- 1). Sand lightly, or use a liquid sanding product, and then paint wooden pieces (chairs, shelves, tables, sideboards) where the clear-coated finish has seen better days. Painted 'antique' and faux finishes are popular; checkerboard and squiggle designs also are fun; or you may want to embellish that painted piece with decoupage.
- 2). Disguise a bad tabletop by having a mirror cut to cover the entire table, edge to edge. This works for dining tables and side tables, too.
- 3). Or you can hide a bad tabletop with a layer of ceramic tile. Use molding or sanded, varnished wood strips at the edges of the tile to fill to the perimeter of the table.
- 4). Reupholster a dining-table chair that has a pop-out seat. It's easy: Remove the old fabric and then cover with new fabric, using a staple gun to fasten it on the seat bottom. Make it taut but don't stretch it.
- 5). Cover up soiled or worn upholstery fabric on a dining chair by purchasing or sewing a new chair pad that ties onto the back of the chair. A chair pad with a ruffle on the front and sides usually hides the old upholstery completely.
- 6). Camouflage the blemished upholstery on a sofa or easy chair with a quilt (even an inexpensive moving-company quilt). Tuck it down deeply behind the back of the cushions.
- 7). Cover up the soiled arms of an upholstered chair or sofa by draping a pretty table runner over each arm.
- 8). Apply decorative brass-nailhead trim to hide nicked edges on wood furnishings such as tabletop edges and shelving.
- 9). Upgrade file cabinets, bookcases or Parsons tables by covering them with textured wallpaper (the type that mimics plaster friezes or pressed-tin ceilings). Then paint and glaze the piece - aged metallic finishes look spectacular on furniture.
- 10
Renew dull clear-coat finishes - varnishes, lacquer and the like - by cleaning with mineral spirits and possibly ultrafine steel wool; then apply a new coat of finish over the old (test first in an inconspicuous spot). This is a great way to save a picture frame or tabletop. - 11
Revive an old trunk or cedar chest by scrubbing the exterior and lining the inside with wallpaper or by stapling in a tightly woven fabric, such as a new bed sheet. A flat braid can hide seams and corner imperfections. - 12
Wrap a badly damaged lamp table or nightstand with fabric. The fabric can be fitted, almost like a slipcover, in a box shape for a rectangular table or draped over a round table; have glass cut for the top so that a nonwashable fabric won't be easily soiled. - 13
Replace ugly, dated drawer pulls and knobs on a classically shaped chest of drawers, sideboard or similar piece. - 14
Touch up small nicks and scratches on stained wooden pieces with special crayons (sold at paint and hardware stores) - or even an eyebrow pencil or shoe polish.
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