50+ Upcycled Furniture Ideas [Photo Inspiration]

Upcycled furniture brings fresh life to any space, whether it be the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, or any room in between. The process of converting old items into new ones is rewarding, and it can work wonders in terms of enhancing a space’s decorative appeal. Upcycle already existing furniture in your home or go on a treasure hunt for items. You won’t regret converting an old, unappreciated item into a decorative masterpiece.

To inspire you to begin your own upcycling project, we have created an extensive list of ideas that are sure to get your creative juices flowing. Follow along to discover over 50 fantastic upcycled furniture ideas!

We sometimes include affiliate links and curated AI content to highlight top design styles.

1. Crates And Plywood

Stacked wooden crates make for the perfect shelving system. Orient the crates both horizontally and vertically for extra dimension. Plywood adds natural texture to the room. You can also use it as a tack board or attach various shelves onto it.

2. Spool Table

A spool table is an ideal size for serving as a small accent table. It’s the perfect companion for an eclectic space and plays well off other styles.

3. Unfinished Shelf

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Unfinished wood has become a whole mood. Incorporate unfinished wooden pieces to the design space for a laid back look. This circular shelf looks great in the hallway.

4. Wallpaper Design

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Applying wallpaper to the back of a glass-front cabinet adds a zing of excitement to the furniture. Browse through wallpaper options to find the best for your desired aesthetic.

5. Distressed Look

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Distressing furniture gives the pieces a more distinguished appearance. It helps them look more aged than they actually are.

6. Console Table

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New hardware automatically upgrades any furniture. It even has the ability to alter the style of it.

7. Fresh Paint

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A fresh coat of paint goes a long way. The sleek charcoal black hue and new hardware on this piece give it new life and an upgraded appearance.

8. Busy Bee

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Give your furniture an immediate upgrade with a new paint design. These bees and flowers bring a new, fun element to the otherwise plain piece of furniture.

9. Table Transformation

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If you’re artistic or just want to try your hand at some painting creativity, give a pair of side tables a makeover. Use stencils or freehand your own designs.

10. Emerald Green Coating And New Upholstery

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Coat your old bench with a gorgeous emerald green hue for a bold, eye-catching style. Cover the bench with new upholstery and upholstery tacks for upgraded comfort.

11. Refinished

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Refinish any old piece of furniture in your home to give it new life. You can stain the piece, paint it, then distress it to give it some character.

12. Soft Blue Hue

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It’s amazing what a new coat of paint can do to the look of the furniture in a room. Maybe you have a kitchen table and set of chairs that simply don’t match your style anymore. Instead of getting rid of the set, refresh the look with a new paint color.

13. Feminine Transformation

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Transform a piece of furniture to look more feminine. The sweetest pale pink paint can give a facelift to furniture and give it the feminine touch you are looking for.

14. Storage Bench

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Use an updated storage bench in the hallway to hide away items that would otherwise clutter the space.

15. Eclectic Paint Job

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Do you have a throw pillow whose pattern you adore? Replicate the pattern onto a dresser for a fun, cohesive look in the room.

16. Wash Stand

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Refinish an old washstand to give it that well sought-after charm. Pastel colors do the trick.

17. Farmhouse Table

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Give a farmhouse table a modern makeover with a simple coat of paint. Chalk paint gives off those cozy farmhouse vibes.

18. Nesting Tables

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Nesting tables are an excellent way to get extra storage without sacrificing a whole lot of space. With different designs on each table, they’ll bring fun accents when you slide them out.

19. Decoupaged Drawers

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Transform a set of drawers with the help of decoupage. This gives the piece a personal, unique touch.

20. Bright And Cheerful

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Vibrant yellow and green bring a whole lot of cheer to the room. This dresser has decoupaged flowers, butterflies, and even a poem to make it more personal.

21. Make A Statement

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Make a statement with your upcycled furniture. Give it a graffiti makeover to have a fun piece of “street art” in your home. Graffiti has started to become more recognized as a legitimate art form.

22. Tire Upgrade

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For a 100% unique piece of furniture, transform any old tire into an armchair. Reduce, reuse, and recycle brings on a whole new meaning with this chair.

23. Knobby

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An assortment of knobs adds a fun design element to this color-blocked desk. The knobs incorporate all the colors used in the desk to make a cohesive look.

24. Matching Shades

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Match your outdoor furniture to the plants that surround them. This emerald green color on the chairs wraps up the area in nice matching hues.

25. Farmhouse Treasures

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No need to let that old barn house wood go to waste. Turn it into a fun rustic rack for towels, jackets, or anything else you can imagine.

26. Wallpaper Accent

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Cover a bookshelf in black and white wallpaper. With this style of wallpaper, you can color what you want then brush a protective sealant on top.

27. Zebra Painting

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Paint an intense scene onto a dresser. These fighting zebras are in the midst of an explosion of color. Use the same colors over the whole dresser for a cohesive look.

28. Rolling Sofa

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Build your own sofa with materials laying around the house and garage. Gather old pipes, wooden blocks, wheels, and even those old pairs of denim jeans you no longer wear.

29. Tea Trolly Reimagined

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Turn an antique tea trolly into the perfect bar cart. Paint the cane material a chic shade of black to make it that much more elegant.

30. VW Bus

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Nothing says fun and vintage quite like the classic VW Bus. So why not bring that type of design into your house and onto a piece of furniture?

31. Art Deco Sideboard

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A fresh coat of stain, black paint, and new hardware reinvigorate the furniture. Line the drawers with a fun, whimsical pattern.

32. Bed Frame Makeover

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Transform a French-inspired bed frame into a lovely little bench seat. Instead of purchasing new furniture, think of unused pieces and how you can repurpose them.

33. Boeing 737 Wheel

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This is the perfect addition to your sleek, modern room. The wheel from a Boeing 737 airplane provides a very unique look.

34. New Paint And Finish

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New paint color, finish, and distressing may be just the right formula for giving your room that updated look you’ve been wishing for.

35. Meaningful Decoupage

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If you have special maps or other meaningful paper items, consider decoupaging them onto a dresser in your room. It gives the piece more character and holds a special meaning.

36. Kitchen Upgrade

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Lemons exude the sense of freshness and cheer. Their sunny hue animates everything around them. Use a stamp for the perfect blue and white pattern.

37. Country Chic

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Turn those unused wooden scraps into a playhouse kitchen. Create a fun play kitchen for the little kids in your life. What a great way to reuse materials!

38. Watermelon Fun

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A boring old brown chair doesn’t have to stay boring forever. Use a good fabric marker or paint on your upholstery to bring new life to it.

39. Minty Green Nightstand

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Turn a nightstand into the ultimate play kitchen area and use a minty green paint color to completely sell it.

40. Retro Barrels

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Give new life to those old metal barrels that somehow found their way into your garage. The first thing you’ll need to do is clean them up. Then, cut them into a chair shape and re-fix the top of the barrel to the middle to serve as the seat. Paint, upholster, and put on the finishing details!

41. Wine Rack

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Get a new wine rack out of that old dresser that’s just sitting around the house. Repurpose the drawer fronts into nifty decorative hooks.

42. A Door No More

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Make it look pretty and serve a purpose at the same time. This door has been transformed into a mudroom bench with storage and hooks to hang things.

43. Chalk Paint

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Coat your wooden accent chair in a fresh coat of chalk paint. Chalk paint has a beautiful chalky, matte look to it. Paint the nooks and crannies of the chair with different colors or create a pattern with the way you paint.

44. Upcycled Sewing Machine

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If that vintage sewing machine just sits in a corner, maybe it’s time to find a new use for it. Consider upcycling it into a neat chair.

45. Writing Bureau

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Turn that writing bureau into the perfect bar area! One great thing about this upcycle is the ease with which you can hide away the bar contents: simply close the drop-down desktop. When the desk is closed up, the piece will look just like any other writing bureau.

46. Chicken Wire Hutch

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Instead of a glass panel front on the doors of a hutch, replace it with chicken wire. Chicken wire is an exceptional addition to any farmhouse, rustic design. Don’t miss out!

47. Card Catalog Unit

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What a stunning vintage find! Upgrade a library card catalog unit by adding some metal legs to it. It’s a fun piece of furniture that won’t go unnoticed.

48. Color Makeover

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Spruce up an old piece of furniture with a color makeover. Though woods like finished oak are a bit outdated, you can give the piece new life by coating it in a bright hue. Consider lining the inside with a fresh, fun fabric.

49. Stencil Work

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One part of furniture that’s often overlooked is the side of the drawers. Since that part of the furniture is almost always hidden (when drawers are closed), it typically doesn’t cross one’s mind. One way to make it more amusing is by using stencils on it. Bright tones are a welcome upgrade.

50. Red Wagon Coffee Table

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That old red wagon that’s hiding in the garage picking up rust can see a new day with a little help. It doesn’t have to remain a hidden childhood treasure. Instead, upcycle it and spotlight it in your living room as a coffee table.

51. Dresser Drawers

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Prop up a set of dresser drawers vertically and add some legs to them to turn them into small accent shelves.

52. Red Wagon Cart

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Back to the old red wagon. Turn it into a unique cart! Whether you use it as a bar cart or an outdoor flower cart, it’s sure to provide a fun look.

53. Bed-To-Bench

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Upcycle that old bed headboard and footboard into a bench. Coat it in a fresh coat of paint of your choice to give it a polished look.

54. Suitcase Desk

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There’s something so fun and trendy about vintage suitcases. Hang onto that attribute and turn it into a desk. Add some little storage shelves and drawers and you’ll be good to go.