Eight Ways to Bring New Life to Vintage Pieces

Eight Ways to Bring New Life to Vintage Pieces

From flea market finds to family antiques, upcyling old pieces can add charm and style to your home.

One of our favorite things about the vintage style is that heirlooms and antiques find new life in our homes. Whether kept in their original condition or repurposed completely, these vintage pieces add a touch of charm to a home, and make a space feel more comfortable and lived in. Do you have any family heirlooms or thrift store finds that you’re not quite sure what to do with? Read below for our best upcycling hacks on how to give your vintage pieces a breath of fresh air.

Eight Ways to Bring New Life to Vintage Pieces

Use paint and a few creative twists to update an old table. Remove hardware, and use painters’ tape to create stripes on the tabletop. Cover the entire table in Chalk Paint, and let dry. To give the legs a sleek dip-dye effect, simply paint a portion of them in your favorite hue—we chose a punch of metallic!

Eight Ways to Bring New Life to Vintage Pieces

Step into a whole new way of looking at things with a project that turns a flea-market discovery into a cheery, new piece of furniture. Start with an old screened or glass-paned door, and carefully remove either the screen or glass. Measure the space top to bottom and side to side, and have a professional cut a piece of mirrored glass to fit. Working from the backside, apply clear silicone adhesive in the tracks, slide in glass, and press into place. Use either glazing points or wood strips to secure. Simply lean the door against the wall, drape with a bit of bunting clipped from lovely scraps of fabric, and stand back to reflect on your ingenuity.

Eight Ways to Bring New Life to Vintage Pieces

Turn a barrel into a convertible storage table and ottoman with a few quick additions. Attach handles to either side of the barrel for easy transport. Measure the circumference of the top of the barrel, and, using a jig saw, cut a piece of 34-inch-thick plywood to fit. Sand the edges smooth, and paint. Purchase or sew a pillow to fit the top, and secure with Velcro. Set the top pillow-side-up when you want an ottoman, and turn it over when you need a tabletop!

Eight Ways to Bring New Life to Vintage Pieces

Eight Ways to Bring New Life to Vintage Pieces

Add a rustic feel to your home by bringing a shutter indoors. Vintage shutters, like the one pictured here, can be found at flea and antique markets. Choose a fun paint color to rub into the grooves for a distressed look. This can be an inexpensive way to fill a large wall while adding a casual and cozy vibe.

Eight Ways to Bring New Life to Vintage Pieces

Rather than traditional frames, mount artwork on reclaimed hutch doors, covering it with plexiglas rather than the real thing for safety’s sake. Use heavy twine to hang the panels from hooks. Adapt a vintage suitcase as a table to hold a vignette composed of family photos and a collection of keepsakes, like dad’s childhood rocker.

Eight Ways to Bring New Life to Vintage Pieces

Turn a vintage wire basket on casters into a laundry hamper by adding a custom linen liner.

Eight Ways to Bring New Life to Vintage Pieces

From books and albums to playing cards and remotes—imagine the storage capabilities for this clever coffee table! Screw planks of trimmed wood to cover the width of a repurposed pallet. Satin outdoor paint will protect the tabletop from wear, while a set of four large vintage casters will make the piece mobile.

Eight Ways to Bring New Life to Vintage Pieces

Turn a thrift-store bargain into the best seat in the house with upholstery fabric spray paint. (We used Simply Spray in Charcoal Grey.) Choose a chair with a low pile, and add coats until you achieve the desired degree of coverage. This chair has two light coats, allowing the floral pattern to peek through.

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