Furniture can be an expensive investment, but if the “Free” section on Craigslist proves anything, it’s that there is a lot of furniture out there that can be collected and reinvented.  Keep an eye out for items in your garage or storage unit that you’ve neglected. They may have the potential for a new makeover. We’ve put together our list of easy items that can use a face-lift for an affordable price, and may end up saving space at home, too.

1. Transforming Surface Damage Furniture

Damaged furniture doesn’t need to be thrown away. It’s easy to hide with a few simple tricks. Decoupage, for example, hides imperfections while adding dimension and distinct style to a room.

See in this example below, a dresser was transformed through the use of aged music sheets. It turns this all-white bedroom into a shabby-chic destination. Do you have old post cards, maps or newspaper clippings tucked away in storage? Show it off on your furniture. They are also great uses for decoupage.

decoupage

Another great way to resurface furniture with fabric is to use an old sweater.

oldsweaters

2. Upgrading Furniture With New Paint

 Many times, all that a piece of furniture needs to feel new again is a fresh coat of paint. We suggest going completely opposite of what the original color is and add the furniture to a room where it will stand out and define the rest of the room.

turq

3. Putting Extra Wallpaper To Use

 Do you have extra wallpaper lying around that was never used? If you’re still a fan of the print, use it! A great place to use old wallpaper is on tables or any flat wood surface.

tablepp

wallpaper

4. Giving Old Furniture a New Purpose

The wonders of Pinterest have been helping people everywhere realize how their old furniture can be reborn again, with a completely different purpose. Take, for example, this baby crib. It’s been transformed into a desk.

crib

…Or these three chairs that were turned into a bench

tablebench

5. Transforming Random Items Into Furniture

If you’ve been reading our recent blogs about Life Hacks, you’ll appreciate how clever some people can be at putting household items to use for separate projects. Take a look at some of the projects below:

A pasta strainer turned into a hanging plant holder!

pastastrainer

An old spoon to hold tea lights.

oldspoon

Where do you think your next project will take you?