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25 Satisfying Before-And-After Pictures Of Furniture Restorations That Will Scratch Your Brain

I would sell my soul for the chairs in #18.

If you're anything like me, you probably spend HOURS watching furniture flip-and-restoration videos. Do I have the slightest clue how to reupholster a chair or sand down a wooden dresser? Not at all. But do I love a satisfying before-and-after? You bet.

Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec smiling with safety goggles on

So you can imagine my delight during a Reddit scroll when I came across r/ReversePinterest and r/furniturerestoration and saw just how talented people who restore furniture truly are. Here are some of the projects that blew my mind.

1. This dresser that was found for £5 and restored to all its glory.

A before image of a beat-up white dresser
The restored white dresser after with the paint stripped

2. This mid-century modern coffee table that seemed to be the victim of a DIY fail but was thankfully rescued.

A before image of a coffee table with stain smeared all over it
An after image of the table restored

3. This side table that was stripped of a patchy chalk paint job.

A before image of a wooden side table covered in white chalk paint
The side table after the paint is stripped

4. This Heywood-Wakefield desk that was given a refresh that was definitely a labor of love.

A before image of a desk with dark refinishing sanded down to reveal light wood
A solo shot of the desk with a light finish set up in an office

5. This Facebook Marketplace bar cabinet that was brought back to its original wood finish (and given some adorable bee handles).

A before image a bar cabinet with blue paint
The bar cabinet after with a dark wood finish and bee knobs

6. This light and colorful restoration of a vintage '60s chair.

A before image of a broken vintage chair with a dark wood frame and brown cushion
The chair after with a light wood frame and blue velvet cushion

7. This nightstand that probably took HOURS of tedious paint stripping but was clearly worth it.

A before image of a mid-century modern night stand covered in white and blue paint
The nightstand after with the paint stripped off

8. This colorful dresser that was given a more modern, fresh feel (hairpin legs and all).

A before image of a colorful dresser with a broken drawer
The dresser after with light and dark wood finishes

9. This thrifted cabinet that was hiding a gorgeous art deco wood pattern underneath the white paint.

A before image of a large cabinet covered in white paint
The cabinet after with the original wood pattern and brass handles

10. This FREE Craigslist find that was in pretty rough shape before being restored to look brand spankin' new.

A before image of a dresser covered in dark blue paint
The dresser after with a dark wood finish and brass handles

11. This $7 thrifted table that was given a lovely two-tone finish.

A before image of a table painted blue
The table after with a light and dark wood stain

12. This funky chair that was found on the side of the road and given a timeless upgrade.

A before image of a chair painted green and yellow with a torn green leather cushion
The chair after with a light wood stain and patterned fabric cushion

13. Yet another Heywood-Wakefield piece that had been painted over five (?!?!) times before being saved.

A before image of a cabinet covered in dark paint
The cabinet after with the paint stripped and a light wood stain on it

14. This armchair that's a testament to the power of reupholstering.

A before image of a yellow armchair with frayed and stained fabric
An after image of a yellow armchair with thick cushions

15. This abstract-painted coffee table that was hiding a unique wood pattern underneath.

A before image of a long coffee table with Mondrian-type colorful abstract squares
The coffee table after with a two-tone wood stain

16. This scratched-up $20 yard sale find that was given a little mid-century modern TLC.

A before image of a scratched four-drawer dresser
The dresser after it's restored with its natural wood grain

17. This beauty that was updated to really highlight all of its intricate carvings.

A before image a an ornate chest of drawers painted gray
The chest of drawers after with natural wood, gold accents, and teal paint

18. These vintage Cesca chairs that looked hopeless but turned into something I'd sell my soul for.

A before image of two vintage Cesca chairs that have ripped foam padding
A single chair after with new lime green upholstery

19. And another set of Cesca chairs that are just *chef's kiss*.

A before image of two Cesca chairs with scratched wood and red leather upholstery
The chairs after with a dark wood stain and green upholstery

20. This old bench that will now look perfect in any garden or patio.

A before image of a bench with broken slats and a red wood stain
The bench after with new slats and a walnut wood stain

21. This cart that looked as if it was destined for the trash but is now a super-versatile piece.

A before image of a small three-tray cart painted teal
The cart after with chrome finishes on the handles and dark green enamel trays

22. This beat-up early-1900s armchair that is so perfectly restored, I could shed a tear.

A before image of an armchair with badly peeling and frayed leather
The armchair after being completely restored to match the original condition

23. This cedar chest that originally had white paint over a gorgeous wood grain.

A before image of a white cedar chest with some chips
The chest after with the paint stripped, revealing a chevron pattern wood grain, and new handles

24. This teak chair that was satisfyingly re-caned to give it a whole new life.

A before image of a teak chair with broken caning
The teak chair after with brand-new caning

25. And lastly, this dresser that I'm sure Anthropologie is taking notes on.

A before image of a three-drawer pine dresser
The dresser after with a gray-blue accent and gold drawer handles

Which one of these flips was your favorite? Let us know in the comments!