Going to the thrift store can be a great time to find things to transform into beautiful pieces for your living space. Things that cost a few dollars can be changed into something that looks like it costs thousands and is in an interior design magazine. Sometimes all it takes is a creative eye and some inspiration and you can create some amazing things.
Although it can take some time between going to various thrift stores and then DIY crafting the pieces into their new forms, it saves you a lot of money and it creates something original and unique in your living space that no one else in the world has. Here are some of the best things to keep an eye out for when thrifting.
Upholstered Chairs
Take a look around for upholstered chairs that may not necessarily have the most beautiful upholstery fabric, but instead focus on the structure of the chairs. If you find chairs with particularly beautiful frames you can tear off the upholstery and replace it with a new fabric of your choosing.
Learning about upholstery is something that could be a fun project and fairly easy with a glue gun!
Old Mirrors
Look around for mirrors which may have old or chipped frames. You can easily sand down the frames and spray paint with a metallic finish giving them the illusion of being expensive and modern.
If not spray paint you could also use a clear coat finish to restore the wood and make it look new again.
Framed Paintings
Canvas can be expensive when you go to an art store, so why not take old art and paint over it? Take a look at old pieces of art in the thrift stores with vintage frames which are usually priced quite low. Paint over with a white oil paint and let dry overnight. After the painting is completely covered, you can start over yourself and create something unique for your living room or other room of your choosing!
There are many ideas on Pinterest for abstract art which is easy to achieve even if you don’t consider yourself to be much of an artist. Try some simple patterns in the color palette of your choice.
Armoires
These can be hard to find since they are usually quite expensive, but often you can find old armoires in the back of thrift stores. You can sand them down and repaint them to transform them from looking like something in your grandmother’s attic to something in the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton.
Some expert DIY crafters have even attached mirrors to the surface giving it an extra modern reflective touch.
So there you have it, don’t chuck that old rubbish into a skip, re-use and make something amazing.