When furniture breaks down, looks old, is tattered or dirty, throwing it away can seem like the only option. But what of vintage finds that seem so perfect and all you can think about is how it would look so much better with a bit of this or if that wasn’t like that. Here are 5 great furniture restoration ideas given by top interior design blogs Singapore and that will ensure you never look at old furniture the same way again.
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Re-upholster a dining room chair:
Remove the seat cushion from chair frame and rip off original fabric. Select a new fabric choose that goes with the decor of your dining room. Place seat frame with cushion side face down on lining.Cut the lining cloth three inches around the edge of the frame. Staple the lining to the frame with a staple gun. Repeat this with the fabric on top, tucking in the edges neatly. Reattach the cushion to the frame using the original hardware.
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Restore a garage sale dresser:
Take out the drawers, remove the knobs and sand the dresser down to bare wood. Paint it in a solid color like jet black, with 3 coats of paint, letting it dry for 3 hours between each coat. Add new silver knobs to the dresser drawers. Additional ideas like shaded paint, stencil or chevron designs or a distressed look can be applied as well.
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Refinishing an antique:
Clean and sand the furniture, wiping down with a wet cloth after. Apply the stripping agent with a brush in thick, unidirectional coats. After drying, remove the stripper residue with a knife and then a damp cloth. Make any repairs if required. Add the distressing marks or dents with a hammer. Apply the stain, sanding it between layers and the wipe off.
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Paint and stencil an old wood table:
Use a rag with mineral spirits to clean the surface and use auto body filler to fill in the damaged gams, scoring the area with a blade first. Once dry and hard, sandpaper it into shape covering the rest of the table as well. Then apply a sand primer in an aerosol can. Let dry and sand between each coat. Add spray paint or lacquer after that. Select a stencil and tape it to the surface ensuring it is flat. Lightly spray through the stencil, removing it after 30 minutes. Let dry for 10 hours and then sand over it for a worn look, following up with a clear protective layer or sprayable lacquer.
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Giving your armchair slipcovers:
Cut the drop cloth into big pieces to cover each large section of the chair. Tuck and fold the seams as you glue the fabric down to the chair, hand stitching wherever required. Cut the arm pieces extra for curves and padding, press each piece down with adhesive spray, smoothening out the wrinkles. Tuck in the edges. Cover the bottom edges of all other pieces with the chair’s skirt, wrapped all the way around or in separate bits. Hammer in upholstery nails to the frame on the back and along the edges. Then hold the fabric in place with stitches.
A simple and effective way to remodel your home or your furniture is to hire a professional interior decorator. For those in Singapore, you can visit thecarpenters.com.sg and enquire them. They are trustworthy and are known to do exceptional job.
Daryl Green