Quick Budget Friendly Updates to Your Furniture
We have all been there. Your room is feeling a bit boring. Your vintage dresser is sitting in your space and you desperately want an update. After you check your bank account, you realize it’s not in the budget to pay someone to refinish it for you, and its not in the budget to replace the dresser with a new piece of furniture either. Plus, why would you want to replace it? It is a beautiful piece with history and the quality is far superior to what you are getting from big box stores these days.
Here’s the honest truth. You don’t need to be a professional furniture refinisher to make a quick, noticeable update! Here are 3 quick solutions to make a noticeable update to your furniture!
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Add a drawer Liner
There are so many ways you can utilize peel and stick wallpaper for decor purposes - here are my 3 favourite ways. The first one being the obvious - as a wallpaper. While this use isn’t exactly about adding it to your furniture, adding allpaper to a recessed wall or to one feature wall in your room can create a beautiful focal point. If you tie the colours or theme of the wallpaper together with the piece of furniture that feels drab, you can actually breathe some life back into the space and play off of the vintage vibe.
My personal favourite use for peel and stick wallpaper is using it as a drawer liner. This is so darn easy to do and adds a lovely peek a boo effect to your furniture. It is an easy way to cover up soil marks from oils, crayons, or dried up candy stains (remove the candy first). I have honestly seen it all. Check the slideshow below for some examples of how cute the peek a boo drawers look!
Another way to add colour or interest to a piece with open wall space - add it as an actual wallpaper inside your cabinet! I have done this to the wallbacking on vintage china cabinets, or inside buffet cabinets, and also TV stands.
Bottom Line: Wallpaper is such a quick and easy (and affordable) way to add a little pop to tired furniture.
Want to check out my favourite wallpapers that I have used in the past? You can find them HERE.
2. Change out Hardware
Ok, so you have an old pine dresser with the dated ornate hardware. Don’t get me wrong, it’s cute, but you’re over it. Plus this is a big part of an update! The hardware is like the frosting on a cake - it brings everything together. New knobs or pulls can completely change the style of a piece - from vintage to modern, rustic to glam - in UNDER 30 minutes.
So, unless you have a VERY old dresser where the hardware can get a bit complicated, you likely have either a single hole knob, or hardware with a common hole spacing. Often you will find that the hole spacing is 3” or 5”. Even if it is 3.5” or something a bit weird, you can usually find something to fit!
The easiest way to check is to measure the backings. Open up your drawer, and find the hardware backings on the inside.
Grab a measuring tape and measure from one CENTER to the other CENTER of the screws. It is important that you go from the hole centers as it could add 1/4 - 1/2” and you don’t want your measurement to be wrong. If the measurement is wrong and you order new ones, that don’t fit - well that is just annoying.
If you want to checkout my list of favourite hardware options, check out my list here!
Don’t forget, you can also refresh your existing vintage hardware too - you don’t always have to completely change it. Some of the vintage drops pulls or Hepplewhite hardware is too stunning to replace..
If you want to learn how to update your vintage hardware, check out my blog post here.
3. Change out your decor
Honestly, this can make all the difference to pretty much anything. Sometimes you just need a change of scenery! This could include adding a soft piece of artwork above a vintage dresser, or replacing that old dresser mirror with a more modern one!
Adding greenery, picture frames, and a little texture can make a huge difference. Do you have some scratch marks that are an eye sore? Add a light and airy table runner! Coffee table books also add beautiful texture, along with soft wood accents. If you want to check out some of my favourite staging pieces, you can find them here!
Let’s tie this all together…
If you combine all three components to a dated piece of furniture
Wallpaper for liners or as a focal point behind the furniture piece that compliments the look
Change out (or freshen up) the hardware
Add some new modern decor
You can completely transform the vibe of a dated dresser without ever picking up a paintbrush. Your furniture instantly becomes approachable without the overwhelm of a full makeover.