Many homeowners today find themselves unhappy with the decor or furniture in their home but feel that they can’t afford to buy something new and exciting. If you have been a reader of my blog, you know that I like to find treasures on Craigslist for very little money that might need only a little TLC or refinishing to create a lovely new look for your home.
For example, in my daily perusal of Craigslist, I came across an ad for some reclaimed pine “outdoor” furniture — or at least the owner had been using it outdoors. He had a table without accompanying chairs, and among other things, a pine bench with a decorative back. Each were quite weathered and appeared to have been stained different shades, and they were being used in different parts of the yard for different purposes.
I took them both home for a total of just $100, as is common when buying weathered furniture on Craigslist. I then bleached and thoroughly cleaned them, and then sanded them both down to the bare wood with a palm sander. Low and behold, they had the same natural color. So, I used a little wood glue and bracing to make some minor repairs, finished them with a light coat of wax for protection (and to prevent wet-glass rings from forming), added a mixed set of chairs that I already had on hand, and voila!, a new kitchen nook furniture set.
Projects like this not only look great, but cost virtually nothing but some time and elbow grease. Plus, you have the added bonus of feeling good about your completed project.
