We often underestimate old furniture, thinking it’s no longer useful to us. But just because something is old that doesn’t mean it’s useless and this applies to furniture as well. To prove that, have a look at five inspiring projects that show you how to revive and update old pieces using simple materials and methods.

The first project shows you how to transform an average-looking chair into a work of art. The project uses a knock-off Eamer lounger and a matching footstool. They were both transformed into bold statement pieces using fabric from a hammock. You can do something similar using any kind of fabric you want. It’s easier to do this if you can take the chair apart. The fabric can be stapled in placed. If the chair has buttons, remove the, cover them in fabric and put them back on. {found on rearrangeddesign}.

Cats and leather armchairs are not always good friends and sometimes your furniture can end up looking like the vinyl chairs featured on beautifulmatters. So what can you do in this case? Reupholstering the chairs can be one option but there’s also a simpler alternative if you like the distressed look. Basically you can just sand all the surfaces that are damaged with sandpaper. This will smooth out the rips. Apply some rubbing alcohol to dull the shine.

Sometimes a change a color is all a furniture piece needs to look interesting and fresh once more. So if you have an old sofa or a chair that doesn’t really fit nicely into your décor anymore, consider painting it. You can find some great inspiration for that on abeautifulmess. The sofa featured here used to be white but the green suits it wonderfully too. It was all done with paint and a paintbrush.

If you decide to paint your old leather chair or sofa, there are a few things you need to know. First of all, you need to clean the leather first. Then you can use tape to create the pattern that you want. If you just want to paint the whole thing, there’s no need for that. Then the spray painting starts. You’ll need two or three coats to get the right color. If you’ve used tape, remove it immediately after you’ve finished painting. After that, rub sealing or conditioning paste. {found on homejelly}.