DIY Upcycled Furniture Projects
I have done many diy upcycled furniture projects in my time as a diyer, so I am going to show you my three favorite projects!
These projects are:
1. Turning a bookshelf into a hutch for the kitchen.
2. Creating a kitchen island from a lawyer’s desk.
3. Transforming a vintage hutch into a decorative desk.
DIY Kitchen Hutch from Bookshelf
I created a hutch in the corner of the kitchen at the lakehouse, this was made from a bookshelf that was left behind in the living room! When I saw that the bookshelf matched all of the trim in the kitchen I decided to try to utilize it in the kitchen design. I took the bookshelf, cut it down to fit, cut trim, stained the trim, and installed the hutch with a nail gun.
This hutch is such a perfect addition to the kitchen, it has added so much storage space to the kitchen! I especially love this hutch because I created it from something that would have otherwise gone to waste!
Kitchen Island Created from a Lawyer’s Desk
The next of the DIY upcycled furniture projects is the transformation of a lawyer’s desk into a kitchen island. I have seen dressers turned into islands, but I needed something bigger, so I found a lawyer’s desk! To start this project I am removing the top of the desk, drawers, and the legs it came with. I then began to construct new legs from 2×4’s. I created new legs to raise the desk from 30 inches to counter height which is 34 inches. Once the legs were installed, I painted the legs the same color as my cabinets. Before painting the drawers I removed the handle hardware, sanded them lightly, and filled in any blemishes. I then painted the entire desk black! I added plywood to the bottom of the middle portion of the desk to create a shelf and covered this shelf with a DIY door.
For the top of the kitchen island, I used closet doors! I purchased three of these doors. I used wood glue to attach these doors, then drilled pilot holes and installed anchors. Once the doors were installed I filled the gaps with wood putty and sanded down the edges where there was writing. Once everything was dry and sanded I coated the countertop with 4 layers of polyacrylic to keep it safe! The functionality of this island is unmatched and it was such a good way to upcycle this desk!
Vintage Hutch Makeover
The final of my DIY upcycled furniture projects is a vintage hutch makeover! This hutch was gifted to me by my husband’s grandmother. The first thing I did to refinish this piece was remove the hardware. This piece is solid maple, it has a beautiful light grain and I want to restore it to its original color! The prep work on projects like this is very tedious but necessary. I took the hutch apart as much as I could. Once everything was taken apart and taped, I applied stripper to the wood. I then scrapped the finish off and started to sand! After a lot of sanding, I am using bleach to get a uniform color on the wood. Once the bleach is dry I am using all-in-one chalk paint in the color Mediterranean. I am using this paint on all of the areas that I did not want to stain, so the inside of the shelves and the inside of the desk. The next thing I am doing is replacing the handles and legs! I am sealing the entire hutch with polyacrylic!
I love the way this hutch turned out! It went from outdated and orange to vintage modern and I love that this is an heirloom piece that will be passed down to future generations!
I love these three diy upcycled furniture projects! It is so important to try to find a new use for old pieces of furniture and to breathe new life into them. I hope you like these upgrades as much as I do!
