Perhaps you’ve moved into a new home, or you’re just looking for something to freshen up your interior for the new year. Whatever the reason, there’s always an excitement that comes with getting a new piece of furniture. What if you could make your own, though?
New furniture is costly and often will just be contributing to landfill waste over time, either due to throwing away old furniture or just wearing out new pieces – so why not refurbish something “pre- loved” and give it a space in your home? This is the idea of upcycling – recycling something by making it better than it used to be. This way of decorating your home is sustainable, eco-friendly, and budget- friendly.
Large furniture
Large items normally made from wood such as bedframes, wardrobes, chairs and tables, and storage boxes can be expensive to buy from new. Buying them secondhand can be much cheaper, and if they’re structurally sound then you simply have to sand them, and then pick a colour and coat for them. If you like the look of raw wood, wood wax and stains are an affordable solution to making the furniture look new but natural. If you want something to stand out a little more, you can give it a lick of paint or varnish. Plus, with vintage looks being back in fashion, you might find a gem to really tie your room together.
Cloth and Fabric
If want to add a pop of colour to your home, finding a really nice fabric for a cushion, seat, curtains, or other furniture is a really good idea. The easiest project you can try it to sew your own cushion covers – it’s just a square with buttons or a zip and is a great beginner’s project. If you’re feeling a little more ambitious, you can tackle something like a chair or sofa reupholstering project.
Although you might want to leave this to the professionals, it’s completely possible for somebody to manage this by themselves with a little research and a lot of elbow grease! You can give old furniture a new lease of life by stripping the fabric off, giving it a good clean (steamers are great for this!) and then giving it a fresh new colour and pattern in your new fabric.
Bric a Brac to Beautiful Knick Knacks
Old glass jars, empty picture frames, spare tiles…these are all things you might throw away if you don’t have a use for them. All of these items can be used to make something new and beautiful with a little bit of creativity and the right tools! You can paint picture frames to make a colourful display, use old tiles to make water-resistant décor items (like coasters), and glass jars can be repurposes for display items.
These are just a few examples – but if you look for inspiration online and in your local area, you’ll find plenty of ideas for sustainable upcycling ideas which are better for the environment than buying new, and which will also help your wallet, too!
