A few years ago, I was visiting my aunt when I spotted the most beautiful arched cabinet in her house. This was around 2022, right when arched furniture was becoming wildly popular again. At the time, if you wanted a cabinet like that, you were looking at places like McGee & Co. or Arhaus where similar pieces easily cost over $2,000. That was definitely not happening for me.

While we were talking, my aunt casually mentioned that she was renovating and wasn’t sure she even liked the cabinet anymore. In fact, she called it ugly. I was honestly horrified. I immediately told her she absolutely should keep it… but if she didn’t want it, I would happily take it.

A few months later, she called and said she was ready to let it go. Major win for me.

My mom agreed to drive with me to pick it up, which sounds much easier than it actually was. This thing was a giant, solid oak 1980s cabinet. Heavy does not even begin to describe it.

We definitely did not have the proper vehicle or equipment to transport it an hour and a half down the turnpike. Thankfully, my cousins left work to help load it into my mom’s SUV using approximately one million bungee cords.

Somehow, we made it home mostly unscathed. The front glass panel did fall out during the drive, but by some miracle it didn’t crack or even scratch. That actually ended up being a blessing in disguise because it made the makeover process much easier later on.

My aunt has seen the cabinet since the transformation, and while she definitely regrets giving it away a little bit, she also loves that I was able to restore it and keep a small piece of her home in mine forever.

How to Restore and Paint Furniture

If you want to refinish old furniture, the process is actually pretty straightforward. Whether you’re working on painted furniture, refurbished furniture, or an upcycled furniture project, these are the exact steps I follow for almost every makeover.

(Unless you’re painting IKEA furniture. That is its own category entirely.)

Step 1: Prep the Surface

The first step in any DIY furniture project is cleaning.

Even if the furniture looks clean, I always degrease the surface first. Dirt, oils, and grime can keep primer and paint from sticking properly. I usually wipe everything down with Krud Kutter before doing anything else. Always follow the safety instructions on the product label and work in a ventilated area.

Now let’s talk about sanding because this is where furniture painting gets overcomplicated online. A lot of people will tell you to fully sand furniture down to raw wood before painting. In my opinion, that is not always necessary.

If you are planning to stain the furniture a different color or the finish feels sticky, then yes, you should sand it down completely. A quick test is pressing your fingernail into the finish. If it leaves a mark, the old finish needs to come off.

But for most painted furniture projects, a light sanding is enough.

I started with an 80-grit sanding block and lightly sanded the entire cabinet. The goal here is simply to scuff the surface enough for primer to adhere properly.

Because this cabinet had a lot of glass, I used a liquid masking product instead of painter’s tape. I brushed it directly onto the glass, painted the cabinet, then scored the edges with a razor and peeled it off afterward. It was much easier than taping every single section.

Step 2: Prime

Primer is the most important step in furniture design and furniture painting. Seriously. Do not skip it.

I always use Zinsser BIN primer with the red label (linked below). Yes, it is expensive. Yes, it smells terrible. But it works incredibly well.

And honestly, it is the reason you do not need to fully sand most furniture pieces before painting.

I recommend two coats for the best finish.

For this cabinet, I actually used the spray version because of all the small details and curved areas. Depending on your furniture piece, either a spray or brush-on primer will work.

One thing to know: this primer has a very strong smell, so ventilation is a must.

Also, don’t plan on saving your brushes or rollers afterward because cleanup is difficult with this product.

After each coat dried, I lightly sanded with a 120-grit sanding block until the surface felt smooth. If the furniture feels smooth to the touch, your paint will usually go on smoothly too.

Then I wiped everything down with a damp microfiber cloth before moving on.

Step 3: Paint

When choosing paint for DIY furniture projects, always ask for cabinet-grade paint.

This makes a huge difference in durability and finish quality.

I originally planned to spray paint the entire cabinet, but I was working during winter and the cold temperature caused the paint to crackle. If you’ve ever tried spray painting in freezing weather, you probably know exactly what I mean.

Eventually, I moved the cabinet indoors and switched to brushing and rolling the paint on instead.

The glass shelves still needed spray paint, but thankfully I was able to do those separately in the basement.

Between coats, I sanded lightly with 220-grit sandpaper and wiped everything down again with a damp microfiber cloth.

Again, the smoother the surface feels, the smoother the final result will look.

Step 4: Cover the Dated Details

One feature that really dated this cabinet was the mirrored backing.

That is something you will probably run into with older furniture. Sometimes the structure is beautiful, but one detail immediately gives away the era.

I decided to cover the mirrors using pole wrap. Pole wrap has a really pretty reeded texture, but it is also thin and flexible, which made it perfect for this project.

I cut most pieces on my table saw, but for the arched sections, I simply used heavy-duty scissors. So even if you don’t own larger woodworking tools, this is still a very beginner-friendly furniture design project.

To attach the pole wrap, I applied liquid cement to the back, pressed it onto the mirrored sections, and secured everything with painter’s tape while it dried overnight.

Pro Tip: Tape together paper or use old wrapping paper to make a template for areas you may not be able to accurately measure, such as my arched section.

Step 5: Update the Hardware

This cabinet had a really unusual design.

The doors actually opened from the sides, and the top arches lifted upward. I wanted the cabinet to look like it opened from the front, so I added a decorative latch from Amazon to create that illusion.

And remember how the front glass panel fell out during transport? That actually made painting the inside and attaching the pole wrap much easier.

Once everything was finished, I reattached the glass using E6000 glue and painter’s tape to hold it in place overnight while it dried. It has stayed perfectly secure ever since.

Step 6: Style the Cabinet

Once the makeover was finished, it was time for my favorite part: styling.

Because the shelf heights are fixed, I like to create variation by stacking books, adding small lamps, layering decorative objects, and making sure each shelf feels a little different from the one above or below it. Large baskets and oversized bowls work especially well on the lower shelves. I also swap out smaller accessories seasonally, which helps the cabinet feel fresh year-round.

Honestly, this upcycled furniture project ended up becoming one of my favorite furniture pieces in our home. And knowing it came from my aunt makes it even more special.