Upcycling involves taking old or discarded materials and products and refashioning them to create something of higher quality or interest. There are many reasons for giving upcycling a go – it’s great if you’re on a budget and it provides the product with a new lease of life. For example, taking an old bedside table that you were about to take to the skip and revamping it to match your current décor.
Before beginning your project, consider if you have an item of furniture in mind that you’d like to adapt or if you’d like to hunt for something you can redecorate. Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and charity shops are a great place to start to find preloved pieces.
The most obvious way to change the look of a piece of furniture is to paint it. Take that bedside table of yours; you could paint it navy blue to match your new bedspread and create a standout piece.
- Sand down your piece of furniture – if the item you’re upcycling has been varnished, use a solvent to strip it.
- Apply your primer – this is essential for ensuring the paint you apply on top goes on smoothly; it also helps the colour last longer.
- Select your paint depending on the effect you would like to create. For example, using chalk paint leftover from the walls will create a more rustic effect, whereas gloss paint will make your furniture appear clean and shiny.
Alternatively, you could change the handles of your cabinet or chest of drawers to match features in the rest of the room. You could even change the legs of your dining chairs and introduce a new fabric.
Whatever you decide to do, we hope you love it. Tag us in your creations @robertwattsestateagents.
