
Sometimes a lick of paint is all that’s needed to revamp an old piece of furniture from drab to fab! We present the top spots to upcycle your furniture in Singapore.
Is spending more time at home making you itch to give that well-loved piece of furniture a makeover? Or maybe you have a treasured old chair that needs a bit of TLC. Join the upcycling revolution taking over the world! By upcycling your existing piece of furniture, you’ll help reduce waste, create a sustainable future for our planet and save some $$$. Turn trash into treasure with these upcycled furniture ideas.
Upcycled furniture 101: Roll up your sleeves for some DIY fun
Don’t throw away old furniture just yet – there are myriad ways to give it a new lease of life. Are you tired of that brown wooden dresser? Just paint it a bright colour and see it transformed into something new. The vintage sideboard doesn’t fit in with your new decor? Give it a distressed or whitewashed finish for a more bohemian vibe. Or add a glossy finish for that sleek, modern look.

With a growing number of DIY furniture paint brands available in the market, a brush and a bit of time is all you need to give your furniture a brand new look. Chalk paint is the preferred choice for environmentally conscious DIYers. It’s easy to apply on most surfaces, quick to dry and needs little to no prepping, priming or sanding beforehand. If you’re interested but a bit daunted by the prospect of doing it yourself, sign up for furniture painting workshops!
If you have a treasured vintage or antique piece which has sadly seen better days, restore it to its former glory. Repairing and revarnishing old furniture can be a painstaking job requiring skilled craftsmanship. Thankfully, we have local specialists who can save your old furniture from the rubbish dump.
Don’t know where to start? We’ve got you covered with DIY options, workshops and furniture restoration services.
Where to get your furniture upcycled in Singapore
1. Big Blue Trunk

Big Blue Trunk offers bespoke services to upcycle worn furniture into beautiful pieces. These folks can hand paint your furniture and give it any finish you want – shabby chic, French chic or rustic farmhouse, the choices are endless. You can even ask them to paint a design using a stencil technique to make it truly stand out.
For the DIY enthusiast, the Cluny Court store runs regular workshops where you can bring in a small piece of furniture and paint it under their guidance. Rather do it at home? Try virtual workshops for furniture painting – complete with all materials needed like paints, brushes, aprons and hair dryer delivered to your doorstep. A live demo and Q&A session will guide you through the process. Psst: they are the exclusive stockists of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, a non-toxic and eco-friendly British paint brand. With their wide range of paint colours, waxes, finishes and stencils, there’s no limit to your creativity.
Big Blue Trunk, available online and #02-14, Cluny Court, 501 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 259760
2. Retro Dec

From refurbishing commercial and residential buildings to restoring furniture, Retro Dec has come a long way. It’s a popular go-to for rejuvenating tired-looking furniture. The team offers a huge selection of paint colours as well as various paint finishes including whitewashed, distressed and metallic effects. You can also get your wooden furniture treated in a different varnish colour. So if that dark teak table no longer matches your new Scandi-inspired surroundings, just have ‘em strip it down to bare wood and apply a fresh coat of colourless varnish to lighten the mood.
Retro Dec, get a quote online
3. French Chic Paint

Another easy-to-use and environmentally friendly chalk paint brand, this online store stocks everything you need to revamp your furniture – from preparation materials to paints and finishing products. Glam up your furniture with FrenSheen, a natural mineral powder which can be mixed with the finishing coat or wax. Available in bronze, copper, gold, green and silver, it gives a shimmering gleam to your painted pieces.
Oh, and check out helpful videos on the website which show you how to use the products. But if you want a more hands-on experience, Sophie at Chalk and Chic runs furniture painting workshops using French Chic products. You can either bring your furniture to her studio in Tanjong Katong or have her over for a home visit to guide you through the tips and techniques needed to transform your piece.
French Chic Paint, available online and at La Tienda, 370 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427615; Chalk and Chic, contact Sophie for workshops
4. Furniture Reborn

A family-run business since 1987, Furniture Reborn calls itself the ‘furniture doctor’. It specialises in restoring and repairing antique pieces. You can also get your wooden furniture re-varnished in different lacquer finishes like gloss or matte, or spray painted in any shade of the rainbow. Besides wood, the team is also experienced in refurbishing glass, rattan, metal, laminated and upholstered furniture. The first consultation is free so if you want your old furniture reborn into a show-stopping new piece, give them a call.
Furniture Reborn, #04-115, Blk 9010, Tampines Street 93, Singapore 528844
5. Barossa Furnishings

David Ditcham started out making custom furniture and now runs Barossa Furnishings, a furniture renovation business, along with his wife and son. Here’s where you can repair anything from a broken chair leg to a worn-out seat cushion. They can also mend old cane webbing and replace missing or damaged marble and glass tabletops. The detailed refurbishment process involves assessing the damage, a full or partial strip down, sanding, colouring and lacquering to make the piece look like its original self.
If you want to switch things up, have your pieces repainted in a different colour. Or simply repurpose old pieces of furniture to create something entirely new. Think along the lines of an old Singer sewing machine base converted to a side table by adding a new wooden tabletop. Or repurposing a vintage door to make a new coffee table by adding legs.
Barossa Furnishings, #09-02, Harvest@Woodlands, 280 Woodlands Industrial Park E5, Singapore 757322
6. Tommi Restoration

The self-proclaimed ‘king of restoration’, Tommi Chan has been in the furniture restoration business for more than 20 years. He offers general and custom repair and refurbishment services for both antique and modern furniture. Apart from restoring wooden furniture, he can also fix cane webbing, replace glass and marble tabletops, or re-varnish and re-paint your pre-loved furniture. Whether you’re looking to restore that family heirloom or refresh a shabby-looking furniture item, Tommi is your man.
Tommi Restoration, get a quote online
With these easily available options and endless creative possibilities, there’s no excuse not to reduce, reuse and upcycle. Upcycled furniture to the rescue!