Thanks to things like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, it’s easy to find some pretty cool secondhand furniture. With a little creativity, you can make anything look brand new. Some people call this a “Reverse Pinterest” and there’s an entire place dedicated to these cool restoration projects.
Reverse Pinterest is a subreddit for showcasing handcrafted wood pieces that have been rescued from Pinterest-paint hell and restored to their original glory.
Here are some of the coolest before and after pics people shared in the group.
1. “Restored This Beauty To Original Glory. $20 Goodwill Cedar Chest Returned From Crackled Paint Torture”
2. “Behold, The Most Satisfying Reverse Pinterest Of 2021”
3. “I Don’t Know If I Can Top This One! Fully Restored Brasilia II Petite Buffet”
4. “Was Told To Post Here. Before And After De-Pinteresting”
9. “I Put Two Months Of My Time On Weekends And After Work To Remove The Awful Paint From This Gorgeous Danish Teak Desk With Floating Legs!”
10. “Thinking My Recent Rehab Of This Pre-Pinterest Paint Job Would Be Enjoyed Here”
11. “Before And After”
12. “The Abuse Is Finally Over”
13. “A Ridiculous Amount Of Love, Patience, And Skill Went Into Reversing These Mid-Century Modern Pieces! I Restore For A Living, And Although I Really Hate Dealing With Painted Stuff, It Makes Me That Much Prouder Of My Craft”
14. “Lane Acclaim Side Table Hidden Under Pea Green Paint!”
15. “Before And After”
16. “Under 3 Coats Of White Paint And 1 Coat Of Green, Was This Beautiful Rimu Timber”
17. “American Of Martinsville Dresser That I Tried My Best To Restore”
18. “Thought Y’all Might Appreciate My Efforts”
19. “I Saw This Desk On Cl For $50 And Drove From San Antonio To College Station To Pick It Up. Restored It In American Oak And Black Lacquer”
20. “Final Update On My Mcm Nightstands! Before, Fully Stripped, And After! They Are My Pride And Joy”
21. “Restoration Process, Finished!”
22. “Johnson Carper Ronda Saved From Teal Spray Paint”
23. “Facebook Marketplace Makeover”
24. “Reversed This $10 Fb Marketplace Kroehler Side Table”
25. “The ‘Distressed’ Console That Caused Me Such Distress”
When he's not doomscrolling Twitter or writing for Pleated-Jeans, Nate Armbruster writes jokes—and then tells them on stage as a stand-up comedian, where he can watch audiences (hopefully) laugh in real-time.