A “Too Shiny” 1990s TV Cabinet Gets a Gorgeous Green Makeover
ABOUT THIS BEFORE & AFTER
HOME TYPE: Apartment
PROJECT TYPE: Furniture
STYLE: Colorful, Eclectic, Vintage
SKILL LEVEL: DIY
RENTAL FRIENDLY: Yes
Free furniture hand-me-downs from parents can be great — especially if they have nice memories attached to them — but sometimes they can bring back childhood memories a little too much. (Think: ’80s and ’90s decor, Laura Ashley florals, ivy everywhere, wallpaper borders, and lots and lots of orange-toned wood.)
When Ana Perez (@el_taller_45) got this TV cabinet from her parents, she was psyched that it was free, but not thrilled with the color. “I liked that my parents bought it in the ’90s, and I like to have pieces of furniture in my home that tell a story — besides, it has plenty of storage,” Ana says. “But it was too shiny and it did not match the rest of the room; it felt old-fashioned.”
The dresser was natural wood, so it was easy to paint.
Ana made over the dresser for her own apartment with a dark green paint, and she says it was easy to paint over the dresser’s old varnish. “I removed the wooden knobs and then just painted it without any treatment,” Ana says. “I had to wait to give it a second coat, so it took me several days to finish it.”
She used Farrow & Ball’s Bancha paint. “I love green, and this tone feels so elegant,” she says.
Metal bin pulls add eclectic vibes.
Lastly, Ana swapped out the wooden knobs on the dresser for aged brass pulls. She’s transformed secondhand furniture before, but this time she’s particularly thrilled because the piece used to belong to her parents. Her advice? Get creative when it comes to reimagining old furniture for your space. “I tried a change and loved the result,” she says.
For more furniture makeovers, check out this $230 hutch makeover and this $15 chair makeover.
Inspired? Submit your own project here.
Further Reading
I Tried the 90/90 Rule and My Closet Is Now Fully Decluttered
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Ashley — Here Are the Best to Suit Your Style and Space
I Just Discovered the Smartest Way to Store Paper Towels in Your Kitchen (It’s a Game-Changer!)
