We all love the amazing bargains that can be found at the closest Ikea, but there is one problem: Sometimes those discounted pieces of furniture look a little, well, cheap and basic.
Not to worry, these nine furniture makeovers will give you ideas on how to make those low-priced furnishings look like they came from a designer shop. After taking the time to do these upgrades you’ll have some strategies to take your home from bland to defined.
1. Vilmar Chair Gets A Marbled Makeover
This basic white chair was given an upgrade with just some glue and paper. To save even more money, Dream A Little Bigger blogger Alison suggests checking out the “as is” department. You will be covering up any nicks anyway, so a slightly imperfect piece will do just fine.
2. Tarva Chest Goes Glam With Paint
To bring some life to this piece, blogger Sarah Sherman Samuel added new knobs and painted the legs. This was enough change to give the dresser differentiation while still allowing it to blend into a tight space. The creator even sawed down the legs to better suit her space.
3. DIY Workbench With Rast Dressers And Linnmon Desktops
Not only is this workbench less expensive than what you’d pay for a pre-made version, but you can also customize it to your space. Made from only three dressers and three countertops, this bench cost less than $125. Considering a basic workbench can cost you anywhere from $200 to $500, this is quite a savings. Head on over to Polished Habitat for directions.
4. Basic Side Table Is Transformed With Tape And Paint
This look was achieved with just a little paint and some tape. The table was taken from a basic white piece that would have been completely passed by to a stand-out side table that is sure to get your friends talking. Check out Dwell Beautiful for directions on how to create a table like this.
5. Lack Coffee Table Turns Into A Mid-Century Showpiece
The changes that Kirsten from Triple Max Tons made to this table were minimal, but the overall effect is gorgeous. She took off the bottom shelf from this table and then added on some new legs for a classic modern piece. The contrast of the wood with the white gives this coffee table a completely fresh look.
6. Basic Storage Cubes Get An Antique Look
Wow! With just a coat of dark wood stain and the addition of brass card file pulls, these basic wooden drawers look like a beautiful antique chest. Learn how to recreate this vintage look on The Painted Hive.
7. Basic Cube Becomes A Custom Ottoman
In order to create this stylish foot rest, Kristi Murphy covered an Ikea cube with fabric. Choosing your own fabric allows you to customize the piece to suit your decor. It’s a simple change that results in a piece of expensive-looking furniture for a fraction of the cost.
8. Besta Cabinet Doubles As A Mid-Century Bar
Check out Brittany Makes to see how one blogger transformed the look of this cabinet, and found a creative way to add more shelves. And, the addition of mid-century style legs completely changes the look of the cabinet.
9. Vittsjo Coffee Table Stuns With A Coat Of Gold Leaf Paint
Another fast fix that created a gorgeous look—it’s amazing what you can do with a little paint! After painting the black edging of the table gold, blogger and designer Kristin Jackson added a marble slab to the bottom shelf. As an alternative, she suggests using white paint and adding a mirror rather than the marble. Either way the style of this table is brought to a whole new level.
