Hello, beautiful friends! I’m back today sharing round two of the best of 2025! This time, I’m sharing 13 awesome thrifty decor makeovers from the past year. These are your non-furniture favorites!

 

Remember these??

I linked to the original posts for each at the bottom of each makeover if you’d like to see more.

Enjoy!

13 Awesome Thrifty Decor Makeovers

13

Let’s start off with one from the start of last year! In January, I shared this cabinet I picked up at a the same yard sale where I found this stunning china cabinet. I love any kind of petite cabinet, and this one was a real cutie for only $10:

It got some love using paint and the Floral Home transfer:

(My nails were deliberately painted the same color as the freezing emoji to match the unusually cold weather we were having! 🥶🤣)

This is an older design, but it comes with four mini transfers, so you can update a few things with this one! See how I used one design on a lampshade HERE!

I love how this one turned out; see what you think:

So soft and lovely!

 

 

See more of this sweet cabinet HERE.

12

There are three sets of lamps that made the countdown, all from the same yard sale! Two of them I got for an absolutel steal!

This set of buffet lamps was only $5:

I found the shades to be kind of small and it just so happened that I replaced the shades on a set further up in our countdown. These shades came from that set and gave these lamps much more presence as you can see in this comparison:

I found this fabric spray paint and matched it to this beautiful  Timeless Charm Rice Decoupage paper from Belles and Whistles:

Here is how this $5 set of Buffet Lamps looks now!

They don’t even look like the same lamps!

The color of the shades gave them a dated feel that the paint erased in minutes.

And how fun is the paper?

Such a great buy!

See the whole makeover HERE.

11

Next up is this thrift store box I found for $6.99:

It did have some damage to the top but that was easily sanded away!

Fresh paint and one of my favorite transfers, the White Magnolia transfer, gave it a sleek, updated look…

And here is the finished box:

Zooming all the way in, you can see that I also added these pretty feet as I like to do, and I let the transfer cascade over the front a bit…

I love the contrast of the white magnolias against the black!

And a peek at the inside…I used the Midnight Amber decoupage paper to line it:

 

See more of this pretty box HERE!

10

At number 11 on the list is another box makeover…this flatware box I found for the unbelievably low price of only $1.99!!

I only picked it up because it was so cheap! (And I’m cheap!)

I actually just shared this one in November, and while I don’t always include holiday redos, I enjoyed seeing this one make it on the list!

This Finley mould from Redesign was my jumping off point to reimagining this one…

I used it to frame a snippet from the Yuletide Nostalgia Middy transfer, and of course paint played a big role here too!

Here is the after of this very boring box:

Let’s see that top!

I turned the box to give it the feel of a book being opened.

And a quick peek at the inside that I lined with fabric:

Perfect for storing Christmas cards or other holiday treasures!

See more of this upcycled holiday box HERE!

9

Next up is this piece that I lovingly named the Dusty Crusty Suitcase:

I wasn’t sure I could revive this one, but for $6.98 on clearance at the thrift store (my favorite!), I was willing to take that chance.

The biggest step was the cleaning part! White Lightning did wonders to erase decades of dirt:

I followed that up with paint, giving it a two-tone black and white look. But adding the gorgeous Queen’s Glory transfer was the icing on the cake!

Here is how this one looks now:

What an improvement, right?

The other side looks a bit different:

And you know I had to make the inside pretty to match!

 

This is actually still for sale in my booth. I don’t sell these little suitcases very quickly as I don’t know if people know quite what to do with them once they’re redone, but I love to stage with them, so that’s fine by me!

See the whole makeover and all the details I left out HERE!

8

Number nine in this countdown is this very 80’s inspired Longaberger basket that I paid $6.98 for at the thrift store:

I still scratch my head at what a fad those geese were! When my parents bought our first house in the mid 80’s, our kitchen had blue geese wall paper, rust carpet, and wood paneling. We all loved it, and I remember my mom being excited and commenting that it was just her style! Ha ha!

Those geese on the top of the basket definitely made it easier to paint. After doing a blended finish to the top, I embellished it with the Indigo Petals transfer:

Here is the after:

I love a simple, white painted basket, but the addition of the flowers on the top adds a unique touch…

I kept the inside wood, but I did paint the top and added a little something there…

 

See more of this simple makeover HERE.

7

This next piece has a bit of a twist. It started as this flatware box that I picked up at the thrift store for $3.99:

The worst part of redoing the boxes is removing the felt interior and this one was no exception, but I got it done:

If seeing it like this is intimidating, I promise that adding a new liner is easier than you think. See how I do that HERE.

And this one started out being partly lined with fabric also, but then there was a change of plans!

The outside was painted in this gorgeous Mermaid Tail Color and then I added this Mermaid decoupage paper (sadly, no longer avaiable) to the top:

I was loving it so far! However, because I had to cut the paper, now you couldn’t tell she was a mermaid!

So after lining the drawer, I did this…

That hurt a little lol.

Let’s jump to the after!

I absolutley love this color!

And the top…

So fun, right? You can also see that I swapped the ugly wooden pulls for these gold ones.

And what did I do with the drawer?? I added the mermaid’s body to it!

I think painting over the lining and adding that was definitely the right call, and I love that it worked out so nicely!

See more on how I added the paper to this box HERE.

6

It seems like my countdown is all boxes, and I have another one at number 7!

This one is also very recent. It was just $3.98 at the thrift store:

Removing the lining, painting the body, and replacing the glass top with hardboard did wonders, but it was this stunning Soft Veil Decoupage paper that really gave it life:

Here is how this one turned out:

I am loving this purple with the gold!

But that paper…

The inside got the same treatment…

I can see why this one was a favorite! Now the style matches those pretty curves it had all along!

See more of how this jewelry box came together HERE.

5

I had to grab this second set of lamps at that same yard sale as well, also for only $5 for the set!!

I think the price is why they got so much love, but they underwent quite the transformation also!

They look pretty dark and boring here, but ditching the shades (which worked much better for the buffet lamps from earlier) and adding a fresh coat of white paint did wonders!

Here are the finished lamps:

 

I was lucky enough to find this set of coastal lamp shades at HomeGoods for $16.99 each. I can afford to pay that when each lamp was only $2.50!

So much better!

See more of this summery makeover HERE.

4

At number five in today’s countdown is another box makeover! Well, a tool box! I found it for $6 at an estate sale in pretty rough condition:

It looks like it was purely utilitarian, splintered handle and all:

I ended up removing that and replacing it with a spindle.

Everything was painted in one of the new Southern Roots Collection of Chalk Mineral Paint called Olive Wood. It was then embellished a bit further with the Pastels Artistry transfer:

This is one Redesign brought back, and I just love the neutral versatility of it!

This is how the final box ended up:

 

And I think the new handle adds a bit of whimsy…

 

See this and all the new Southern Roots Collection revealed in this post HERE!

3

Coming in at number three is this wall shelf I picked up for $3 at a yard sale:

There are so many possibilties with a shelf like this and I loved the shape of it!

This one got toned down just a bit with paint, adding my favorite stripes, and then I followed up with pieces from both the Vintage Script Mastery and Creamy Blush Blooms transfers:

Here is the final look:

The colors are more subtle, but it’s still a fun piece!

Perfect for a bathroom to hold some extra toiletries!

I love how the two transfers look together…

 

See more of this whole transformation HERE!

2

We’re almost there! At number two is this HUGE estate sale toolbox I got for $10:

Paint is all this one needed to bring it to life!

White, followed by Savannah Mist:

A good sanding and some stripes to the handle and this one was done!

I told y’all it was HUGE! I can’t even imagine how heavy it would be with actual tools in it.

Layering the blue over the white and sanding added a coastal vibe that I love!

I think it would be cool down the center of a table with greenery in, maybe?

See more of this one HERE!

1

And finally, the number one non-furniture makeover of this year is another set of lamps! This set was purchased along with the other two, but this one was pricier at $20 for the set:

Talk about dated, right? Those shades were not doing this set any favors!

Like the other two sets, I decided to replace them. That and paint is all this set needed…

And Voila!

Much better!

Would you believe I lucked into finding these shades on clearance at HomeGoods for only $15 for the set??

Funny that these got so much love…I guess they were just that ugly before lol.

Now they are beachy and beautiful and they sold as soon as I put them in my booth!

 

 

See all the details on this lamp set HERE.

I enjoy transforming these smaller pieces so much! I hope y’all enjoy them too!

And those are my top non-furniture makeovers of 2025!

And that’s this year’s top thrifty decor makeovers!

Do you have a favorite??

If you missed last year’s non-furniture favorites:

You can see them all HERE!

Some of my Painting the Smalls posts always make it into the top 13 non-furntiure posts each year, but I like to share one big round up of all my favorite smalls! I’ll be back with those on Thursday, and then I’ll be back on Tuesday with my Trashy Treasures girls and my first brand new makeover of 2026!

I hope you’ll stop by and check out all the fun smalls…those quick makeovers are just as satisfying to do:

UPDATE: See them all HERE now!!

Have an amazing weekend!

XOXO,

 

 

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