A Unique Side Table

What is upcycled furniture?

When I first started painting and decorating furniture, I told people that I ‘restored’ furniture.

It is quite confusing: upcycling, recycling, downcycling, restoring…

• Upcycling transforms waste materials (or articles of furniture, clothing etc on the way to the bin) into products of higher quality or value.
• Recycling involves converting waste into materials that can be reused, often for the same purpose, for example glass and cardboard.
• Downcycling is the process of recycling material into something of lesser quality.
• Restoring furniture requires quite a lot of skill if an item is badly damaged. Carpentry, and DIY know-how, come in very handy.

I upcycle furniture, a process which is often considered better for the planet than recycling as it requires less energy and resources compared to recycling.

I find wooden and pine furniture in a variety of places: charity shops, recycle centres, and online. The pieces tend to be in a poor state, thrown (or given) away because they are no longer wanted or needed.

There’s something uniquely rewarding about taking an old cabinet, painting it, and giving it a new lease of life. I often use decoration, for example decoupage, stencilling or image transfer, to make a piece exciting and unique.

Seeing the piece of furniture spruced up and on its way to a new home is very satisfying!