Here at Internal Doors we love repurposing and using DIY hacks to breathe new life into old or unused pieces. The transformations you can create are incredible!
We asked some brilliant interior design bloggers about their favourite repurposing projects and asked what advice they would give to first time upcyclers.
Suzy from Better Decorating Bible
What has been your favourite hack or repurposing project that you have worked on?
Transforming a bland MALM Ikea dresser into a gorgeous show stopping piece with beautiful gold Greek Keys made from strips of wood, spray painted, and nail gunned into place. It's amazing how you can start off with a simple piece of furniture and spice it up with a little imagination and creativity.
What tips and advice do you have for anyone wanting to start their own hack or repurposing projects?
Measure twice to avoid costly and time consuming mistakes and plan ahead what it is you want to do. Test before you go all out - for example test the back side of a dresser with a dab of paint to get a feel for how the finished product will look before painting the whole thing.
Suzy's Repurposed Dresser
Gail from My Repurposed Life
What has been your favourite hack or repurposing project that you have worked on?
I have 2 favorite projects. They both involve desks that belonged to my daughter in different stages of her life. I use both repurposed pieces every day. The oldest desk was repurposed into a tall chest--lots of storage, but a much smaller footprint. I achieved it by cutting the desk apart and stacking one set of drawers atop the other set, adding trim at the top and feet for the bottom.
What tips and advice do you have for anyone wanting to start their own hack or repurposing projects?
My best piece of advice is to just go for it. Rarely does a project end up exactly like I imagined it would, in fact most of the time it's better. As long as your piece has good bones, you can't go wrong. If you're a little timid when it comes to tools, pick up a paint brush. Paint and hardware can totally change an unwanted piece of furniture into something more modern to fit your style. If you're looking for a particular piece of furniture, hop on Facebook and put the word out to your family and friends. Chances are someone has a "dresser" or whatever you're looking for that they are dying to get rid of. It's a win/win.
For more inspiration, check out my gallery of over 250 repurposed projects. I'm always available for questions on Facebook, Twitter, or Email
Gail's Repurposed Chest
Dinah from DIY Inspired
What has been your favourite hack or repurposing project that you have worked on?
I have a few. I use these three every day and they help me (and my daughter) stay organized. The Repurposed Bed Spring Craft Storage, Repurposed Cabinet Turned Jewelry Organizer and Repurposed Kids Play Kitchen Hutch.
What tips and advice do you have for anyone wanting to start their own hack or repurposing projects?
Don't worry if you don't know how to execute your project exactly. Sometimes when you "wing-it" the best creations come out.
Dinah's Repurposed Jewellery Organiser
Victoria from Confessions of a New-old Home Owner
What has been your favourite hack or repurposing project that you have worked on?
A few months back I took a old TV stand and remodelled the whole thing to be a retro-inspired mini play kitchen for my nieces. I had so much fun painting it and picking out all of the little accessories to accompany it-- seeing their faces light up when they got it for Christmas was just too funny, and looking at the before and after photos you would never have known it's humble beginnings.
What tips and advice do you have for anyone wanting to start their own hack or repurposing projects?
I think the most important thing is to be fearless-- I think so often people tend to stick to their comfort zone when it comes to DIY projects but with so many helpful videos and tutorials all at your finger tips via the internet the only thing holding you back is your ambition. So take a chance and go for it, sometimes the most amazing projects come from mistakes!
-Victoria @ Confessions of a New Old Home Owner
Victoria's Repurposed Play KitchenThank you to these fantastic bloggers for answering our questions and sharing their advice! We'd love to know if you have any top tips on upcycling or DIY hacks too, so let us know in the comments!