Interior Designers: Finding New Ways to Use Old Furniture

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There are many ways to decorate a living space like a photo from a magazine without spending a fortune. Finding new ways to up-cycle old furniture will give it a new purpose as well as add a fashionable look. Oklahoma interior designers can assist in finding new ways to use old furniture and knickknacks. The rustic look is very popular in many magazines including Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Living. An easy way to achieve a rustic style is to re-purpose old window shutters. By hanging one sideways on a wall, a shutter can quickly become a rustic mail organizer. Even pesky long envelopes will fit horizontally into the shutter’s slats. They can also be re-purposed into shelves by attaching a shelf support bracket on the bottom and mounting them on the wall. They look especially charming in a bathroom as a towel rack! If the old painted shutters are in rough shape, they can be sanded with fine sandpaper and then stained or painted over. Choosing a bold color such as teal, lime, or lemon is especially popular. Vintage furniture is making a comeback in high-fashion magazines such as Vogue, but antique furniture can be pricey. Luckily achieving a vintage look is obtainable with upholstery. With a little patience, some foam, fabric, and staples, an old coffee table can be transformed into a shabby-chic ottoman. Simply line up a block of foam and trim it to the size of the top of the coffee table. The fabric is then laid over the foam, folded underneath and stapled into place. Spray-painting the legs will not only give the project a glossy sheen and new life, but matching the color to accents in the fabric will make it pop. The finished product will look like a lovely plush ottoman from a 1920’s mansion. By using the same method, an old bench or long coffee table can also easily be given new life. By adding a bit of wood to one or both ends of the project and upholstering over them in the same manner, a piece can be given a complete transformation into a vintage chaise lounge. Hopefully using these techniques will spark new ideas, for there are many ways to re-purpose old furniture. Fashionable and fantastic looks can be created by everyone—no matter what their style may be.