Some of the most precious inventory that we have has been thrifted or given a second life. After a little extra love and time has been dedicated to restoring décor or art it instantly becomes one of a kind. These additions to a room are what make your home stand out in a way that is unique to you and it is very rewarding investment. This is the same philosophy that we apply to our staging; taking a previously loved subject and polishing it into a new life.
In addition, repurposing and thrifting can be a lot more affordable and accessible for people, but it can seem out of reach for some who cannot visualize the results of their efforts. This is why we decided to compile the projects that we have taken on professionally and in our own home and we hope that this inspires you to find new potential in yours.
Adirondack Chair
As much as we advocate for upcycling, an important step to take before you start is to decide if the item is worth the time and/or money that you might invest in it. When we found these chairs the family that previously owned them didn’t have a need for them anymore and they began to collect moss and mold. We assessed the material and quality of the chair and determined that they had the potential to be saved.
All that was required to restore the chairs was a good pressure wash and they looked almost new. Years later we still use these chairs and they have maintained their sturdiness and new beauty.
Left: Before, Right: After
Black Dresser
This dresser was worn and scratched with outdated hardware. However, the bones of this dresser were very much intact. It was a sturdy dresser; the drawers still pulled out smoothly and it had no major dents or gouges. We decided that a fresh coat of paint and new hardware would bring back the life lost in this piece.
When the restoration involves painting, we like to use this as an opportunity to change the colour. Get creative and make your project completely your own. This is a big piece of furniture and so we wanted to make it more versatile by choosing light grey, a colour that lightens the heaviness of the previously bold black. When addressing the hardware change, we realized that we liked the handles, just not the colour so we livened them up with a brushed gold spray paint. To create a seamless look, we painted the feet the same colour. The finished project has an elevated and sophisticated look that makes it much more universal. Remember the small details can make a huge difference!
Before
Spraying the hardware.
After
Curtain Tab Top
These curtains are made of a beautiful material but the way that they were designed to hang wasn’t doing them any favours. The loop hanging feature doesn’t hold the curtain in place very well making it look sloppy. Simply we turned the top of the loop over on itself and safety pinned it to the back of the curtain creating a blind pocket rod. Hanging it closer to the top of the curtain itself rather than dangling on loops holds the fabric in place. This creates a cleaner line around the window and elevates the ceiling. A very simple fix and a very different result.
Before
Creating a blind pocket.
After
Credenza
This is beautiful piece, solid wood has so much potential. A good sanding, brushing and we were ready to paint on a new life. We took off the vintage hardware and decided to restore it to its original brilliance rather than change it or paint it like we did with the dresser we restored. The colour we chose was a light navy grey, called Gentleman’s Grey by Benjamin Moore, that dressed up the classic brass accents.
With how much detail work there is on this credenza we had to devote more time into prepping it than other projects that we have done but this resulted in a better pay off. Anytime you are dealing with real wood, more often you are investing in something that will stand the test of time much longer than most other materials since it can be refinished many times. We encourage you to look around your house and see what wood furniture or décor could use a coat of paint and a bit of your time.
Before
Cleaning the brass knobs
After
End Table
Do you have any spare fabric laying around? Maybe some old curtains that you haven’t the space to use? Here’s a creative way to repurpose it, NO SEWING required! We customized a plain end table that had surface water damage on top. First, we cut a square of fabric that was the same size as the top of the table. Then we folded the rough edges about a half inch on the back side so that we could get a clean line and using a fabric glue, kept it in place. Once that was dry, we flipped it back to the right side and secured it center to the table with black metallic tacks (please feel free to get creative with colours and textures). We repeated this procedure with the bottom opening. For the inside of the drawer, we used a roll of easy to use and source contact paper. Instantly this end table becomes one of a kind and a more dynamic piece to include in your house.
Before
Folding over the cut seam and hemming it with fabric glue.
After
Painted Glass
Here’s something fun that you can do with your friends or kids. Clear glass vases are beautiful but sometimes they can be a bit redundant. Using acrylic paint and a bit of creativity we turned our common looking vases into unique and colourful statement pieces (tip: the acrylic paint isn’t waterproof so if you plan on using these vases for live flowers, opt for a waterproof paint). Try different techniques, like our aqua vase that we painted in different layers so that it created a more dimensional look. If you are going to use the glassware for candles, you could paint the votives with a different colour than the holder (see the lime and pink glass set) so that you can cast unique shadows and variants of colours from the light. Remember to have fun and be creative. Your home should be a reflection of you so make it personal!
Two piece candle votive featuring Gracie-D
A variety of our painted glassware
