. :) Can't wait to see what you decide to do!
I upcycled an old campaign dresser. I painted it robins egg blue and shined up all the hardware. It is to this date my favorite piece in my house. Its currently our changing table.
I redid an old dresser with a curved front. It was rough but ended up painting a girl with a parasol similar to Monet's style in bright pink, yellow, and blues. The picture wrapped around the entire dresser. It was fun!
I upcycled part of an old vanity table (ya know, the kind with the mirror in the center and the drawers on each side). I painted it creamy white and removed the metal handle and added a glass knob. I also routinely coat the drawer with bar soap so it won't stick shut! It makes for a lovely nightstand beside my white antique iron bed.
I found an old wooden shelf at a yard sale painted it using wall paint I had on hamd ( I added some cream to lighten the color) and distressed it. I then found a window frame and painted it the same color and used it as a bulletin board changing out the pics/decor based on the season. My best friend loved it so much I made her one too! I love repurposing things so that they fit my personality. I am excited to see what you decide to do!
I was given a pair of wooden chairs with a covered seat. At the time they were painted red with zebra fabric. They were so bad that you almost missed the awesome quatrafoil design cut into each of the back slats. I sanded and repainted them a neutral, with blue ikat print fabric on the seats. L.O.V.E
Nice! I can't wait to see what you do with the bookshelf! I like that you're keeping it and making it your own.
My favorite project has been spray painting a vintage tray I found at a thrift store! I have it on our bedroom dresser. I etched our monogram in the center of the mirror. It turned out great! :)
If I won this giveaway, my my husband and I would get a light fixture for our kitchen! We've lived in our first home over a year and we don't have a light fixture yet!
When we moved into our house a set of old dressers was left behind. We cut out the top three drawers (leaving one)of one dressed, repainted, wallpapered the back, added a curtain rod on the inside, and made a sweet curtain to cover the mess ... and then filled it with every dress-up necessity a 3-year could ever ask for! Her very own princess cabinet! So fun!
A couple months ago I was ready to toss my computer desk out. It was in the garage on the way to being donated. It is made of cheap pressed "wood" and has a silver frame. After walking by it every day for a week, I decided to try and save it. I painted the metal frame black and used the color Sunday comics and modge podged the "wood" pieces. I am sitting at it right now typing this comment, and I love it!
a great way to update outdated glass in a china cabinet is to replace it with screen door mesh! we did ours this way and it looks like it belongs in an old farmhouse with pies sitting on the shelf! best thing is no reflecting light or greasy toddler fingerprints!
I'm in the middle of making a towel rack for the kids bathroom....towels keep falling off the dowel rack we have now and of course no one thinks to pick the towels up off the floor ;) I got a piece of barnboard from my brother-in-laws.....cut to size,sanded it and will be staining it soon. Then I will put on some solid hook racks to keep those darn towels up! :)
What I've learned is that you need to treat sanding as if it was your best friend. Sand and sand again to get rid of everything that might compromise the new paint adhesion. I've learned it the hard way ;-)
We have a hutch and the top just sits on the bottom piece. In one apartment we took the top off and flipped it upside down to use as a bookcase and the bottom to put our TV on. In another apartment we covered the back with fabric that matched our wall color for an extended wall that faced the living room and the front faced the dining room. You wouldn't believe how many people didn't notice it was a piece of furniture and not more drywall.
Get a really basic toolbox, especially if you are just newly out on your own. I wouldn't have been able to personalize my living space like I have without it. I may be a girl, but I can wield a hammer like no other!
That shelf is beautiful - how nice that you can make it over for your nursery. My biggest redo was painting my solid oak pencil post bed. We have had this bed since we were first married - first brand new item we purchased. It has been moved a number of times and had scratched up a bit but it was a major commitment to paint it black like the ones I had been admiring in magazines. Love the outcome and thrilled I did it. Good luck with your latest project.
What about keeping it as original as possible, since that's the way your Dad made it? You could just spiff it up to match the nursery by decoupaging some cute illustrations from thrift-shop kid's books onto the sides and painting the shelf backs some bright, cheery color!
My tip is to have in mind what you want to do before heading to the thrift store, everything from the colors to the approximate size. That way you know exactly what to look for and it will take less time. I normally have a little one in tow, so this is EXTREMELY helpful for me.;)
I am on the hunt for a nice, small piece to try my hand at this whole refurbishing thing. I love the ideas! The color! The details! I have to get over to the HD for a sander. Yay!
Hi. We just finished painting a small hutch. We live in Toronto so the outdoor painting season is short. We had to make a painting room in the dining room using drop sheets!! With the sprayer, the fine dust was contained in the "painting room" but when we dismantled it to dispose of it, there was paint dust particles EVERYWHERE!!!! My email is me@virtuate.ca
i found an old three drawer dresser at salvation army years ago when i was in college. it had super "retro" orange and yellow flowered contact paper covering it! i ended up stripping all the paint off of it, sanding, repainting it a soft mint green, and replacing all the knobs. i LOVED it and now my sister uses it in her bedroom. =)
You can paint more than just wood! By mixing together fabric medium, paint, and water, you can bring an old set of wingback chairs back to life. Add a nailhead trim detail (from Home Depot of course)around the edges of the chairs and people will think they are brand spankin' new from that expensive swanky shop downtown!
My husband loves snatching up treasures from the side of the road on trash day. Some of our favorite pieces were roadside finds that had been banged up, neglected, left in the rain etc.
Lining the backs of bookshelves with funky wallpaper is my favorite way to liven something up :)
One of my favorite furniture makeovers was a dresser that we turned into a tv stand. We found a sturdy, yet not so attractive dresser at Goodwill for $26. Will a little paint and some new knobs it looked like a whole new piece of furniture. Being a dresser too, made for great storage for dvds, cds and such. As always, I just love your blog Holly. Can't wait to see your little man's nursery. :)
Ages ago, I bought a $50 Danish modern dresser from a thrift shop. I bought some Minwax stuff at HD and stripped and refinished the piece. It was my fave piece for years. Gave it to a niece when she got her first apartment years later.
A makeover tip from my makeovers... paint makes everything pretty!! :) It really is amazing what a little work and paint can do to an old piece of furniture!
I think for me the best advice to myself and others is start small. Taking on a huge armoire is a disaster as a first project, I speak from experience! A small chair to paint and recover is great to start off with.
For a quick, fun update to most furniture pieces, spray paint is the way to go. In a day or so you can have a totally new look! brendadeibel(at)hotmail(dot)com
Sometimes you have to can your plans in favor of the piece's personality. I was scraping a table top recently, and uncovered a bunch of old newspapers that had been attached. looked so cool, I couldn't paint over it!
My husband has done a number of projects around our house. Mainly because it is less expensive to do it yourself sometimes. There is one project that he still needs some help on though and that is the bathroom.
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog through Pinterest and I love it! You have some fabulous ideas, thanks for sharing!! Brandy
ReplyDeleteI redid an old bookcase by adding feet to bring it off the floor and painting it to match my daughters other furniture. Best storage ever!
ReplyDeleteRecently bought an "ugly" cabinet from Goodwill for my 9 yr. olds room. Cleaned it up and re-painted it, than added some chalk board paint to the front door. I have to say it is a beauty now. Thanks for inspiring!!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite redo so far was a $5 shelf from a garage sale. It is about 5' x 7' and used to hold auto parts. It was three different colors and the shelves were all labeled with sharpie marker. I patched the holes then painted it a beautiful peacock blue. I now shelves all my books and school supplies for my homeschool room!
ReplyDeletesweetpeagirl3@hotmail.com
I like the happy, chippy look, so sometimes I don't think old pieces need anything (well, other than a good cleaning!)
ReplyDeleteSo, just the other day (Friday night) Brent saw that our neighbor had a pick-up full of wooden pallets. The neighbor informed him that apparently there's a paper company nearby that loves for people to take them because otherwise they have to pay to have them removed. Our neighbor said he already had plenty but the wood from these particular pallets is always so nice he can't pass them up so he gave them all to Brent. That night Brent was in the shop until 3 am. Well, Saturday night, we at dinner on our new back porch table and benches. You'll have to come by and see them! : )
ReplyDeletei haven't done any redo's yet, but i am in the process of collection items and materials to do a living room transformation very soon! i've gotten a lot of great ideas from your blog!
ReplyDeleteMy husband saved a 80+ year old door from my great grandparents general store that my dad was tearing down. We sanded it a bit but left the light blue and white paint on it, cut it up and turned it into shelves with the door knobs as hangers. What is the best part of it is on the side is my Papa's name that he carved some 70 years ago. It is perfect for our entry way and will be in the family for years to come.
ReplyDeleteMy makeover tip: If all else fails, spraypaint it a bright color! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat giveaway! My favorite makeover has been painting mismatched dining chairs in different colors to add some fun and whimsy to my kitchen table!
ReplyDeleteI'm not too handy with power tools, but I've used lots of pain to give furniture a new look.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway...I'm working on a bathroom right now!
terilybb@aol.com
I wish I had some big news to share here but I have a few projects that I need to get a handle on. For now I will enjoy everyone's tips and tidbits and staying tuned in to your blog!
ReplyDeleteWe just repainted an old fake oak looking dresser and used the Rustoleum Furniture Transformation kit. It works very well and the dresser looks great!
ReplyDeleteI recycled a brown dresser by painting it white. My tip is to use stencils to add finishing touches. It was for my daughter's bedroom, so I painted some pink flowers onto the drawers.
ReplyDeleteKellywcuATyahooDOTcom
I'm excited to see what you do it-I know it will be great!
ReplyDeleteWe haven't done a ton of furniture makeovers, but I'm excited to see what you do with the shelf!
ReplyDeleteI redid two end tables and a mirror that I found out and about at a garage sale. Both were wood and I primed and painted them a fun aqua and teal for our bedroom. Now I have one of kind feature pieces without the expense of it.
ReplyDeleteOh boy, I just got into the furniture refinishing thang this spring.
ReplyDeleteI redid two end tables, an old kitchen table and all my kitchen chairs.
I love them so much more now!
Ooh I would love to win that gift card, especially since I am doing some painting soon. AND using the green paint color in your dining room!!
Spray paint has been my best friend for re-making furniture...but I think you will do something better! I like checking in on your finds!
ReplyDeletecreaghnews AT hotmail DOT com
The finish on the shelf looks so neat in the picture! i think I would cover the back of the shelf with bright fabric or paper- that way you can quickly and easily change colors and styles depending on where the shelf is in your home or the age and interests of the kiddo. :) Can't wait to see what you decide to do!
ReplyDeleteI upcycled an old campaign dresser. I painted it robins egg blue and shined up all the hardware. It is to this date my favorite piece in my house. Its currently our changing table.
ReplyDeleteI redid an old dresser with a curved front. It was rough but ended up painting a girl with a parasol similar to Monet's style in bright pink, yellow, and blues. The picture wrapped around the entire dresser. It was fun!
ReplyDeleteI upcycled part of an old vanity table (ya know, the kind with the mirror in the center and the drawers on each side). I painted it creamy white and removed the metal handle and added a glass knob. I also routinely coat the drawer with bar soap so it won't stick shut! It makes for a lovely nightstand beside my white antique iron bed.
ReplyDeleteRebecca
rconfromthafort@yahoo.com
I found an old wooden shelf at a yard sale painted it using wall paint I had on hamd ( I added some cream to lighten the color) and distressed it. I then found a window frame and painted it the same color and used it as a bulletin board changing out the pics/decor based on the season. My best friend loved it so much I made her one too! I love repurposing things so that they fit my personality. I am excited to see what you decide to do!
ReplyDeleteI was given a pair of wooden chairs with a covered seat. At the time they were painted red with zebra fabric. They were so bad that you almost missed the awesome quatrafoil design cut into each of the back slats. I sanded and repainted them a neutral, with blue ikat print fabric on the seats. L.O.V.E
ReplyDeleteYou could cover it with mod podge and fabric?
ReplyDeleteNice! I can't wait to see what you do with the bookshelf! I like that you're keeping it and making it your own.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite project has been spray painting a vintage tray I found at a thrift store! I have it on our bedroom dresser. I etched our monogram in the center of the mirror. It turned out great! :)
If I won this giveaway, my my husband and I would get a light fixture for our kitchen! We've lived in our first home over a year and we don't have a light fixture yet!
Seasidesmitten@aol.com
Ooh, it is so beautiful! Can you keep the beautiful top and cover the back of the shelves to lighten it up?
ReplyDeleteI love the bookshelf as is! Tip for refinishing make sure you let the piece dry.
ReplyDeletecasadesoria.blogspot.com
Ive only done small projects, but i am so excited to start revampng thrifty finds! Yours is one of the first thrift blogs ive ever followed!
ReplyDeleteThere is no quicker re-do than adding a fresh paint color! Turns basic pieces of furntiure into something new and exciting!
ReplyDeleteGreat giveaway!
When we moved into our house a set of old dressers was left behind. We cut out the top three drawers (leaving one)of one dressed, repainted, wallpapered the back, added a curtain rod on the inside, and made a sweet curtain to cover the mess ... and then filled it with every dress-up necessity a 3-year could ever ask for! Her very own princess cabinet! So fun!
ReplyDeleteNew hardware adds so much to a furniture makeover! I'm a reader from Canada, do I qualify for the Home Depot giveaway?
ReplyDeleteA couple months ago I was ready to toss my computer desk out. It was in the garage on the way to being donated. It is made of cheap pressed "wood" and has a silver frame. After walking by it every day for a week, I decided to try and save it. I painted the metal frame black and used the color Sunday comics and modge podged the "wood" pieces. I am sitting at it right now typing this comment, and I love it!
ReplyDeletea great way to update outdated glass in a china cabinet is to replace it with screen door mesh! we did ours this way and it looks like it belongs in an old farmhouse with pies sitting on the shelf! best thing is no reflecting light or greasy toddler fingerprints!
ReplyDeleteI bought an old, framed picture from the thrift store and turned it into an antiqued mirror - it turned out great!
ReplyDeleteI repurposed a small dresser that was white and scuffed and I sanded and stained it into a beauty angelgenius27(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteJust think how awesome that would look with a fresh coat of paint and bun feet. Can't wait to see what you do - lucky baby!
ReplyDeleteI'm in the middle of making a towel rack for the kids bathroom....towels keep falling off the dowel rack we have now and of course no one thinks to pick the towels up off the floor ;) I got a piece of barnboard from my brother-in-laws.....cut to size,sanded it and will be staining it soon. Then I will put on some solid hook racks to keep those darn towels up! :)
ReplyDeletemy best tip is PATIENCE! i just get so excited and want things done! :)
ReplyDeleteerincyoung (at) yahoo.com
What I've learned is that you need to treat sanding as if it was your best friend. Sand and sand again to get rid of everything that might compromise the new paint adhesion. I've learned it the hard way ;-)
ReplyDeleteWe have a hutch and the top just sits on the bottom piece. In one apartment we took the top off and flipped it upside down to use as a bookcase and the bottom to put our TV on. In another apartment we covered the back with fabric that matched our wall color for an extended wall that faced the living room and the front faced the dining room. You wouldn't believe how many people didn't notice it was a piece of furniture and not more drywall.
ReplyDeleteGet a really basic toolbox, especially if you are just newly out on your own. I wouldn't have been able to personalize my living space like I have without it. I may be a girl, but I can wield a hammer like no other!
ReplyDeleteThat shelf is beautiful - how nice that you can make it over for your nursery. My biggest redo was painting my solid oak pencil post bed. We have had this bed since we were first married - first brand new item we purchased. It has been moved a number of times and had scratched up a bit but it was a major commitment to paint it black like the ones I had been admiring in magazines. Love the outcome and thrilled I did it. Good luck with your latest project.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any makeover tips as I am a beginning DIYer but I can't wait to see the shelf after you're done with it!! Vicki
ReplyDeleteWhat about keeping it as original as possible, since that's the way your Dad made it? You could just spiff it up to match the nursery by decoupaging some cute illustrations from thrift-shop kid's books onto the sides and painting the shelf backs some bright, cheery color!
ReplyDeletepaint and spray paint have always worked out well for me.
ReplyDeletejessicarwarfield at gmail dot com
I found an old table on garage sale and repainted it. It now looks nice like new
ReplyDeleteelena150980@yahoo.com
we love to paint furniture. tables, chairs, desks. a new coat of paint has done wonders in our house!
ReplyDeleteWould love to win the gift card! I have a pedestal table and 4 chairs (got it for $35 at Goodwill) that I am wanting to repaint
ReplyDeleteI am just about to embark on my first furniture redo! I am so so excited! :)
ReplyDeleteI picked up a dresser for $10 at a garage sale and gave it a face lift. Its been used in our master bedroom and most in our boys' room.
ReplyDeleteMy tip is to photoshop your ideas in on a picture before you paint or cut to get a better sense of what it'll look like! Stephanie
ReplyDeleteLove this,
ReplyDeleteMy tip is to have in mind what you want to do before heading to the thrift store, everything from the colors to the approximate size. That way you know exactly what to look for and it will take less time. I normally have a little one in tow, so this is EXTREMELY helpful for me.;)
ReplyDeleteI am on the hunt for a nice, small piece to try my hand at this whole refurbishing thing. I love the ideas! The color! The details! I have to get over to the HD for a sander. Yay!
ReplyDeleteHi. We just finished painting a small hutch. We live in Toronto so the outdoor painting season is short. We had to make a painting room in the dining room using drop sheets!! With the sprayer, the fine dust was contained in the "painting room" but when we dismantled it to dispose of it, there was paint dust particles EVERYWHERE!!!! My email is me@virtuate.ca
ReplyDeleteTip, always have a charged battery handy....comes in handy when the other is all used up!
ReplyDeleteI quickly learned the importance of primer when painting. Holy cow! I could have saved a lot of time and money if I would have done my research...
ReplyDeletemy husband redid a rocking chair for me that was my grandmother's turned out beautiful
ReplyDeletethanks
aunteegem@yahoo.com
i found an old three drawer dresser at salvation army years ago when i was in college. it had super "retro" orange and yellow flowered contact paper covering it! i ended up stripping all the paint off of it, sanding, repainting it a soft mint green, and replacing all the knobs. i LOVED it and now my sister uses it in her bedroom. =)
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I refinished a hutch that we got for free and are no using it as an entertainment center! Its wonderful!!
ReplyDeleteYou can paint more than just wood! By mixing together fabric medium, paint, and water, you can bring an old set of wingback chairs back to life. Add a nailhead trim detail (from Home Depot of course)around the edges of the chairs and people will think they are brand spankin' new from that expensive swanky shop downtown!
ReplyDeleteThe bookshelf looks fantastic!
ReplyDeleteMy husband loves snatching up treasures from the side of the road on trash day. Some of our favorite pieces were roadside finds that had been banged up, neglected, left in the rain etc.
ReplyDeleteLining the backs of bookshelves with funky wallpaper is my favorite way to liven something up :)
My tip is prime, always prime! I made over a little night stand and it turned out fabulous!
ReplyDeleteheatheranne99 at gmail dot com
One of my favorite furniture makeovers was a dresser that we turned into a tv stand. We found a sturdy, yet not so attractive dresser at Goodwill for $26. Will a little paint and some new knobs it looked like a whole new piece of furniture. Being a dresser too, made for great storage for dvds, cds and such.
ReplyDeleteAs always, I just love your blog Holly. Can't wait to see your little man's nursery. :)
Ages ago, I bought a $50 Danish modern dresser from a thrift shop. I bought some Minwax stuff at HD and stripped and refinished the piece. It was my fave piece for years. Gave it to a niece when she got her first apartment years later.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteM I would add some ball feet to lift it up then I'd use chalk paint, painting the inside 2 shades lighter than the outside.
ReplyDeleteA makeover tip from my makeovers... paint makes everything pretty!! :) It really is amazing what a little work and paint can do to an old piece of furniture!
ReplyDeleteEverything looks better in bright colors! :)
ReplyDeleteI think for me the best advice to myself and others is start small. Taking on a huge armoire is a disaster as a first project, I speak from experience! A small chair to paint and recover is great to start off with.
ReplyDeleteshannoncarman at yahoo dot com
For a quick, fun update to most furniture pieces, spray paint is the way to go. In a day or so you can have a totally new look!
ReplyDeletebrendadeibel(at)hotmail(dot)com
I haven't refinished anything but I would love to try.
ReplyDeleteshankyouverymuch11 (at) yahoo dot com
Sometimes you have to can your plans in favor of the piece's personality. I was scraping a table top recently, and uncovered a bunch of old newspapers that had been attached. looked so cool, I couldn't paint over it!
ReplyDeleteI did stain some nice wood furniture I found out Goodwill. That is the extent of my refinishing knowledge.
ReplyDeletehewella1 at gmail dot com