Inspiration for Upcycling

Upcycling means taking your tired old furniture, or newly-bought bargains and transforming them into contemporary one-of-a-kind pieces. It’s a trend that is both kind to the environment and to your bank balance.

Tables are easy and fun to upcycle and almost any item with a flat surface can be turned into a table. An old trunk can be given legs and double up as storage. If you freshen up the inside of the trunk it can hold cutlery and napkins ready to bring out when it’s time to set the table. A few apple boxes nailed or glued together makes for an interesting coffee table. Place them on a pallet with wheels and it’ll look like a designer item.

Nothing is more practical, yet more boring than our old 80s-style side drawers. Even with a lick of paint they are hopelessly out-of-fashion. A fantastic way of bringing them into this decade though, is adding wallpaper to the side or the front of them. You could also choose the same wallpaper for your drawers as the rest of your room to camouflage it into the space.

Instead of spending lots of money on a huge, expensive gilded mirror for your hallway, buy a cheap IKEA-style mirror and surround with an ornate dado rail painted gold, silver or whatever colour you prefer.

It’s not just furniture that can be upcycled. Decorative items such as candle sticks, chandeliers and even cookie trays can be created from odd pieces of fine china. Figurines, cups, saucers and even old door knobs can be fitted together with fantastic results.

There are different methods you can use for holding the porcelain together but using a silicon sealant is the easiest option and saves you having to use a drill. If you do opt for the drilling method, you can use broken pieces of porcelain to create jewellery.

If your personal style is more of a playful one, go through your kids’ old toys and see what can be made into decorative items. Plastic toys, for instance, can be cut through and used as flower pots, to hold cutlery, napkins or even be turned into salt and pepper shakers.

While it’s a great way to minimise waste and recycle old items, upcycling is also a trend that allows for your own creativity to be reflected in your home. Choose your items carefully but don’t be afraid to experiment as you can always re-do what you’re not happy with.