Furniture Reporter

Om een lang verhaal kort te maken.

To make a long story short.

How to Make Old Furniture Look Brand New
by Nick Kakolowski

Old, beat up furniture is often thrown away and replaced years before it is truly unusable. This type of furniture is great for anyone looking to furnish a house or apartment on a budget. People replace furniture for a wide variety of reasons, and, in many cases, old furniture can be quite valuable. Antique furniture fits this model very well. The keys to transforming old home furnishings into new are preparation, creativity and hard work. With these three tools just about any piece of furniture can be made to look brand new.
Adequate preparation is important when starting any refurbishing process. For example, you should know which type of wood you are working with. Whether you are working with wood or metal, it is instrumental to the process that you closely investigate your furniture in search of any nicks or scratches in the piece. You should also look for stains, burns and other blemishes. It is also essential to know what kind of paint and finishing was used on the product. You should remove any wax that may exist on the piece of furniture. If you sand down the paint when it has a layer of wax over it, you will drive the wax deeper into the wood. Wax will also prevent new paint from taking hold. Check the surface closely for any laminate; this can also make the application of new paint difficult. Cleaning the item is important prior to, and often after stripping the paint. When all of these external layers are removed you will need to work on removing the paint. This can be done either with a chemical stripping agent, or with fine grain sandpaper. Refrain from using heavy grain papers, they will scratch the wood. It is also important to not use sanding-on lead based paint, as lead paint chips can be harmful. Similar actions are taken on metal furniture. The main difference is that any rust will need to be removed. When you have successfully removed the old coat of paint and prepared it for the new coat, creativity comes into play.

There are a wide range of options for painting wood or metal furniture. If you want an old, well worn look, you can buy paints that will actually peel away slightly on purpose. This effect works especially well when one paints a base coat in one color and a second coat in a complementary shade. When the second coat peels slightly it will reveal the base coat, and the two layers will complement one another giving your piece a stunning appearance. You can also find paints that will crackle and perform other similar effects to achieve this goal. Another option for creativity is using stencils. By combining stencil use, multiple coats and creative sanding of the wood, one can turn an old ratty television stand or garden bench into a work of art. It is important to remember in all of this that you are working with paint, not something permanent. If you make any mistakes you can always re-sand the patch you made a mistake on. The flexibility allowed with paint makes the potential for experimentation high, so take advantage of that freedom.

If you want to stain the furniture the process is a little more complicated. The main difference between staining and painting is that staining requires a little bit of extra care. It is easier to make mistakes, and there are a few fine details for staining that do not apply to painting. Be sure to discuss your options with somebody at a hardware store or paint supplier before you start. This will give you a clear idea of what you are getting into and what will work best with the furniture that you have.

Hard work is necessary to successfully refurbish an old piece of furniture. The process of refinishing furniture sounds simple on paper, and it is something that anybody can do. However, doing it well takes a great deal of work. For the most part, hand sanding will work the best. Small electric sanders are functional, but throughout your project there will likely need to be a number of small adjustments made in which an electric sander would be ineffective. Be ready to employ some elbow grease to make sanding work. A few of the ingredients of a successful project are research, creativity and hard work. A few other ways to ensure success is finding out the correct type of wood used, the proper kind of wood putty to fill scratches and cracks and the correct primer are all necessary for a successful project. If you put the effort into your project then the preparation and creativity will often take care of itself. Do all of these things, and in the end you will have a piece of furniture that looks brand new.

About the Author
Nick Kakolowski is a freelance writer who writes about topics concerning home improvement and decorating, often focusing on specific topics such as Discount Furniture

A Staged Home is Proven to Sell Faster
by akoppens

Moving real estate in today’s market requires more than just a low price. Some homeowner’s are increasing their chances of a timely sale by staging the home to highlight the best features of their property. This technique is used extensively in the real estate market. You may remember examples of staging in model homes used to market properties in newly built neighborhoods. You can apply the same principles to your own property.
Selling your home can be an emotional experience, especially when you take memories of family and friends into account. Although you may have warm feelings associated with your home, you must detach yourself to look at it objectively and encourage potential buyers to see it as their own. This includes removing items that reflect your personal style. Home staging methods can increase the likelihood of a quick sale.

Your main priority is to enhance your home’s appeal. Take several things into consideration when assessing its marketability. Be objective about the amount of clutter in your home. A home that is overloaded with personal photographs and style specific embellishments may be a turn-off for some buyers. Place most of your personal belongings in storage during the selling process. Reserve some of your most classic and neutral pieces for display. Although you’re trying to create a blank canvas for the buyer to visualize their own things there, you don’t want to overdo it and make the property seem cold.

Too much furniture in a home is another way to make the home seem small. While your home may suit you perfectly the way it is, the objective is to sell. Renting and storing excess furniture in a storage facility could be small investment that will put money in your pockets later. Keep the basic pieces like your dining room table, couch, even a bookcase or two, but make sure the pieces are essential for your remaining time there and they are helpful in showcasing the potential of your home.

After you have removed the majority of nonessential items in your home, look for problematic issues that will detract from the appeal of your home like defective door handles and hinges, torn screens and calcium encrusted faucets. These points may appear as no big deal to you as the homeowner, but to a buyer, details like these can add up. Repainting could really brighten the overall appearance of your home. Keep your color choices neutral, not everyone likes bright colors and you are trying to make the entire property center stage. Remove dated accents like wallpaper borders in the kitchen or bath. If your carpet is in bad shape, it will be worth the investment to have it professionally stretched and steam cleaned. When you are ready for buyers, make absolutely certain that your home is immaculate and put together. Fresh baked cookies and crisp linens can add warmth and charm to an initial impression. Little changes like these can have a dramatic impact on your capacity to sell quickly.

Azle Homes for Sale in Texas

About the Author
Internet writer for Dynamic Page Solutions

Has your bathroom got that ‘Out Dated’ look about it and are you sick and tired of using the same old dull furniture around your bathroom? Well, this could be a thing of the past with the wonderful range of Furniture and Mirrors that Online Bathrooms can offer you! With fantastic products such as the Mirrored Wenge Unit which not only offers itself as a beautifully designed storage unit for any toiletries but also has a top of the range mirror installed into it as a lift up door! Alternatively, you may prefer the Riva Zebrano Mirror Cabinet & Shelves that with its unrivalled quality and its innovative design offers a truly stylish look to your bathroom! So, check these products out with the rest of the Furniture and Mirrors range!!

Warren

This monster shelving unit found in the Rozengracht beats an Ikea Billy into a cocked hat. An idea for a bookcase at home. Cute girl in foreground for scale.