24 Easy DIY Furniture Makeovers

DIY projects give boring, bland or beat-up furniture updated style.

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Grown-up scene

Removing the top half of an armoire's doors made for a beverage bar. Down below, crisscross shelves secure bottles; up top, a divided shelf stows barware. Crown molding, scrolled bottom molding and a soothing paint color underscore its grown-up use.

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Personal statement

Create a vintage vibe by applying aged paint treatment. Stencil on a monogram then attach buttons in a free-form pattern to match. A hankie under the glass and antique knob finish the look.

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New direction

A simple wood end table gets new direction when adorned with a map. Decoupage on one from a dream trip or hometown.

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Tops in bottoms (before)

When a chair has a removable seat, it's got endless possibilities for new looks. Get an idea on the next slide.

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Tops in bottoms

Chairs with removeable seats are simple to update. Just unscrew the seat, replace the foam and fabric, reattach seat. The difficult part will be choosing what fabric best suits your style-choices, choices!

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Mini mudroom

Turn an old bookcase into a multipurpose piece of furniture. Paint it, add cabinet doorknobs and apply patterned wallpaper to update the appearance. Stock the upper shelf with labeled baskets. Screw in hooks below for coats or bags. If the bookcase back won't support coat hooks, glue a 1x4 to the back of the case with construction adhesive, and screw the hooks into that.

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Wake up a look (before)

An institutional table's metal legs don't exactly send a friendly, pull-up-a-chair vibe. See how we fixed that in the next slide.

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Wake up a look

Switching out industrial-look metal legs for wood means this round table is welcome in the kitchen. A bright coat of paint wakes it up even more. Pair it with chairs repainted in coordinating colors completes the ensemble.

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Vintage catchall

Use an old fruit crate and camping stools to make a creative holder for items such as quilts and pillows.

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Sweet dreams (before)

Think outside of the box: Remove doors of an outdated end table to give it new purpose. Click ahead to see.

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Sweet dreams

Removing the doors from a 1970s end table makes for a convenient spot for your pooch to sleep-a coordinating pillow softens it. Paint the renewed piece a hue to match your decor.

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Over, under and beside

Give this handy furniture a new look by weaving coordinating ribbon onto foam-core board that gets glued to the door front. Oversize pulls screwed to the top prevent things from sliding off; they match the finish on the handle.

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Basic blues

The airy look of wicker makes it almost universally loved. And spray paint means it melds with any decor.

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Skirt the issue

Sewing a cotton cover for a wood chair gives it new life. The tiered skirt makes it sweet.

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Mirror shine (before)

A new finish polishes the look of an old cabinet. See how on the next slide.

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Mirror shine

New paint and hardware revive a china cabinet. But it's the mirrored-glass treatment that makes it shine. Re-create the look with five coats of Krylon Looking Glass spray paint applied according to the manufacturer's directions then blotted off in spots with a 1:1 vinegar and water mixture.

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Under foot (before)

Click ahead to see how a fast fix revives a falling-apart footstool.

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Under foot

Fresh paint and fabric put the spotlight onto a seldom seen stool. Silver nailheads add sparkle.

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Sparkling sideboard (before)

Dark wood gives way to fresh taste; see how in the next slide.

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Sparkling sideboard

Update a dark wood sideboard with bright paint and sparkling hardware. A paint pen makes fast work of the geometric design on the doors.

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Growing concerns (before)

An old china cabinet blooms with paint and tile. Click ahead to see it.

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Growing concerns

Paint, tile and new storage transform this old china cabinet into a functional potting bench. Simple DIY tasks do the work: remove doors, add hooks, replace hardware and install tile.

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Armoire amour (before)

Oversize stencils transform this old cedar wardrobe; click ahead to see.

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Armoire amour

Three big words make the sentiment clear. Stencil words onto a cedar wardrobe wearing a new paint job. Attach handcrafted felted flowers and yarn stems.

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Split decision (before)

Click ahead to see what this sectional looks like after a rehab.

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Split decision

Split an old sectional into twin love seats. A firm foundation of new webbing supports cushions of new foam. Make sure the fabric suits the lines of the sectional-here, bright and clean.

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Rising above the past

Stems lift bold-color flowers up the face of this renewed cabinet. Bright white and a subtle pattern keep the attention on the blossoms.

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A gem of a perch

Glue on rhinestones to add sparkle to a seat. Keep the focus on the lines of the chair by limiting gems to one color. Click ahead to see two other ways to jazz up this functional piece of furniture.

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Trim idea

Decoupage on a design cut from wallpaper or crafts paper.

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Edgy look

Attach tasseled trim around the seat edge using crafts adhesive; add rope trim to other edges you want to emphasize. A cushion softens the seat.

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Dressed up

Foam or felt appliques glued onto a newly painted dresser makes it fit for a flower child. Orange knobs punctuate the look.

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Marble-ous work

Marbled brightly colored paint swirls across the drawers of this old desk. Now there is energy to spare in this work spot.

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Bright bookcase

The plain-white back of this bookcase gets a mod makeover with a swirl of paint.

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24 Easy DIY Furniture Makeovers

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Grown-up scene

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Personal statement

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New direction

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Tops in bottoms (before)

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Tops in bottoms

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Mini mudroom

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Wake up a look (before)

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Wake up a look

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Vintage catchall

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Sweet dreams (before)

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Sweet dreams

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Over, under and beside

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Basic blues

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Skirt the issue

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Mirror shine (before)

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Mirror shine

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Under foot (before)

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Under foot

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Sparkling sideboard (before)

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Sparkling sideboard

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Growing concerns (before)

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Growing concerns

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Armoire amour (before)

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Armoire amour

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Split decision (before)

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Split decision