How To Make Cheap Furniture Look Expensive: FBMP Makeover

Inside: How I transformed a Facebook Marketplace find from a tacky cheap console table to one that could pass for a luxe-looking designer piece!

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I hunted high and low for a foyer table to go in the entryway of my new villa. But I was tripped up with three requirements that all seemed to be at odds with each other.

One, it needed to be a great deal. With all the costs of moving into a new home, I didn’t want to spend a lot on a new piece of furniture.

Second, it needed to be shallow, preferably only a foot deep because it was going in the walkway. I didn’t want a piece of furniture blocking the passage or the view from the door to the living space.

And third, it needed not to look cheap. Because it’s not only the first thing you see when you walk through the front door, but it’s also a focal point from the kitchen sink and the dining room.

Every shallow console I saw did look cheap. And dinky. And all the standard-size console tables, buffets, chests, and display cabinets would stick out a lot more than 12 inches.

Feeling like no piece of furniture existed to fulfill all of my conditions, I went back to a consignment store three times to look at a beautiful black chest with long lucite handles from the Dallas Market (where interior designers shop), even though it wasn’t cheap or shallow. I even placed boxes in the entryway that would take up the same space to get a feel for how the chest would work there. It was a big nope.

My FaceBook Marketplace Find Before.

Giving up on the third requirement to fulfill the first two, I continued to scour Facebook Marketplace for something that would suffice. That’s when an extra long, extra shallow console table popped up in my feed. Okay, so it did look cheap before with its metallic silver paint and existing drawer pulls. But it had a unique design on the drawers and a fifty dollar price tag. Sold.

I’m thankful for the messed up cheap-looking metallic paint finish or they might have wanted more for it!

The Entry Table Makeover.

Inspired by the designer chest from the Dallas Market, I decided to give it a fresh coat of paint in matte black and look for some gorgeous glass and brass pulls to replace the tiny, cheap knobs.

Supplies:

• Dixie Belle Silk All-In-One Mineral Paint in Anchor
• Paintbrush and an artist brush for detail work and crevices
• Multi-use sanding block
• Tack cloth
• Plastic dropcloth
• Gloves

The Step-By-Step Facebook Marketplace Furniture Makeover:

1. First I cleaned the entryway table well with a multipurpose household cleaner with bleach and a wet rag. (And removed all the spider eggs from underneath.😬)

2. I took off the existing hardware and put a piece of painter’s tape over the screw head to hold it in place so I could use the screw as a simple way to pull the drawers in and out while I was painting (I didn’t paint inside the drawers).

3. I gave it a very light sanding just to scuff up the finish a little and smooth out the chipped area. Then I wiped away the sanding dust with a tackcloth.

4. Next it was time for painting. I chose this mineral paint for several reasons. It has a really matte finish so I didn’t have to worry about brush marks and it has a primer already in it. It’s also easy clean up, fast drying, and low odor.

I painted the first coat with a regular paintbrush and used an artist brush to get into the quatrefoil detail crevices. I didn’t go too heavy with the first coat—that’s it after drying in the center photo.

5. When the first coat was dry I painted a second. Then after that was dry I was able to easily spot any silver spots still peeking through and touched those up.

6. And the final step is what really upscaled this furniture—the high-end hardware. Since it only needed four pulls and I saved so much on the furniture itself, I splurged here on Amerock 6-inch real glass and champagne brass handles:

I think they were worth it, like a beautiful piece of jewelry that you’re able to wear every day.

I’m really pleased with this thrifted find’s glow-up and new luxe look. It filled my tall order of being inexpensive, not blocking the walkway, and yet it still looks like a nice statement piece of furniture!

9 Simple Tips For Making Thrifted Furniture Look Expensive.

Everyone loves a great find whether it’s from online marketplaces, garage sales, the thrift store, hand-me-downs, or even cheap new furniture. You simply need the vision to see its potential. Here are some easy ways to help those diamonds in the rough have a more expensive look—I used several of them!

Paint it black (or neutral).

Paint is one of the most inexpensive ways to transform old furniture. The color black says sophisticated. Upscale. And you can never go wrong with a touch of black in a room. It’s always a part of my consistent color palette and was a perfect way to break up the brown floor and white walls in the entry.

If you opt for a different color, stick to subdued classic furniture tones like off-whites, grays, tans, or browns that are almost black for a more expensive look.

Make it matte.

The sheen makes a difference on inexpensive furniture. Avoid gloss finishes unless you’re having it professionally painted with a sprayer. Matte finishes look timeless and are more forgiving with brush marks, scratches, and touch-ups.

Splurge on new hardware.

One of the easiest ways to add a touch of luxury to furniture pieces is by replacing the hardware. Since you’ve saved money on the furniture itself, investing in elevated hardware can make cheap furniture pass for a designer piece.

Add wood trim or molding.

Sometimes furniture can look cheap just because it’s so basic. Adding crown molding to an Ikea bookcase or picture frame molding to the side of a chest is a great way to make it look high-end.

Remove tacky or dated ornamentation.

Removing appliques and molding that date an old piece (or just make it ugly) can go a long way towards upscaling furniture and the cleaner lines can even make your home look more updated.

Add furniture feet.

Add more presence, interest, and size to inexpensive furniture with some new legs or furniture feet.

Replace the fabric.

Replacing outdated fabric colors and patterns on inexpensive pieces with upholstery is an easy way to upgrade their look, and especially easy on dining chairs. Choose a luxurious fabric in a neutral tone and pattern for a more expensive look.

Add accent lighting.

Glow up the display area of a furniture piece with a battery-operated puck light or strip lighting. Or add a picture light to a large bookcase.

Decorate it the right way.

Styling inexpensive furniture with expensive-looking home decor is the perfect way to pull attention away from the furniture itself. Keep it classy and simple with a table lamp, stack of books, and a candle or a unique tchotchke. And the accessories are where you can add a pop of color.

There’s so much wonderful affordable furniture out there begging to be made over. And older pieces are often better quality than what’s being sold new. I hope this little entry table makeover has inspired you to save a piece of not-so-pretty furniture!

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