Home Interior: 10 Thrift Store Furniture Makeovers

The story of what i blogger has learned after ikon over 10 Thrift Store Furniture Makeovers

I'm non the best decorator, designer, or photographer, my socks direct maintain in all probability alone matched twice inward my life, as well as my cats are rather plump. I'm far from perfect, but i expanse I'm getting pretty skillful at is paint. Jesse has definitely witnessed several 'I JUST RUINED IT!!!!' mini-breakdowns after i of my slice of furniture makeovers has gone awry, but my goal has ever been progress over perfection.

After ikon in all probability xx pieces of slice of furniture inward the yesteryear few years, I've definitely made some progress inward my ikon skills. So, today, I sentiment I would roundup 10 of my favorite painted slice of furniture makeovers, as well as thus afterwards respond some of the FAQ's I acquire almost ikon furniture.

Let's acquire started amongst my 10 favorite slice of furniture makeovers, going inward chronological order. I'll percentage some failures, some successes, as well as what I've ultimately learned along the way.

#1. The Flip-Down Desk Makeover

This was the absolute start slice of slice of furniture I ever painted.

I did an awful job.

I didn't prime number or sand it, as well as it's basically a giant slice of string cheese now. I'm showing you lot this for 2 reasons. One, because I'm almost to strip this slice as well as redo it, as well as right away you lot tin nation you lot knew it back when. Two, because it's a dandy reminder. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 dandy reminder that if you lot construct a mistake, fifty-fifty on your grandmother's fine antique furniture, you lot volition alive to tell the tale. It's non the halt of the world.

Leave it lone for a fleck (bit = iii years) as well as circle dorsum around.

*That beingness said, I would propose avoiding the heirlooms until you lot know what you're doing. Do every bit I say, non every bit I do. :)

#2. Gold Stenciled Vanity Desk
This lilliputian vanity tabular array was i of my start slice of furniture makeovers every bit well. I painted it as well as stenciled a gilded lattice stencil on top. I've since sold it on Craigslist (tips here), but it yet holds a special house inward my heart. For beingness i of the start makeovers, I totally intend this i came out pretty cool.
High five, lilliputian guy. So lamentable I sold you.

To run across the stenciled vanity earlier pics go here.

#3. Office Desk Makeover

Oh, the desk. I'm sitting at this desk correct right away every bit I write. I dearest this desk. It's i of my favorites. I dearest it because it turned out amazing, but alone after a lot of heartache. There is some definite truth behind the maxim that you lot larn to a greater extent than from your failures than from success. I painted this tabular array twice, as well as scraped the pigment off twice. Then I cried twice. Then, I finally figured out the most durable solution, which was using an stone oil based pigment as well as primer. I'll elaborate to a greater extent than on stone oil based vs. H2O based at the halt of this post.

To run across the earlier pics of the desk, go here.

#4. The Dresser Makeover That Launched It All.
This was the start dresser I ever owned every bit an 'adult', as well as I eventually decided to pigment it, fifty-fifty after the debacle amongst the heirloom. As fate would direct maintain it, it turned out thus dandy that it sent me into a tailspin of ikon everything inward sight as well as eventually starting a weblog almost my adventures.
You tin run across where this dresser lately ended upwards AND assist me amongst some futurity flooring decisions here. Seriously, help.

#5. The French Provincial Dresser Makeover
This is the filet mignon of dressers...as in, it's my favorite. Also, it was originally $50, thus it's exactly biding its fourth dimension earlier I merchandise it inward for a steak. Kidding. I would NEVER.
If you've never seen the earlier motion ikon go here.

#6. Chalkboard File Cabinet Makeover
This lilliputian file cabinet was my start ever roadkill transformation, as well as I'm hoping it won't live my last. I volition never live besides proud to drag individual else's trash across the street. Even if it's my ain neighbor's, as well as I totally acquire stuck inward the middle of the street because I overestimate my strength.
Because that happened. Here.

#7. Piano bench turned STRIPE.

I'm non including whatever chairs since I've already listed my piece of work yesteryear 10 chair makeovers here, but this bench is exactly begging to construct the cut, particularly after belongings his ain inward the closet makeover. And I can't debate amongst that.

So an exception nosotros shall make.

Full tutorial here.

#8. The Blue Dresser Makeover
I to a greater extent than often than non took a intermission from ikon slice of furniture to pigment our cut down as well as our cabinetry throughout the house, as well as when I came dorsum to it, I had actually learned thus much. My ikon skills actually started to improve yesteryear the fourth dimension this makeover came around. I started out amongst an onetime dresser given to us yesteryear a friend. It was inward dandy shape, but needed some updating.

I used my favorite color of aqua bluish pigment as well as some fancy novel hardware to completely transform this dresser into something that looks amazing inward our head bedroom.

See the total tutorial, hardware source, as well as pigment colors here.

#9. The Herringbone Dresser Makeover
This is i of my most recent makeovers. For this makeover, I decided to practise something a lilliputian unlike as well as throw some pattern into the mix. Here's the earlier motion ikon of Kevin*.
*(who volition live forever called that after this post).

And hither he is after some fresh novel bluish pigment as well as gilded spray painted hardware.

You tin also run across Kevin inward his early on days dorsum when I start painted as well as stenciled him as well as made him live our TV console for 2 years. He's since been relieved of his duties.
*Update: Kevin lives on inward this post fifty-fifty though nosotros tried desperately to acquire our dissever ways.

#10. The Silver Leaf Vanity Table Makeover
This is my most recent slice of furniture makeover, as well as although it was difficult, I intend it mightiness live my all fourth dimension favorite. I started out amongst a $15 thrift shop desk that had definitely seen ameliorate days...

And after a grueling session amongst 50 sheets of silvery leaf, I ended upwards amongst a lovely house to sit down as well as acquire laid upwards each day. I also learned something cool almost plexiglass during this makeover, thus I give it an overall thumbs up. It wasn't easy, but I yet learned thus much.
Plus, I still detect silvery foliage floating to a greater extent than or less my solid sometimes...
so accidental disco = awesome. Or something.

See the entire silvery foliage adventure here.

And those are my 10 favorite slice of furniture makeovers thus far. I'm certain in that place volition live many to a greater extent than to come.

For instance, this one.

Now, let's respond some of the ofttimes asked questions that I acquire after posting my slice of furniture makeovers. Hopefully this volition respond some of your questions, too.

#1. Do I role an oil-based pigment or a latex-based paint?

The respond is that you lot tin role either one. Their are pros as well as cons of both. Latex dries faster as well as is easier to construct clean up, but it's non every bit durable every bit an oil-based paint. For something similar my desk, I chose an stone oil based primer as well as stone oil based pigment because it gives you lot a actually hard, durable glossy finish.

#2. What pigment practise you lot commonly use?

With the exception of my desk as well as a duo of other modest projects, I commonly opt for latex. It is durable plenty for what I need, it tin live cleaned upwards amongst water, as well as it isn't smelly similar an oil-based paint. That materials lingers. Emphasis on the lingers. For most of my furniture, I've but used a apartment interior pigment inward the color of my choice, commonly Behr or Valspar. Then, I role a topcoat of my choice.

#3. Do I role wax or polycrylic or polyurethane every bit a topcoat?

I ever prime number first, thus I commonly pigment amongst apartment paint, thus seal amongst a wax or polycrylic. Wax is less durable but gives it a softer/matte look. Polycrylic is to a greater extent than durable as well as tin live bought inward satin, semi-gloss, or gloss finish. I alone role Polyurethane on slice of furniture I've painted a night color. It's super durable, but it yellows overtime, thus it's non ideal for calorie-free colored furniture. My preferred method is polycrylic.

#4. How practise I acquire the aroma out of onetime furniture?

Wiping the insides of drawers out amongst vinegar tin assist take away whatever onetime smells. If that doesn't help, wipe downwards the drawers as well as thus pigment them. I did that on this dresser, as well as it smells as well as looks construct new.

#5. How practise I repair modest dents or scratches on furniture?

I role wood filler (affiliate link) on whatever dents or scratches. Just smoothen a modest amount over the dent, permit dry, thus sand until the excess is removed. Once painted, you lot won't run across whatever of the imperfections. I practise this to almost every slice I paint.

#6. How practise I acquire rid of brushstrokes?

I commonly role a high lineament brush followed yesteryear a modest foam roller (as mentioned inward this tutorial), but I've lately discovered a dandy novel tip that I am loving! When using latex paint, you lot tin role a production called Floetrol (affiliate link). You add together a few tablespoons to your pigment as well as it's basically similar a conditioner for your pigment that leaves barely whatever brushstrokes behind. It's kinda awesome, as well as I tin already tell that I'll live using it a lot going forward. More on that later.

#7. How practise I alter the hardware out for a unlike size?

If you lot desire to swap a knob for a pull, or vice versa, take away amongst a screwdriver, as well as exactly create total inward the electrical flow holes amongst forest filler as well as drill novel ones wherever you lot desire your novel hardware to go. Once painted, you'll never know the onetime holes were there.

#8. Do I direct maintain to sand my slice of furniture earlier painting?

Easy answer. Nope. Sanding a slice start volition ever give you lot ameliorate adhesion, but these days I commonly exactly prime number it using a primer similar Zinsser (affiliate link). It holds upwards actually well.

#9. Can you lot exactly spray pigment a slice of furniture?

Sure. Spray pigment is predominately oil-based, thus it clings actually good to exactly almost anything. The alone con is that it's super smelly as well as hard to construct clean up, thus you'll desire to practise it outdoors inward a well-ventilated area. I often direct maintain a actually hard fourth dimension getting spray pigment to await fifty-fifty on tabular array tops or large apartment surfaces, thus I commonly alone spray pigment smaller pieces of slice of furniture similar chairs or halt tables. Plus, it takes a lot of cans of spray pigment to comprehend a large item. All of the higher upwards reasons commonly hateful I halt upwards using a pint of latex pigment on my larger pieces. :)

#10. What almost using a pigment sprayer?

I've never used i before, thus I can't give you lot whatever advice on that one. However, I tin hope you lot that a pigment sprayer is at the piece of work yesteryear of my listing of 'things I desire asap', thus I hope to percentage my findings amongst you lot in i lawsuit I finally acquire my hands on one. For those of you lot seasoned painters who direct maintain them, whatever suggestions? I'm listening! :)

And that, sweetness friends, is all for today!

Thanks thus much for stopping by!

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