So you picked an item off the overcrowded shelf at a furniture warehouse and now you want to make it your own. Give those store-bought items mini makeovers with these great DIY ideas.
It would be a nice luxury to be able to fill our homes with one-off designer pieces, but for most of us that simply isn’t a reality. But before you surrender to the same cookie-cutter pieces that fill your friends’ homes, take a moment to think about how you can give your store-bought items a unique twist. Reflect your personality, your eccentric colour palette or your distinctive space and have a little fun with these great DIY projects.
Mosaic table top
Dress up any table with some mosaic crafting à la Antoni Gaudi. Whether it’s an outdoor table for the deck, a coffee table for the living room or guest room, or even a fun work table for the kids, this is a great project the whole family can get involved in.
Choose a design: Create a swirl of colour, a scene from nature or a random pattern — the design is completely up to you. Roughly sketch it onto your table top so you have a guide when it comes to crafting.
Prepare your tiles: Grab a few plates and tiles in your preferred colours, wrap them carefully in a towel, and smash them with a hammer to form small pieces in assorted shapes. Alternatively, use tile nippers to cut more accurate, uniform shapes. Make sure you wear protective clothing and goggles, and work very carefully. Also keep children away from danger.
Arrange the tiles: Place your broken pieces on your table top and arrange to form a design you like. Cut more pieces if required.
Glue: Apply strong tile adhesive to the back of each piece and press down on the table top. If your table is for outdoor use, ensure you purchase a waterproof glue specifically designed for this use.
Grout: Wait about 24 hours for the glue to dry, then wack on some safety gloves and fill all of the gaps between the tiles with grout so the table surface is more or less level. Allow to dry, then wipe away any grout that’s left on the tile surface with a damp cloth. You can also apply some waterproof grout sealer if your table will be out in the rain.
Line drawers
If you’re happy with the look of your store-bought item but still want to give it a unique edge, why not line the drawers with cute fabric or paper? It’ll be a colourful surprise every time you reach inside.
Gather your materials: Find a fabric you love and purchase enough to fit inside all of the drawers of your bedroom chest, desk or living room cabinet. You could choose different patterns or colours for each drawer or keep them uniform.
Iron and stiffen: First give the fabric a good iron to remove all creases. Submerge the material in a liquid fabric stiffener (available from your local craft or fabric store) and then lay it flat on a covered work surface to dry.
Insert: Measure each of your drawers and cut the fabric accordingly. Cut a few pieces of double-sided tape and stick them on each edge of the drawer, then place the fabric on top. This will allow you to replace the fabric liners when they get old.
More DIY home ideas
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