August 2019 31Inspiring homes
Upcycling on
a budget
Save don’t spend by
reinventing your furniturel The good thing about
upcycling is that there really are
no limits to what you can
create. Not only is it a cost-
effective option, but anyone
can join the upcycling
revolution – no previous skills
required it just needs a little
planning, time and patience.l Preparation is the key to
upcycling. Plan ahead and
ensure you have the tools and
equipment needed to do theExpert advice
job. Give all furniture a wipe
down before you start and factor
in time at the end in case you
need to make any corrections
to your work afterwards.l Be as adventurous as you
want. An old ladder makes a
great display shelf and a tired
unit will look amazing again
with paint and new handles.l Invest in a good paintbrush,
cheap ones leave bristles in your
work and don’t give a good
coverage. Do your research on
which paint will work for each
project and remember to add
a coat of wax or varnish when
finished to protect your work.Chloe has created another gallery wall on
the stairway – it features an LED hello
sign, a hanging planter and lots of cool
prints in black frames‘I used yellow spray paint to give
our front door an update – I’m
thrilled with the results’!The Ikea corner sofa
offers lots of seating in an
otherwise fairly small living
space. ‘The large wall print
is one of Paul’s favourites’Living room
‘The living room was a blank canvas,
but I loved the open fire, which we
had restored so we could use it during
the winter months. It’s quite a small
dark room, which we only really use in
the evenings, but the Ikea corner sofa
is really comfy and I can chill out and
catch up on a bit of TV or flick through
my interior magazines. My only regret
is not painting the walls darker, I tried
to keep it as light as possible with grey
walls but I am tempted to go bolder.
In the meanwhile I’ve filled the room
with accessories and I love my cow print
which was done by my cousin.’