Old furniture can be brought back to life with a little bit of creativity and foil! Foil is an inexpensive material that can be used to transform boring furniture into something new and exciting. With a little bit of time and effort, you can up-cycle your old furniture into something that looks like it came from a high-end store.
This is What Happened…
So let’s take it back a few years… I have a pair of plaster columns that we bought shortly after we moved into our first home. I had originally put a full length door mirror across the top of them to make an entry table.
Fast forward to a couple of months ago. When we moved to our new home recently, the columns came with us. They’re really nothing special. I should have painted them 20 years ago when I first got them. But I never did. Still, they’ve become part of my theme-less home decor. So we kept them.
I’ve been using one in the bedroom to hold the modem and router. First things first, right? The other one has made a great plant stand for my beloved Peace Lily, Hershey. Everything was good and fine until one day, the toddler struck! I was picking up and dusting and discovered CRAYON MARKS on the top of Hershey’s stand!
Was I upset? Not even a little bit. Kids are kids. But there was no way I could just leave it. I tried wiping it down, but it wasn’t as easy as I thought. And honestly, I did not have the energy to put in the elbow grease needed to get the crayon off.
An Idea In My Mind
At the same time, I wasn’t ready to part with my column. I thought about putting a piece of fabric over it. But then all could picture was either one of the kiddos or one of the dogs running through and pulling the fabric by accident (or on purpose), and then having my Hershey’s soil spilled all over the floor.
You know what happened next, don’t you? Mrs. Craft Lady had an idea. What if I painted it, like I should have done all those years ago? But not just paint. No, no, no. Let’s add some FOIL to make it look cool and shiny!!!
What I Used
This was such an easy project! I know I say that a lot. But it really was not difficult at all. Best of all, I had EVERYTHING for this up-cycle here at home. Let me take you through the 3 major materials and supplies I used.
ColorShot Spray Paint:
I’ve used several kinds of spray paints in the past for different projects. Recently, though, I won a giveaway that included 3 bottles of ColorShot Spray Paint. I really like how much coverage I get when using ColorShot. The color I used for my project is “Black Tie Affair.”
DecoFoil Film:
I was first introduced to DecoFoil by Therm-o-Web about 5 years ago. My friend showed me how to use it with a laser printer and a heat laminator to make super elegant cards. More recently, I’ve seen foil being used along with adhesive to apply to tumblers and other items. I even did a foiled terra cotta pot post a couple of months ago. So I decided to try it out for my plant stand project. I used gold foil transfer sheets. But Therm-o-Web offers a variety of colors to choose from.
Aleene’s Tack It Over and Over:
Honestly, Mod Podge probably could have worked. But I really wanted to try something different. I’ve only ever used Tack It for tumblers. I knew that after it set for a while, it would become tacky. This would make the perfect base for adding my foil. I tried diluting it at first, like I do when I’m working on a tumbler. In the end, it was much better and easier to use it without diluting.
Up-Cycling the Old Plaster Column
OK. So let’s get to the good part. It’s time to walk you through the steps I used to make my old column look like a piece of purposeful furniture.
Materials and Supplies
- old plaster column
- ColorShot spray paint in Black Tie Affair
- Gold DecoFoil transfer sheets
- Aleene’s Tack It Over and Over
- small mixing cup for adhesive
- narrow paint brush to apply adhesive
- protective gear (apron, mask, gloves, etc.)
- drop cloth
The Process
- Prep your furniture piece by removing dust and any other debris
- In a well-ventilated area, (preferably outside) paint your piece. Be sure to use appropriate protective gear
- Allow the piece to fully dry.
- Add a small amount of Tack It to a small mixing cup
- Use a paint brush to apply THIN layers of Tack it to the areas where you want to add foil
- Allow the Tack It to dry for about half an hour. It will be clear but tacky when ready
- Place strips of foil, shiny side up, over the spot where you’ve Tack It
- Burnish the foil with your finger or with a craft stick
- Pull the foil away. It will leave behind the foil you’ve burnished
- Continue working in small sections until you get the results you like.
And that is it!
That’s a Wrap
I’m super happy with the way my plant stand turned out. Now Hershey has a kind of elegant spot. And to be honest, the little ones treat it more like a furniture piece now that it’s been up-cycled.
With some time and effort, you can turn your old furniture into something new and trendy. By adding foil to existing furniture, you can create a unique look that will make your home stand out. With a little bit of creativity, you can transform tired pieces into fresh new ones.
If you try this, I’d love to see it! And of course, this is not the only way to achieve an effect like this. Get brave and bold and try anything you want. You may be surprised.
Until next time, I hope you have an amazing week! Now go make something EXTRA!!!
