5 DIY Ways to Revamp Your Home Decor

This guest post is written by Grace Keister, Content Marketing Specialist for First Team Real Estate. First Team Real Estate is the #1 Real Estate Company in Southern California with over 1,800 local agents throughout Orange County, Los Angeles, Inland Empire, and San Diego.

Tired of your furniture and longing for a new look and style? No need to go shopping, your home décor with just a few simple DIY tips and tricks! Working with what you already have is a great way to get creative, find your personal style and save a bit of cash in the process.

Not sure where to start? Here are 5 DIY ways to revamp your furniture, breathe life back into your boring old pieces and change up the same old same old in your home.

Repurpose

Repurposing furniture is a great way to revamp old pieces. Re-imagining and reusing something you love in a new way is not only exciting – it’s cost effective and cuts down on waste.

Taken from http://www.diy-enthusiasts.com/diy-home/diy-ladder-shelf-ideas-home

Make an old door a table top. Gut out a dresser you love and make it a book shelf. Hang a small step ladder and it becomes a statement piece and shelf.

Not only can you transform one piece of furniture into another, you can also simply update a piece that is out of style. Repainting a child’s dresser and adding sophisticated hardware can make it appropriate for an adult’s room or living area and a old picture frame can work with your new style with a bit of paint and the right technique.

Refinish

Refinishing furniture is a great way to revamp old furniture especially if you have very simple pieces but want a new look or color pallet. The best ways to refinish furniture is to stain, white wash, or paint.

Staining wood furniture is the perfect way to save an old piece that’s gone out of style. Sometimes it’s not the shape or style of a piece that makes it look old and dingy, it’s the old and faded condition of the wood. For example a new dark stain could transform your old and beat up table into a new sleek focal point for the dining room.

White washing is an easy option and popular because it gives furniture a rustic farm look. Think Tom Sawyer and his adorable white picket fence in the country.

Simply painting an old piece of furniture is the simplest and easiest way to breathe life back into it. The most fun and effective paint choices are usually bold ones. If your décor is subdued then a pop of lime green or royal blue can make a great funky yet sophisticated edition.

Distress It

Distressing ads character to your furniture and is a great way to transform something old into something vintage and cool. If you’d like to do a bit of distressing just pick a wood furniture piece and start sanding! Once you’ve finished sanding down the entire piece, add your choice of stain, white wash or paint color.

Tips when distressing:

• Round out sharp edges to make them look soft and worn
• Add (small) cracks with a chisel and hammer along the grain
• Replace new hardware with vintage hardware
• Once your stain or color is on, end with a bit more sanding to finish off the worn and imperfect look

Accessorize

If you’re thinking all of this painting and distressing is too difficult then take it easy and revamp your look by simply accessorizing what you already have. Tired of your boring old chairs? Add some flair and fun with seat cushions or recover ones you already have. Simply accessorizing what you already have is cheaper than replacing it and easier than transforming the entire piece.

Accessorizing in fact is the best way to revamp your home’s look in general because style is all in the details. Breathe life back into a tired old cabinet by filling it with decorative pieces that represent you and your style. Liven up your kitchen by adding new curtains or a funky cookie jar. Adding small pieces around your home that show off your personal taste can transform your house and everything in it.

Take Advantage of Hand-me-downs

Do you know what another word for hand-me-down is? Vintage! Using hand-me-down pieces of furniture can give your current décor a cool eclectic feel and the best part is – it’s free! Even if a particular piece is not your style give it a chance because with a little bit of work, it could be. Turning somebody else’s trash into your own treasure is affordable and could be the perfect addition to your living room.

Using hand-me-downs is a great way to save money and the best part is, the stakes aren’t high. Free furniture is the best canvas to practice your DIY revamping ideas on. If you pick a color that ends of clashing with your current style or hate the way your Mod Podge dries, you can rest easy knowing it was just your neighbor’s old desk.  

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