You definitely do not have to sacrifice on style in order to make eco-conscious choices for your home. In fact, by combining a mixture of new and old, you can create an individual and unique interior which will not only save you money but make a positive difference to the planet too.
If you're not already hoarding some antiques, storing hand-me-downs or planning ways to refurbish old favourites, there are plenty of places to find items that require some TLC. Sites such as eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Gumtree to name but a few, are bursting at the seams with interesting retro pieces, vintage designs and antiques. Browse your local charity shop or warehouse and take a different view of some of the bargains to be had. You might be surprised to see what a little bit of time, energy and paint can get you!
Here, we explore some of the wonderful things we've recently seen. Join the revamp revolution!
The retro revival trend is currently fueling a surge in interest in mid-century items. It's also a popular style of furniture for upcycling projects as many are well built and still in very good condition.
Linda of Jessam Furniture specialises in mid-century/ vintage commissions and this G-Plan unit has been one of her favourites so far. She's taken the wooden unit back to a good finish and applied a contemporary multi-colour zig-zag pattern using paint. Just look at how the finished item sits in this modern home!
It's possible to get your hand on good quality, unwanted furniture for free and if you're able to see past the outer shell you may be able to give new life to a piece that others have given up on. Around 50% of the furniture that is sent to landfill every year is worthy of repair. Design by Daisy lovingly upcycles furniture and homeware for commissions out of her studio and has a keen eye for spotting some wonderful gems. Just take a look at one of her latest projects; the finished design is almost unrecognisable painted up in Jet Black from our 1829 Collection.
Image courtesy of Design by Daisy
Image courtesy of Design by Daisy
Image courtesy of Anna Jacobs
Surface Designer Anna Jacobs is also not one to shy away from a paint project. Not willing to give up on her sturdy farmhouse table, she set about transforming it into something that would be a better fit for her colourful, creative interior. Anna used our High-Performance Gloss spray in black and Marble Effect spray in white to achieve this high-end look, perfect for both family teatime and dinner parties! You can check out her progress on her 'marble table' highlight on her Instagram account.
Applying a new or unexpected colour to an old and perhaps tired piece of furniture can immediately give it a new look and there are almost no limits to the colours you could use. No matter the period style or material, select a colour that fits your new room design and you'll have something that harmonizes perfectly.
Jess and Rick's pastel dream home is full of optimistic, joyful vibes that combine her love of vintage with stylish few finds. Jess regularly manages to unearth the most beautiful second-hand items and finds a way to seamlessly incorporate them into a new scheme. This rattan headboard was the perfect fit for the guest bedroom - it just needed a colour appropriate glow-up. Painted in our elegant, soft blue shade Pompadour, it now perfectly complements the yellow walls and Alhambra Stone ceiling.
Inspired by this look? - check out @thehousethatcolourbuilt on Instagram
Image courtesy of @thehousethatcolourbuilt
Image courtesy of Redfern Designs Furniture
Image courtesy of Redfern Designs Furniture
Wallpaper can make a great addition to an upcycling project either on flat external surfaces or inside drawers for an unexpected creative touch. Once a wallpaper design is selected, the palette within the pattern can help to inspire your paint colour choices. Sue Adams of Redfern Designs Furniture likes to use highstreet wallpaper for her customers to control costs and enjoys using the darker tones in our 1829 Collection such as Zeitgeist, Jet Black and Pullman Green. Her tip for upcycling projects like this is to always have good-quality masking tape on hand to keep edges and lines clean and neat.
Popular wooden furniture with two-tone finishes can be easily refreshed with a new colour and the original surface will give a good base for this. You'll need to give the surfaces a good clean down and a light sand to allow the paint to adhere but the end result will give your room a fresh new look. We love this example here from @elm_terrace_interior who has demonstrated how a new colour can really help to tie the furniture into the room scheme.
Imogen said "I wanted the room to feel warm and welcoming as it's our main socialising space and by painting parts of the furniture, it's completely changed the look of the room. Pink Beige was the perfect colour for my table and sideboard. I also wanted to keep the walls light in the room but it felt really stark and cold before so I selected Chalky White which looks great next to the Pink Beige and everything ties together much more cohesively now. I love it!"
Image courtesy of @elm_terrace_interior
Image courtesy of @elm_terrace_interior
Many items are purchased for the home but over time our tastes change. Thanks to the versatility of our paints, this doesn't mean that you have to give up on older items in favour of new. Within a short space of time, it's possible to quickly transform the look of a product, allowing you to love it once again.
Image courtesy of @quiteallwhitehome
Image courtesy of @quiteallwhitehome
This lamp was given a new lease of life when Jasmine came across a way to create a natural stone-like texture using paint and baking powder. You can see some of her progress on her Instagram account @quiteallwhitehome
You spot some pricey designer homeware or you're inspired by a piece of sculpture - recreating a similar look might be easier than you think. Style hacks like this allow you to adopt the latest on-trend look at a fraction of the price whilst also reusing old items or second-hand objects to keep them from landfill.
Image courtesy of @hayo.home
This creative project saw Emma @hayo.home turn a simple ceramic pot and bowl into a stylish pedestal design with the textural finish of our Artisan Stone Effect paint. It now looks right at home on her display shelf next to other sculptural pieces.
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