HOW TO CUSTOMIZE YOUR EXISTING FURNITURE
how to customize your existing furniture
Let's dive into the world of custom furniture – it's a game-changer. In my day job it's all about adding that personal touch to every project, whether it's crafting something entirely new or giving a little facelift to an existing piece. Working in hospitality has taught me to appreciate the magic of making furniture uniquely ours.
Unlocking the true potential of customizing your furniture lies in diving deep into the details. Whether it's switching up the upholstery, tweaking the wood finish, or adding unique elements like nail heads or a custom stitch, the devil is in these bespoke details. Brands like Interior Define, Baker, and Lee Industries are fantastic choices if you're eyeing modifications that truly speak to your style. Even Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, and West Elm now offer custom modifications for their ongoing line items.
However, if you aren’t ready to make a big investment into a new piece of custom furniture, there are still plenty of options to make your furniture bespoke to you. Just try one of the following hacks, and I guarantee you'll witness your furniture gaining a new lease on life, ready to evolve with you.
Below is a round up of sources + tips I’ve found for customizing your existing furniture for fractions of the cost of buying new pieces
Hardware Elevation
Ok this seems pretty simple, but I promise you just by changing that standard hardware out for something more special will make all the difference in the world. Here are some of my favorite options: (click on the picture to go to the link directly).
Click on the image to shop!
Re-upholster your lounge furniture
Do you have an IKEA sofa? Well this amazing company BEMZ makes updating that Ikea furniture easy as pie. They offer upgraded slip covers for just about every Ikea lounge piece and sofa. We just updated our new IKEA sofa with their slip cover, and it really is night and day! The cherry on top? They even offer a super quick sampling process.
Don’t have and Ikea piece, but still want to re-upholster? If you reach out to your local wholesale fabric dealer, they will most likely have contacts to an upholstery that charges affordable rates. While you’re at it, pick up some new fabric yardage at that wholesale fabric store.
get crafty with the legs
If you have Ikea furniture, look no further than Bemz or Pretty Pegs for upgrading the legs on your ikea furniture. However, if you don’t have ikea furniture you can still make a world of change by re-staining or re-finishing the legs of your furniture piece. You can also shop for turned furniture legs on Etsy. Look at the fun dip-dyed options I found below. Try to get creative here! The fun part about customizing your furniture is just that. It’s CUSTOM, and it’s custom to you! You would be surprised at what paint, a bucket, and a couple of hours will do for your furniture.
Fabulous Fabric Trim
Your local wholesale fabric store will offer steep discounts on beautiful trims and fabrics. Pepper Home also offers custom throw pillows and drapery with interchangeable trims and fabric. Adding trim to drapery and existing throw pillows can make that inexpensive decor look like it was custom made for your home.
Revitalizing Techniques
Turn boring into bold by refinishing, painting, or adding texture. My recent favorite find is this company Casa Metier. They offer tambour (slatted wood) products in a variety of profiles. Sometimes you’ll see this tambour wood used an architectural detail. But you can also use it to wrap around your furniture, like the desk below! Looking for other hacks? Here are some other details you can add to your cabinet face: cane, bobbin wood, and trim. You can grab supplies at your local hardware store, and totally revolutionize your caseload piece!
