Paint On

• A coat of paint makes a piece look new.Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  Painting isn’t just for walls. A coat of paint really transforms a piece of furniture. Refurbish a coffee table by sanding it down and finishing with a coat of crackle paint. Spray paint a set of plastic lawn chairs cherry red. Put a coat of bold black or bright white on a bench. Paint mismatched end tables blue to coordinate them. Painting furniture is a good way to add color to a room if you’re in a rental where you aren’t allowed to paint.
  
  

Picture It

• You can also use paint to refurbish furniture in more fanciful methods. Paint animals, flowers, smiley faces, butterflies, sunbursts, cowboy hats or sports-related items onto a rocking chair, folding screen, the legs of a stool or the drawers of a dresser. Paint them onto the top of a desk or dining room table and then seal with a coat of varnish. Try it freehand or use stencils to guide you. You could even paint on a mural: a blooming garden, underwater scene or night sky full of constellations. Use glow-in-the-dark paint for the stars.
  
  

Cover Up

• Slipcovers are inexpensive and effective.Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  Refurbish furniture such as a sofa, armchair, chaise lounge or love seat by putting on a slipcover. Slipcovers can be found in a vast selection of colors and patterns, so you can find one to match the decor in any room. Changing the look of these large, major pieces, which carry a lot of visual weight, revamps not only the furniture but also the entire room. An additional benefit is that if a slipcover ever gets dirty, you can simply wash it in the washing machine.
  
  

Paper It

• Wallpaper may not immediately come to mind, but it can be used creatively and effectively to refurbish furniture, especially on your larger pieces such as a china cabinet, wardrobe, bureau or entertainment center. On a bookcase, put it on the inside back panel and paint the outside and shelves a complementary color. Choose a wallpaper with an eye-catching color or pattern that you really like and that matches the other colors in the room.