Here are some creative ideas to update old furniture:

1. Paint the upholstery to modernize it without re-upholstering.
2. Modify it for a new purpose.
3. Add-on to the piece.
4. Reupholster it.
5. Give it a fresh coat of paint.
6. Refinish furniture (strip & re-stain).
7. Add stylish legs.
8. Swap out knobs/pulls. ^{thediynuts.com 2 1}

Additionally, you can turn a dresser into a vanity, use an old ladder for a light fixture, create wind chimes from spindles, repurpose a wooden stool as a tool and crafts organizer, make a footrest from old drawers, create a headboard from an old door, build a ladder towel rack, or transform a cabinet into a kitchen island. ^{diycraftsy.com 3}