Castilian furniture is experiencing a second youth. Those large solid wood cabinets, chests of drawers and tables have become a decoration trend that is conquering half of Europe. Surely you have also inherited one of those pieces of furniture with thousands of drawers, geometric motifs and turned legs that reigned in mid-century Spanish houses. Now, it’s time to give these durable, robust and functional pieces a new appeal. Why not personalize them? Below, we explain simple tricks with which you can restore them.
Chalk paint is one of the best tactics to convert an old piece of furniture into a vintage one. If you have a mirror, a shoe rack or a Castilian chair, you can give them a naturally and genuinely aged look, which will contrast with the rest of your decoration.
To put this trick into practice, you must sand the furniture to remove the original layer of varnish or paint and clean it with ammonia or alcohol. Next, apply a first layer of paint and wax in the areas where you want to recreate a worn effect. Sanding the raised areas will help you accentuate the aged effect. Once dry, it is time to paint the furniture with the chalk paint color of your choice and sand the areas where you applied the wax to accentuate that distressed look. To finish, apply a layer of varnish to protect the paint.
The options when it comes to converting Castilian furniture are endless. Vibrant colors such as yellow or blue will undoubtedly give it a very striking look. In the image, we see an example of some old doors converted into a colorful headboard.
Covering the different parts of the furniture with wallpaper is another great way to personalize and update a Castilian piece of furniture. From a tapestry-style pattern for the bottom of a shelf to fronts with floral motifs, to the inside of drawers or the surface of a table, there are many possibilities!
Another simple way to renew this type of furniture is to replace old hardware such as handles and hinges with others that create contrasts with the paint, gold, or even replace them with more modern, rounded knobs.
If the furniture is made of durable wood, you can transform it into a piece of outdoor furniture. Apply a weather-resistant sealant and perhaps add wheels for easy mobility. In the image, we see an old table transformed into an original planter.
