How To Make Your Old Furniture Look Like New

Out with the old, in with the new. The beginning of 2014 can have you wanting to reinvent yourself — and your home. It's time to start fresh.

Paint the walls, change the curtains and get new furniture. It's important to have your home be a reflection of you; however, all that remodeling can get expensive.

Take a cue from Auld Lang Syne by buying a few new pieces, but keeping some of your older furniture.

If they have sturdy bones, then you can update their look by reupholstering them to fit your new home vibe. Below are DIY steps to help you modernize your furniture and save money in the process! 

Take Photographs

It's important to take photographs of your piece of furniture before and throughout the reupholstering process. You'll want a visual reference in case you have one too many pieces or can't seem to figure out what order the cushions were attached. 

Plus, you'll have a before and after picture as proof of your handiness and to inspire more DIY projects.

Disassemble The Upholstered Sections

Carefully take apart your piece of furniture. You only need to disassemble the upholstered sections, so don't strip down an entire dining chair when only the cushion needs to be redone. If there are a lot of pieces then you might want to do some labeling with Post-It notes or painters' tape.

Sew And Staple

Remove the old fabric and examine how it's put together. You might have to sew corner seams for cushions. You'll probably need to rent or borrow a sewing machine, if you don't have one.

Or, for many pieces, you'll just need a heavy-duty staple gun to pull the fabric tautly against the back frame and staple it in place. Try to recreate the way the initial fabric was secured.

Reassemble

Using your photographs and possibly your Post-It note organizational system, reassemble your pieces of furniture. In just a few hours, you can have updated radiant orchid chairs that match your bedspread or a sand-colored sofa for your beach-themed room.

Save your money to splurge on something you can't create! With a little time and ingenuity, you can make your old furniture feel fresh and new by reupholstering it in an updated fabric.