‘A new life’: Repurpose and refurbish household items for a fresh, new look

Antique medicine cabinets can be repurposed as household display cabinets. Available at Annie Laurie's in downtown Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Monday, February 6, 2017

Refurbishing or repurposing items for your home has become a very popular trend thanks to popular websites like Pinterest and HGTV shows like "Fixer Upper." It's a way to breathe new life into the things that you already have and love without having to make potentially expensive purchases.

Repurposing is defined on the Merriam-Webster dictionary website as: changing something so that it can be used for a different purpose. And refurbishing, of course, simply means to renew or restore an item to a new condition or appearance.

Below are some tips from two local experts on how to begin the process of turning something old and outdated into a new treasure.

Several items have become popular to repurpose or refurbish, according to Laurie Everett, owner of Annie Laurie's in downtown Cape.

"Old furniture pieces are good to repaint, and using chalk paint has become especially popular," Everett says. "Also, using frames to create 3-D wall art and using (old wooden) doors as wedding decorations are other popular trends."

Old maps or atlases can be used as decorative wall decor. Available at Annie Laurie's in downtown Cape Girardeau.
Laura Simon

Susan Hall, owner of Shoppe La La in downtown Cape Girardeau, also has noticed a growing interest in repurposing at her store.

"Vintage dressers make great candidates for media centers," Hall says. "They are actually hard for me to keep in stock [because old dressers] have more character than the (newer) media centers."

There are as many clever ways to repurpose items as one can dream up.

"People are using different metal pieces like old metal signs as wall art," Everett says. "They are also using fan blades and lamp shade skeletons."

Painting or glazing an existing item is a great way to give it a fresh new look.

Vintage or antique brooches and pins can be used as accents in wedding bouquets. Available at Annie Laurie's in downtown Cape Girardeau.
Laura Simon

"Chalk paint is definitely the best product for furniture and cabinets," Hall says. "It's made specifically for that purpose."

When asked if there are some items that just aren't worth the effort to refurbish or repurpose, both women agree that everything is worth saving.

"I feel like every old piece deserves a new life," says Everett.

Hall feels the same way.

"I rarely run into a piece that I don't think is worth saving. I'm too stubborn!" Hall jokes. "For example, I had a drop-leaf kitchen table that really was beyond repair. I took the side drop leaves off and made them into signs. So, even if you have to dismantle a piece of furniture to come up with an idea of how to use it, it's worth it."

An old fireplace tool stand can be repurposed as an umbrella holder. Available at Annie Laurie's in downtown Cape Girardeau.
Laura Simon

Everett says old books can be used in a variety of ways when decorating.

"They can be folded into different shapes and made into different types of 3-D wall art," she says. "And, they are great to stack if you need to raise the height of an item."

Hall shares this trick for repurposing old doors and end tables.

"I have a friend who takes the top part of end tables off and turns them into picture frames. He also cuts openings in old doors to display pictures."

One of Hall's greatest refurbishing projects was a baby grand piano.

Vintage glass jars can be repurposed as hanging lamps. Available at Annie Laurie's in downtown Cape Girardeau.
Laura Simon

"It was a big job and heavy distressing was involved, but it turned out really great," she says.

Another one of Hall's refurbishing projects was an old antique dresser.

"I had to pop off all the veneer, but, in the end, it was worth it."

Everett cautions that laminated pieces can be difficult to paint.

"Laminated furniture pieces can be tricky," she says. "You can't sand them down and they won't absorb paint like wood will."

Dated figurines can be given new life when spray painted a solid color. These are available at Annie Laurie's in Cape Girardeau.
Laura Simon

Everett recommends starting small when you begin trying your hand at refurbishing or repurposing old items.

"Start with something small like a picture frame," she says. "Also, spray painting a grouping of ceramic items in all gold or all white is a new trend."

Hall advises asking for help and becoming educated before you begin a refurbishing or repurposing project.

"Talk to experts," Hall says. "It will save you from wasting product and time. Also, learn from Pinterest, YouTube and Facebook as those are all great resources."