Sometimes all it takes is a little imagination and the ordinary can become extraordinary. We loved this blogger's ability to visualize the potential of discarded furniture and transform it into something fresh, beautiful, and useful.
I’ve had many people ask me how to start out redoing furniture for yourself or other people. Let me tell ya, like everything else I do, I’ve tried to figure out how to get the biggest bang for my business buck. I’ve spent the last year finding the tools and products that allow me to put forward the best possible product for the least possible overhead, and thus maximize my profit and make the most for my precious time. I started doing this with practically no money, and you can too!
1. Furniture – Obviously the first thing you will need to start furniture upcyling is furniture.
Don’t be lured into taking every ugly, free thing that may come your way. (Not that I’m knocking free things or ugly things, by an means! I got this dresser (below) for free and it certainly was ugly, but it turned out to be a jewel!)
Make sure the pieces you’re putting your valuable time into are worth making over. Keep an eye out for solidly built pieces. I’ve learned the hard way that rickety chairs are just not worth the time and headache.
From the get-go, I’ve set a per piece spending limit of $40. Part of the fun (for me at least) is the challenge of trying to find things that are interesting to make over for $40 or less. :)
In order to snatch up the super-great deals, you need to be the first on the scene (so to speak.)
If you’re getting into this as a money making avenue, you need to look at the treasure hunting as part of the job. If you are on top of it, you will get the best deals and you will make more on your pieces when you turn them around.
If you’re getting into this as a money making avenue, you need to look at the treasure hunting as part of the job. If you are on top of it, you will get the best deals and you will make more on your pieces when you turn them around.
2. Primer – First, I’d like to say that you should NEVER skip the priming step (unless you’re using a paint that has primer in it or, like chalk paint, doesn’t need a primer.) I generally use a water-based primer in my sprayer.
I also keep some oil based spray primer on hand for pieces that need more stain-blocking (heavily knotted pine, or dark-stained pieces will sometimes bleed through the water-based primer) or odor covering (musty or smokey smelling pieces.)
3. Paint – When I first started out, before I had a sprayer, I primarily used canned spray paint for furniture makeovers. I still use it a lot for smaller redos that I don’t want to use the sprayer for or for quick hardware updates. Some of my favorite colors are:
Cherry Red, Catalina Mist & Celery!
And, of course, I always keep some oil-rubbed bronze and ivory on hand for hardware updates.
Another tip to furniture upcycling on the cheap is to keep an eye out for mistints at local hardware or paint stores. You can get great deals on some great paint because someone decided the color wasn’t exactly right. The sample paint pots are usually just the right size for a project. I painted the Chevron Dresser with one sample paint pot.
More upcycling tips from Ann Marie can be found at Twice Lovely
Ann Marie is a furniture and home decor revamping mamma of four, making cast-off, out-of-date, or otherwise down-trodden furniture fresh, stylish, and lovely once more at Twice Lovely. She restores the outdated to useful beauty and help gives you new eyes to see the potential in things you have in your own home or might have passed by at a thrift store, yard sale, or (gasp!) dumpster. :)
Ann Marie blogs at Twice Lovely
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