Skip to content

Top Navigation

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Home
  • Garden
  • Holidays
  • Videos
  • current issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Midwest Living

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 7 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play and Stay This Winter

      7 Fresh Places to Eat, Drink, Play and Stay This Winter

      Hot off the minds of Midwest travel writers: a fresh look at where to eat, drink, play and stay around the region. Read More
    • Meet Five Midwest Cake Creators (and Try Their Recipes)

      Meet Five Midwest Cake Creators (and Try Their Recipes)

      One has conquered the world of plant-based baking. Another runs a microbakery from her home. Two own businesses with their spouses. And the fifth is a James Beard finalist chef. The common thread? Absolutely delicious cakes. Read More
    • The No-Fail Relish Tray Recipe is Here

      The No-Fail Relish Tray Recipe is Here

      For many Midwesterners, holiday feasting kicks off with a relish tray. We dare not mess with an icon—at least, not too much. Read More
  • Travel

    Travel

    See All Travel
    Why Wisconsin Supper Clubs Just Keep Getting Better With Age

    Why Wisconsin Supper Clubs Just Keep Getting Better With Age

    At Wisconsin supper clubs, the steak is served rare and the traditions are well done. Like the brandy in an Old-Fashioned, these timeless institutions only get better with age.
    • Weekend Getaways
    • Family Travel
    • Around the Region
    • Beyond the Region
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Missouri
    • Nebraska
    • North Dakota
    • Ohio
    • South Dakota
    • Wisconsin
    • Free Travel Info
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food
    Tomatoey Parmesan Beans

    Tomatoey Parmesan Beans

    This sleeper hit of a weeknight dinner comes from Food Network star Molly Yeh's cookbook Home is Where the Eggs Are—and is basically a vehicle for Parmesan and garlic toast. No complaints! (The alternate version, with ham and cream, is excellent too.)
    • Comfort Foods
    • Desserts & Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Quick & Easy
    • Chicken
    • Soups & Stews
    • Midwest Favorites
    • Fruits & Vegetables
    • Fish
    • Grilling
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home
    Avid DIYers Transform a 1929 Chicago Home One Project at a Time

    Avid DIYers Transform a 1929 Chicago Home One Project at a Time

    With visions of dinner parties and game nights dancing in their heads, a Chicago couple renovated their historic (and first) home, one DIY project at a time.
    • Quick Decorating
    • Featured Homes
    • Organizing & Storage
    • Outdoor Living
    • Seasonal Decorating
    • Room Decorating
  • Garden

    Garden

    See All Garden
    How to Care for Flowering Houseplants

    How to Care for Flowering Houseplants

    Author Lisa Eldred Steinkopf shares how to make blooms last longer—and repeat.
    • Container Gardens
    • Flowers
    • Featured Gardens
    • Midwest Gardening Calendar
    • Garden Ideas & Inspiration
  • Holidays

    Holidays

    See All Holidays
    Unique Midwest Light Displays to See This Winter

    Unique Midwest Light Displays to See This Winter

    Buses, trains and very few automobiles—check out these out-of-the-ordinary holiday lights displays.
    • Easter
    • July 4th
    • Thanksgiving
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
    • Valentine's Day
  • Videos

    Videos

    See All Videos
    Chef Jorge Guzmán's Step-by-Step Guide to Making Tamales

    Chef Jorge Guzmán's Step-by-Step Guide to Making Tamales

    Tamales are a project, but many hands—even tiny ones—make lighter work.
    • Brighten Your Front Door with This Colorful Easter Egg Wreath
    • These DIY Orange Beeswax Candles Will Make Your Home Smell Amazing
    • Ring in the New Year with This Glam Star Garland
    • How to Make a Modern Fruit Cake Box
    • An Eye-Catching Oval Treat Box You Can Make
    • Make a Colorful Paper Raffia Wreath to Welcome Fall
    • How to Make a Dried Floral Arrangement
    • How to Make an Easy Pina Colada
    • How to Make an Amazing Pavlova
    • How to Make Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake
    • How to Make an All-Butter Pie Crust
    • DIY Pistachio Wheat Stalks for Fall Decorating
  • current issue

    current issue

    See All current issue
    About Us

    About Us

    • March/April 2022 Issue
    • January/February 2022 Issue
    • November/December 2021 Issue
    • September/October 2021 Issue
    • July/August 2021 Issue
    • May/June 2021 Issue
    • Summer 2022 Issue
    • Fall 2022 Issue
    • Winter 2022 Issue
  • Sweepstakes
  • Road Rally
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Midwest Living
  2. Homes
  3. Decorating Ideas
  4. 7 Easy Furniture Facelifts

7 Easy Furniture Facelifts

By Produced and written by Sara Reimer. Photographs by Greg Scheidemann
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Continue with more Midwest Living decorating ideas
Our clever remakes will inspire you to give a piece of ho-hum furniture a fresh face using paint, fabric, stencils and easy embellishments.
Start Slideshow

1 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Nailhead glamour

Continue with more Midwest Living decorating ideas

Luxe up a dresser, headboard or any wood furnishing that needs a touch of flash by adding jewellike nailheads. Our focal-point buffet started as a bargain chinoiserie with flat door fronts -- perfect for applying ornamentation.Pick a base color that shows off the design, like a semigloss white. Instead of drilling and hammering nailheads, which can be a pain, find a faux alternative. Glue on silver-spray-painted round wood plugs or three-dimensional silver nailhead stickers available at some scrapbooking stores."You can be very tame with the design and just outline the edges, or have fun and create a diamond pattern or stripes, or do one big monogram," suggests Chicago interior designer Michelle Williams. Click below for the pattern we used.

Buffet resources Hardware: Euro-Contemporary Pull, No. P2162-SN; Hickory Hardware. Paint: Snowbound, No. 7004 in Semigloss; Sherwin-Williams.Wallpaper resources Tranquil in Black by Linda Barker, No. 17227; Graham and Brown.Download nailhead pattern

1 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Painted florals

Painted florals

Bold flowers turn solid-color upholstered furniture (or slipcovers) into conversation starters, especially when you're the artist. We used stencils and acrylic paint mixed with textile medium to update our bergere chair.For best results: Decide flower placement first, balance sizes and colors, and practice on scrap fabric. Attach stencils, one at a time, with stencil spray adhesive. Paint from the outside of the stencil in with a small foam roller to achieve a thin layer. Use a stencil brush for details. Paint the frame a coordinating color.Chair resources Paint: (On frame) Nomadic Desert, No. 6107 in Gloss; Sherwin-Williams. (Flowers) Baby Chick, No. 2023-20; Starry Night Blue, No. 2067-20; Raspberry Glaze, No. 2078-20; Benjamin Moore. Stencils: Sunflower, No. DM12-S; Daisy, No. DM14-S; The Stencil Library.Sherwin-WilliamsBenjamin MooreThe Stencil Library

2 of 8

3 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Glossy appliques

Glossy appliques

Wood appliques or medallions add easy style to a smooth-front former nightstand.Make traditional motifs look fresh with glossy paint in vibrant color combinations, such as yellow and gray. We snagged the scrollwork wood pieces at a home improvement store for about $5 each. Attach with small nails or glue; touch up with paint. New knobs finish this chic transformation.Side table resources Appliques: (Large) EverTrue Raw Whitewood Ornament, No. 33806; (Small) EverTrue Raw Whitewood Ornament, No. 34163; Lowe's. Knobs: Paisley Knob, No. 136374; Lowe's. Paint: (On table) Sun Porch, No. 2023-30 in Gloss; Benjamin Moore. (On appliques) Software, No. 7074; Sherwin-Williams.Lowe'sBenjamin MooreSherwin-Williams

3 of 8

Advertisement

4 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Stenciled inlay effect

Stenciled inlay effect

New furniture with wood or metallic inlays can be pricey. Create an inexpensive inlay effect on a tabletop or cabinet door front with a stencil and high-gloss or metallic paint.The bold basket weave on this secondhand table looks sophisticated in basic black and white. Or try sunbursts, repeated triangles, vines, florals or damasks in subdued color combos. Protect with a polyurethane finish or a glass top.Dining table resources Paint: (Base color) Inkwell, No. 6992 in Gloss; (Stencil color) Snowbound, No. 7004 in Gloss; Sherwin-Williams. Stencil: Camel Bone Weave Small, No. 3000S; Royal Design Studio.Sherwin-WilliamsRoyal Design Studio

4 of 8

5 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Two-tone finish

Two-tone finish

One paint color refreshes any furniture piece, but two colors offer twice the style for little extra cost. We coated a bowfront dresser's frame with a glossy midnight blue finish, and painted the drawers a contrasting semigloss white."We have been designing a lot of two-tone pieces of furniture lately," says Matt Harris, an Indianapolis designer. He likes to pair a basic painted frame with exotic wood on the doors or drawer fronts. To achieve that two-tone look, apply our faux wood-grain treatment (next slide) to just the drawers.Dresser resources Paint: (Frame) Twilight Blue, No. 2067-30 in Gloss; Benjamin Moore. (Drawers) Snowbound, No. 7004 in Semigloss; Sherwin-Williams.Benjamin MooreSherwin-Williams

5 of 8

6 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Exaggerated wood grain

Exaggerated wood grain

Mimic an emphasized wood grain, such as our faux limed-wood finish, with an easy paint technique.Start with a white base coat. When dry, add black in sections with a painting sponge. Drag a wood-graining tool ($3-$8) along the fresh paint to expose the white underneath.Accent table resources Paint: (Base) Snowbound, No. 7004 in Semigloss; (Top) Tricorn Black, No. 6258 in Gloss; Sherwin-Williams.Sherwin-Williams

6 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Metallic scrollwork top

Metallic scrollwork top

Scrolled vine or flower stencils add romance to a mirror-topped side table.Remove the mirror top (or protect with painter's tape). Paint the frame a metallic silver finish or high-gloss gray for a silvery effect. Determine stencil placement on the mirror, and temporarily secure with stencil spray adhesive. Apply silver enamel paint with a stencil brush, stippling gently until the design is covered. To extend the scrollwork, reposition the stencil so that it connects to the existing design. Let the paint cure for 21 days, or bake according to instructions on enamel paint container.Table resources Paint: (On frame) Passive, No. 7064 in Gloss; Sherwin-Williams. (On mirror top) FolkArt Enamel Paint 2oz-Metallic Silver; available at crafts stores. Stencil: No. DE255; The Stencil Library.Sherwin-WilliamsThe Stencil Library

7 of 8

8 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Perfect makeover candidates

Perfect makeover candidates

These style-starved, yet good-condition furnishings from consignment shops, discount stores and our own homes were the perfect makeover candidates. Before starting these projects, sand and prime furniture according to paint manufacturer's instructions.Continue to next slide for more Midwest Living® home makeover ideas.(A version of this story appeared in Midwest Living® January/February 2010.)

8 of 8

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Produced and written by Sara Reimer. Photographs by Greg Scheidemann

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 8 Nailhead glamour
    2 of 8 Painted florals
    3 of 8 Glossy appliques
    4 of 8 Stenciled inlay effect
    5 of 8 Two-tone finish
    6 of 8 Exaggerated wood grain
    7 of 8 Metallic scrollwork top
    8 of 8 Perfect makeover candidates

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Midwest Living

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • Free Newsletters this link opens in a new tab
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Renew this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Affiliate Program
    • Free Travel Info this link opens in a new tab
    • Special Promotions this link opens in a new tab
    • Sweepstakes this link opens in a new tab
    • Video
    • Home Advisor this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMidwest Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Midwest Living. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.midwestliving.com

    Sign in

    View image

    7 Easy Furniture Facelifts
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.