Budget Furniture Fix-Ups
By Kathleen Wilson
Faced with my own furniture dilemma recently, I thought what
a great opportunity for me to share ideas with you on how
to turn around that tired piece of furniture, without having
to spend big bucks! So here it is, secrets from The
Budget Decorator on transforming your furniture
from trash to TFTE! (Treat For The Eyes!)
One of the most expensive items in our rooms is our furniture,
and we can't always afford to just replace it when it gets
worn, outdated, or just no longer works in your room.
The number one concern for those trying to update existing
furniture is slipcovers. Now, unless you are an experienced
seamstress, sewing fitted slipcovers is no easy task.
However, fortunately today's trends lean towards casual,
and that includes furniture. Here are instructions for some
simple, casual covers that almost anyone can do.
First of all, use sheets instead of pieced fabric; it is
MUCH easier and cheaper! Measure your furniture, and buy a
sheet size that will cover your furniture piece without it's
cushions, tucked in and around the arms.(Don't forget to check
out garage sales for good deals!)
Use decorative cording if you like to tie around the "skirt"
area to give it a more structured look. Simply tuck ends under
the couch or chair. (You could even tape or staple the ends
to the bottom of the piece, if you wanted.)
Now take each of your cushions and look at it as if you are
wrapping a gift. Cut a piece large enough for your cushion,
wrap it like a present, and safety pin it to the underside
of the cushion. (Who's gonna see it?) Add a few pillows and
a throw, and you have changed the entire look of your furniture
for little money, the covers are washable, and you can make
one for each season if you want.
Sheets, blankets, and quilts can all be used for this project,
and can be found at garage sales, thrift stores, and maybe
even your own linen closet.
Try wrapping the cushions with another, different fabric
from the room. Remember, this is all about casual style, and
slipcovers are definitely stylish!
Even dining room chairs can be slipcovered. Simply make an
open envelope of fabric to fit over the back of the chair,
similar to a pillowcase. If you like, this can be dressed
up by tying it with cord or ribbon, sewing on decorative buttons,
or adding a little lace.
This project can easily be made from leftover curtain fabric
and scraps lying around your sewing room. Next on the list
is what is known as hard goods. Tables, chests, entertainment
centers. A fast and inexpensive way to transform these items
is, you guessed it, paint.
Almost anything can be painted these days, including laminate.
Simply prime it with a product specifically made for non-porous
surfaces … I like BIN or KILZ. Then just use ordinary
housepaint. Wood finishes can be just sanded and painted.
Consider trying your hand at decorative painting or faux finishing
for designed effects.
I suggest visiting a few web sites for ideas like www.paintedhouse.com,
www.paintideas.com, or www.fauxlikeapro.com.
More Pastiche decorating articles
Funky
Junky Decorating - Shabby Chic DIY by the Thrift Shop Maven!
Faux Finishing, A
Child's DREAM Room, Small Space
Decorating, Thrift Store
Decor,Warm Up Your Home
Another tight budget option for covering worn or outdated furniture
includes using fabric on door and drawer fronts. You can use
leftover fabric, fabric from thrift stores or garage sales,
or search your own closet. Simply cut the fabric slightly larger
than the drawer or door front, then use a staple gun to adhere
it to the back, stretching it snug as you go. Try painting the
rest of the piece a color picked out of the fabric for a great
coordinated look.
The last option I am going to throw out there is mosaic tiling.
This can be very frugal if you have leftover tiles from another
project, or ask your local tiling center if they have broken
tiles they would let you have. Another good place to look
for free mosaic materials is at residential construction sites,
especially ones that are more upscale. Always ask first, but
there are always broken tiles when an installation has taken
place, and it's only going to get hauled to the dump!
Mosaic can be as simple as laying broken tile in a random
pattern and gluing in place, to laying out intricate patterns,
and grouting and
sealing your project. You can use it on table or dresser tops,
drawer fronts, or even a door itself! You can even produce
the illusion of
mosaic by using decorative paper in the same manner, cut it
into irregular shapes, and glue it on!
Whatever you choose to do to update your furniture, impose
your own style, take your time, and be proud of your creation!
© Copyright 2002 K. Wilson
About the Author Kathleen
Wilson is the editor of a free ezine/newsletter called The
Budget Decorator, dedicated to "budget impaired"
home decorating. Visit her at http://www.thebudgetdecorator.com
for more free ideas
and projects, and for info on her soon to be released book
"Quick
Decorating Ideas Under $20!: The Budget Decorator's Bible".
|
