Stores charge a lot for new furniture. You can open a line of credit to redecorate a room, or end up with particle board sandwiched fake wood with veneers – it seems hard to find a middle ground.
Luckily, with a little dose of creativity you can transform old furniture or materials into completely new and useful pieces for use around your home. Whether you have piles of disassembled antiques cluttering your basement or you enjoy hunting thrift stores, these ideas will give your home a healthy dose of extra charm that is friendly on the wallet.
Impromptu Kitchen Islands
You do not have to hire a contractor to enjoy the luxury and convenience of a kitchen island. These popular kitchen accessories can be fashioned from any piece of furniture of an appropriate height.
Dressers, bookshelves and other similarly-shaped objects can be covered with a slab of wood, concrete or laminated counter top for a kitchen island with plenty of storage. Two smaller pieces of furniture can be placed back-to-back with the counter on top and a piece of matching stained wood to nail them together.
Doors as Tables
Lots of older homes have incredibly attractive doors that have seen better days. While these doors may not be good for hanging in entrances, they can be sanded, stained or painted to give them a fresh look. Creating artificial “distressing” with steel wool and covering with varnish will also enhance their inherent beauty.
Once the table is turned on its side you can attach wood or metal feet and have an instant coffee table that looks like it has many a story to tell.
Porcelain Paradise
Old sink fixtures or bathtubs can be used outside to make yard art that can double as a pit stop for nature. Sinks make excellent birdbaths when they’re mounted atop a cement pedestal or similar support. They can also be placed amidst a flower bed to create a constant twitter of activity during the warmer months.
Bathtubs can likewise be used as a birdbath or even a garden pond for aquatic plants such as lilies or horsetails. A water feature and some smooth river stone around it can complete the look.
Non-free-standing bathtubs can be sunk into the ground up until the last few inches to create a clever but attention-grabbing garden centerpiece.
Headboard Holder
An old headboard can be repainted in a fresh color and hung near entrance ways or garages to provide a handy spot for keys to rest. Other accessories can be added to this fixture as well; maybe a tiny shelf for trinkets, or a metal clip for notes and messages.
All of these ideas can upcycle old furniture and save it from adding to the city dump. Your Okotoks real estate home can be abuzz with delight for visitors. For advice on how to improve your home’s value with attention-grabbing accessories, or to inquire about purchasing a home, feel free to contact us.
