15 Clever Repurposed Furniture & Refresh Ideas

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Closeup of a small side table with vintage books and a tetley tea tin filled with succulents. The cabinet is painted black with some of the paint sanded away to show the wood. The drawer was sanded and stripped of the old white paint and purposely left rustic and raw wood with a clear coat to let the woods beautiful imperfections show through. The pull is a vintage metal oval with a simple metal handle. This pieces has beautiful carved vertical lines on the legs and a rope detail under the drawer.

Clever repurposed furniture ideas to inspire your next furniture flip. Many of the pieces below started as thrift store finds or curbside freebies, and later sold in my antique booth—especially small tables and cabinets, which tend to go quickly. I hope these ideas inspire you to see old furniture with fresh eyes and get creative with your own furniture flips.

1. Red Industrial Console Table

This is one of my favorite upcycles! I found this narrow red toolbox lid tucked away in the garage when we bought our house, and I decided to turn it into a table. It took a little time to find the right industrial pipe legs, but I love how it came out.

Parts used to make a red industrial console table including metal pipe legs and a red lid from a large machinist toolbox.
Before

To avoid drilling holes into the red enamel top, we secured a piece of wood underneath the lid (bolted at the sides where there were already holes) and attached the pipe legs to the wood.

Photo of a red industrial console table with pipe leg. This table was made with a red narrow toolbox lid. The table has plants and books on it with a photo above it.
Red Industrial Console Table – After

2. 1923 Desk Refurbished

My son saved this old desk from being thrown out at a flip house. It looked like it had been in the basement of this old house since it was built! It also had a little water damage and a beehive inside, but that didn’t stop us. After a lot of sanding and a couple of coats of Dixie Belle Matte Caviar Chalk Mineral Paint, it’s ready for its second life!

Photo of an old 1923 desk. The desk is completely dusty and untouched in the garage of this old house. It looks like it had never been moved. The finish is mahogany but in great shape with all of the original hardware and trim pieces.
Before
Refurbished desk from 1923. This desk on tall legs has the original oval mirror at the top and decorative trim pieces. Show here with a new coat of flat mineral paint in caviar. The drawer and fold out desk top also have the original hardware and wood decorations.
1923 Desk Refurbished – After

And a photo of the inside.

1923 refurbished desk from 1923. This desk on tall legs has the original oval mirror at the top and decorative trim pieces. Show here, the inside was left the original mahogany with aged patina as a nod to the vintage piece it is. The outside got a new coat of flat mineral paint in caviar.
1923 Desk Refurbished – After – Inside

3. Ladder Transformed into a Stand with Drawers

The idea for this ladder makeover was an upcycle I saw on the Flea Market Flip (Season 11, Episode 13 if you’re curious).

Small two step old wood ladder and scrap wood shown. These were the materials used to make a ladder stand with drawers to as a furniture piece in an entryway or fill up with plants on a patio.
Before

All of the materials used to make this cute little storage shelf were things I had on hand. The drawers are removable and made with scrapwood, and I had the handles left over from another project.

Finished ladder stand made from an old small wood ladder. The green drawers were made from scrap wood. Here I'm using it in a room filled with flowers, a candle stick, books and a vase.
Ladder Stand – After

4. Thrift Store Table with Refinished Top

I love it when I find a piece of furniture that needs just a little work. That was the case with this beautiful table. The top was marked up. To fix it, I sanded and stained the top and left the rest with the original ivory finish (looks gray in this photo, but the piece was all ivory).

Thrift store table was perfect. All hard wood but the top was marked up. This table is shown here in the thrift store.
Before

After a fresh coat of stain to the top and a coat of polyurethane, it was as good as new!

Photo of a finished ivory table set against a living room wall with a painting above, books and a pot of greenery with a basket of books underneath. The top was the only thing that needed refinishing so I decided to sand down and apply a dark stain to the top.
Thrift Store Table With Stained Top – After

5. Luggage Rack Table

I find old luggage racks at the flea market on occasion, and they make great table bases. Here, I drilled four holes (one in each corner) and attached a salvaged wood drawer to the top with long screws and a hex screw on the end.

You could use anything for a tabletop. In the past, I’ve used wood picture frames and trays. I’m using this little table as a display in my antique booth, but you could certainly make a table like this to use as a side table in the bedroom or living room.

Small table made from an old wood drawer and a dark wood luggage rack for the base. This table is filled with fall items and the table will be used as a display table in my antique store booth but you can make a similar table for home.
Luggage Rack Table

6. Paris Side Table

Turn a hatbox into a small table with storage. When I saw this large wooden hat box at the antique store, I knew it had potential. After cleaning it up, I painted it with white chalk paint and added hairpin legs to transform it into a chic little side table.

Photo of an unfinished round wooden hatbox that inspired a furniture upcycle and was used to make a Paris inspired side table.
Before
Vertical photo of a white hat box table with hair pin legs with lid slightly open to see storage inside. Top has an Antiquites Paris stencil.
Paris Hat Box Side Table – After

7. Mini Metal Locker

I bought this locker from the thrift store for $5. I’m not sure where it came from, but it looked like it was pulled out of an abandoned hospital! I almost passed it by, but the pipe legs were unique, so I decided to take it home and give it a refresh.

Before photo of a small metal cabinet with two shelves. It had been painted a bright blue on the inside and a light celery green out the outside. I bought this cabinet to upcycle and sell in my antique store booth.
Before

I liked the original bold blue on the inside, so I decided to spray paint the whole thing a new bright color, Gloss Lagoon from Rust-Oleum.

Mini locker upcycled with lagoon blue spray paint and a bright white round knob handle added.
Mini Locker – After

For contrast, I lined the shelves with patterned removable wallpaper from Dollar Tree and added a new vintage white ceramic knob. This simple little cabinet is the perfect size for a kids’ room or as storage in a small space!

Mini locker upcycled with lagoon blue spray paint and shelf paper shown with the locker open.
Mini Locker – After – Inside

8. Window Table

Old windows are perfect for making everything from suncatchers to tables. To read more about this table and other upcycles, check out this post –> 6 Creative DIY Projects to Repurpose Old Windows.

Photo of a window upcycled into a side table, painted a light blue with glass gems glued underneath the panes for a colorful flower design.
Old Window Turned Into A Table

9. Pool Noodle Ottoman

Don’t throw out those pool noodles! Recycle them into a fun ottoman for the living room or a child’s playroom. Find the full pool noodle ottoman tutorial here.

Pool noodles cut and taped together to make a pool noodle ottoman.
Before
Finished pool noodle pouf (ottoman) shown with books on top and in a room setting.
Finished Pool Noodle Ottoman – After

10. Patriotic Pedestal Table

I couldn’t pass up this rusty old tin! And, I had the perfect pedestal base to perch it on (left over from another upcycle project). To prevent it from rusting further, I coated the tin with polyurethane. Then I secured it to the pedestal base with wood screws, along with an added square of plywood underneath for extra support!

Red large tin with white stars used to make a pedestal table. The bottom pedestal a navy blue.
Patriotic Pedestal Table

11. Racing Stripe Side Table Makeover

Add a simple racing stripe to give a plain table a little extra character. I bought this mid-century modern phone table to upcycle and sell in my booth, painting it light gray and adding a white stripe with painter’s tape for a clean, graphic touch.

Shown painting a racing stripe on the top of a mid-century old telephone table using green painter's tape to define the stripes.
Before
Photo of a mid-century modern side table with storage underneath for magazines and spindle legs painted with a light gray chalk paint and three white racing stripes down the center. In a room with a red director's chair and a stack of books with a puzzle cube on top.
Racing Stripe Side Table – After

12. Folding Curio Stand Makeover

This vintage folding curio stand was tucked away in an antique store. It was wobbly and dated, but I loved that it folded up. I decided to give it a refresh by painting it Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint in Kudzu green, and later I buffed in a little Dixie Belle Best Dang Wax in Brown and lightly sanded the high points for a more weathered look.

Before photo of a wood three-tier curio stands that folds and has round bases to sit knick-knacks or plants on.
Before
Finished 3-tier curio stand painted a soft antique green chalk paint with a brown antiquing wax finish. In a room with white shear curtains behind it with plants and a wicker basket on the stand.
Folding Plant Stand – After

13. Vintage Side Table With A Natural Wood Drawer

Add interest to a dated furniture piece by painting it, but leave some natural wood tones.

Here, I sanded down this vintage side table and removed most of the veneer. This little side table was in bad shape, so I decided to paint everything, sanding down only the wood drawer to its natural finish. It was a lot of work, but I love how this piece came out.

Before photo of a white painted side table. This table has beautiful carved details but needed a makeover to strip away several layers of paint and stain. It also got a refresh with a new pull.
Before
Shown is a black side table that has been upcycled. This 1920s table has beautiful carved details. I left the drawer the natural wood but painted the rest a warm black. Then I sanded away some of the black to show the wood tones underneath to better blend with the drawer. I gave the drawer a round pull handle in a neutral tone. The table also has a small rounded shelf underneath that is staged with a vintage stack of neutral color books. A round wicker planter with succulent sits on top of this tall vintage side table.
Vintage Side Table – After

14. Vintage Cottage Tea Table

I found this dainty tea table at the thrift store and decided to give it a spring update. First, I filled all the spots that needed wood putty, and I found a pretty oval tray to go with it. The original table probably had a glass top, but the tray was my cost-effective replacement solution.

Before photo of a thrift brown oval table picked up at the thrift store. It has ornate curved legs with floral and leaf carvings. The top center is an deep carved out oval with a flower pattern. There is a side view of the brown stained table and below that is a top down view of the worn table top. This table needed TLC as there were missing carved areas to fill and scratches to the original stained finish.
Before – Overhead Photo

The table and matching tray were painted with Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint in Kudzu green.

Photo of an oval green table with organic carved legs and a center floral carving. This is an after photo and the table has been giving a coat of Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint in Kudzu green along with a matching oval tray with vintage metal handles. The table has a cottage feel as some of the green was lightly sanded in spots to let the original brown finish show through in raised areas.
Cottage Tea Table – After

15. Repurposed Wood Media Shelf and Side Table

Last but not least are these rustic furniture pieces. My hubby made me a media table and a side table using 2x4s and scrap wood from a renovation. We couldn’t bear to throw all of that wood away!

Finish scrap wood media shelf with two shelves and matching side table made with wall boards after a room renovation. The boards are alternating green with stained dark brown boards.
Repurposed Wood Media Shelf and Side Table
Star divider used has two hand drawn lines with a star in the center, used as a content break and signals new or different content below. This doodle style illustration is in a medium charcoal gray.

RELATED IDEAS

Tomatoes painted on the inside of old glass and metal canning jar lids. In the center is a ceramic tomato red heirloom tomato. One of the tomatoes is painted on a blue glass canning jar lid. Two others on the white glass.
Handmade Summer
A closeup photo of a wooden wall curio showing just the painted drawers in a weathered aqua near a set of aqua sun faded book with a terracotta pot with a plant on it. On the shelf above the drawers is two tiny mugs in deep blue and red berry with tiny succulents.
Thrift Store Makeovers
Photo of a metal topped piece from a yardstick with three grommets and jewelry wire hanging from them with peach and amber beads and a tiny vintage skeleton key in the center in brass to match the vintage ruler piece. This closeup shows the beauty of found items, bits and pieces that can be turned from a craft left over to a beautiful statement pendant.
Repurposed Ruler Crafts

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