Loane Nader 20:30 p.m., March 30, 2023

Second-hand and the modernization of old clothes have spread in recent years, for the sake of overconsumption. But furniture can also have a second or even a third life if you know how to go about it. For "Bienfait pour vous", green columnist Perrine Brami gives us her best renovation tips.

We all have at least one old, slightly old-fashioned piece of furniture at home, and just like clothes, there's an alternative to garbage dump. Whether you are motivated by a concern for ecology or rather a need to save money, the advice of green columnist Perrine Brami in Bienfait pour vous, will be very useful.

First, rest assured, there is no need to have the expertise of Valérie Damidot to work miracles. First, if you want to repaint the dresser you have been keeping for years, just know how to go about it. Grab several pieces of fine sandpaper, and start sanding. The surface of the furniture will be polished and thus allow a good adhesion with the paint. Then apply one or two good coats of paint dedicated to laminated and melamine surfaces, obviously favoring "eco-responsible products that have at least the NF Environment label, the European ecolabel or the Nature Plus label," advises the columnist.

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The "Ikea Hack", a renovation trend

If you really don't feel like a handyman, Perrine Brami gives you the idea of collective workshops, a pool of ideas and creativity to get the furniture you imagine. In Marcq-en-Barœul, near Lille, Ma bulle Déco accompanies you in your initiative for the sum of 115 euros per day. "It's organized in a super big garden and it's very pretty. You come with your little piece of furniture, spend the day there in small groups and you do everything from preparation to finishing."

But sometimes, it is enough to add a new detail to furniture to give it a completely different look. New handles on your bedroom wardrobe or other legs under your sofa, with a different shape, can do the trick. All DIY stores put such items on sale, with styles of all kinds. For example, opt for handles or buttons "ceramic, if you are rather classic, leather for a more raw side, metal or wood", all tastes can be transposed on a piece of furniture.

We are talking about old furniture, but if you do not own any, you can work miracles on furniture at reasonable prices, as shown by Internet users with the trend of "Ikea Hack". "The art of hacking Swedish designers to customize their iconic models" is actually a widespread trend on social networks. Perrine Brami transmits to Julia Vignali and Mélagnie Gomez a brand that applies it to perfection. "At Plum, for example, it all started with kitchen furniture: front, splashback, handle... You can personalize, the whole kitchen from head to toe." So grab your brushes and DIY tools, and get out the artist in you.