When you moved into your first apartment, there’s a good chance you inherited a bunch of mismatched, dated, cast-off furniture from friends and family. Or perhaps you move a lot and have to deal with different layout situations, or you change your style frequently and find yourself wishing your furniture looked different. There are a lot of reasons why you may not like the look of your furniture, but did you know there are lots of options for changing it? Don’t limit yourself to just a can of paint and a brush. Instead, check out these four brilliant ideas for updating your furniture using everything but paint!
Wrapping Paper
Wrapping paper is one of the quickest, easiest and cheapest ways to update a flat piece of furniture like a table, desk or dresser. Just trim the paper down to size and secure with double-sided tape. If it’s a surface that will get a lot of use, consider covering the paper with a sheet of plexiglass or glass, also cut to size. Pick a lighter-colored paper to brighten up a dark, heavy piece (as shown above), or pick colorful paper to add color to an otherwise boring space. When you’re ready for a change, peel off the old paper and add a new one!
Peel-and-Stick Papers
If you inherited an antique or old, dingy cast-off that can’t be painted, consider covering it in peel-and-stick wallpaper or patterned contact paper instead. Thanks to stores like Spoonflower and Target, peel-and-stick papers now come in pretty much any color, pattern and style you can think of!
This technique works best on flat, smooth surfaces (like shelves, flat dressers and tables, not wood-carved pieces or beveled drawers!). Simply pick a pattern you love, trim the paper down to dimensions that will cover the surface, peel off the paper backing and apply it to your unit. Smooth wrinkles and wrap paper to the back to conceal any raw or exposed edges.
Many papers are strong enough to wrap around edges (like on a drawer) and hold tightly, but also consider just covering flat top surfaces for a pop of color or pattern. On this stool below, only the step tops were covered in paper to give the stool an entirely different look! (You can see the tutorial here!)
Tapes
Tapes are another great way to give furniture a completely different look in a totally temporary way! Duct tapes, washi tapes and even cuts of removable vinyl (usually designed for walls) can all be applied to furniture to give them more color and style!
On this simple pine dresser, the blue and green stripes were created using rolls of extra-wide washi tape. When it’s time for a change, the tape peels off cleanly, restoring the dresser to its original condition. (You can see the full tutorial here). Use caution, though, as not all tapes will pull off cleanly. Test tapes on your piece first before proceeding with this type of makeover!
Fabric
Last but not least, fabric is a great way to update a piece of furniture or conceal damage or ugly colors! Fabric is available in many colors, patterns, styles and price points; it’s just a matter of finding one you love that works with your décor.
There are so many different ways to use fabric on a piece. Just like the wrapping paper above, use it on top of a dresser, table or shelf to add a pop of color. Or use hook-and-loop tape to adhere it to the back of a bookcase (as shown above) to lighten and brighten a dark unit!
You can even use fabric to update drawers on a dresser or desk for a major change! It is best to try this on drawers that are flat (not much beveling around the edges) and sit outside of the dresser frame.
Applying the fabric is quick and easy! Trim your fabric down to size, allowing a few inches for wrapping toward the inside of the drawer front. Fold over the edges (to conceal the raw edge of the fabric) and secure all the way around with a staple gun! We recommend that you try it on one drawer to make sure it closes properly before covering any others! For more details, use this tutorial here.
Giving furniture an entirely different look doesn’t have to require paint! With some creativity and a few removable materials — such as fabric, tape and peel-and-stick paper — you can give your old furniture a fresh new look. Because these can all come right off, when you’re ready for a change, just remove and start over! If you’re looking for even more ways to update your hand-me-downs, check out these five great strategies! And if you’re willing to try your hand at painting furniture, our painting guide will walk you through every step!