Upcycling Ideas to Add Bags of Personality to Your Living Room
Revamp, repaint, repurpose and restore those junk shop finds for a unique living space
Upcycling is not only environmentally friendly, it’s often budget friendly, too, as well as being a great way to create one-off pieces. The key is often knowing when to stop – identifying where the tipping point is between cool upcycling ideas and feeling as if you’re living in a junkyard. For a stylish result, pick a few key upcycled items and think through how they’ll fit with your other pieces to create an individual yet cohesive scheme. Take a look at these ideas for inspiration.
Reupholster seating
A modern print on a traditional chair can work wonderfully, and vice versa. If you’re on a budget, go for a chair with a simple shape that needs minimal work, such as a wooden-framed midcentury modern design, rather than a wingback armchair.
A modern print on a traditional chair can work wonderfully, and vice versa. If you’re on a budget, go for a chair with a simple shape that needs minimal work, such as a wooden-framed midcentury modern design, rather than a wingback armchair.
Paint a classic wooden chair
These Ercol-style seats painted in pastel pink really freshen this scheme. You can create a similar feel in your room by giving a sculptural wooden piece a new twist.
Use a cushion, throw or curtain fabric as the starting point to colour-match the right shade for your chair. If you’re using a patterned fabric with three or four shades, consider painting each spindle a different colour for an eclectic feel.
Discover how paint can transform your furniture
These Ercol-style seats painted in pastel pink really freshen this scheme. You can create a similar feel in your room by giving a sculptural wooden piece a new twist.
Use a cushion, throw or curtain fabric as the starting point to colour-match the right shade for your chair. If you’re using a patterned fabric with three or four shades, consider painting each spindle a different colour for an eclectic feel.
Discover how paint can transform your furniture
Sneak in extra storage
If you’re tight on space and need a coffee table with added storage, old trunks, crates, tea chests or vintage suitcases are ideal.
You could even cut down a piece of furniture that’s too tall, such as an architect’s plan chest, and create two coffee tables for the price of one!
If you’re tight on space and need a coffee table with added storage, old trunks, crates, tea chests or vintage suitcases are ideal.
You could even cut down a piece of furniture that’s too tall, such as an architect’s plan chest, and create two coffee tables for the price of one!
Add some artistic flair
Give yourself a creative weekend project by repainting an old unit. You’ll be amazed at how an unloved piece of furniture can be transformed into your new favourite.
There are lots of classes around the country on paint techniques, whether you’re a fan of the chalky shabby chic look, fancy colour blocking, or want to learn about traditional methods using milk paint, hemp oil and wax.
Give yourself a creative weekend project by repainting an old unit. You’ll be amazed at how an unloved piece of furniture can be transformed into your new favourite.
There are lots of classes around the country on paint techniques, whether you’re a fan of the chalky shabby chic look, fancy colour blocking, or want to learn about traditional methods using milk paint, hemp oil and wax.
Revive with wallpaper
If you’re not confident of your artistic skills, wallpapering the drawer fronts on a unit and replacing the handles is a quick and easy project. Tie the style of wallpaper to the era of the piece, such as a bold geometric wallpaper for a 1960s sideboard or a pretty floral design for a rustic dresser. Or choose a different paper for each drawer front to create an ombre effect.
See more ideas for wallpaper that don’t involve walls
If you’re not confident of your artistic skills, wallpapering the drawer fronts on a unit and replacing the handles is a quick and easy project. Tie the style of wallpaper to the era of the piece, such as a bold geometric wallpaper for a 1960s sideboard or a pretty floral design for a rustic dresser. Or choose a different paper for each drawer front to create an ombre effect.
See more ideas for wallpaper that don’t involve walls
Create an upcycled feature wall
For the upcycler who just can’t seem to stop buying at flea markets, here’s the ultimate idea to reuse all those wonderful finds! What may appear like a disparate mishmash of furniture, units and shelving will instantly be unified with a palette of two or three complementary colours. It will take a fair amount of measuring and planning on paper first, but the end result will be well worth it.
For the upcycler who just can’t seem to stop buying at flea markets, here’s the ultimate idea to reuse all those wonderful finds! What may appear like a disparate mishmash of furniture, units and shelving will instantly be unified with a palette of two or three complementary colours. It will take a fair amount of measuring and planning on paper first, but the end result will be well worth it.
Make 3D artwork
There are so many possibilities when it comes to displaying junk shop and salvage yard finds. Instead of an oar, what about an old wooden plane propeller or wooden skis? Or why not group together a collection, such as vintage mirrors, pretty crockery or oriental lacquered trays?
There are so many possibilities when it comes to displaying junk shop and salvage yard finds. Instead of an oar, what about an old wooden plane propeller or wooden skis? Or why not group together a collection, such as vintage mirrors, pretty crockery or oriental lacquered trays?
Style a tableau
Sometimes an odd juxtaposition of objects can work a treat. Who’d have thought rusty old metal signs, taxidermy and Barbie dolls could look so good together?
If you want an easy way to display your smaller curios, hang a typesetter’s tray on the wall and fill the little compartments – although you may have to keep buying more as you fill up each tray.
How to style your shelves for maximum effect
TELL US…
Are you a keen upcycler? We’d love to see photos of your creations in the Comments below.
Sometimes an odd juxtaposition of objects can work a treat. Who’d have thought rusty old metal signs, taxidermy and Barbie dolls could look so good together?
If you want an easy way to display your smaller curios, hang a typesetter’s tray on the wall and fill the little compartments – although you may have to keep buying more as you fill up each tray.
How to style your shelves for maximum effect
TELL US…
Are you a keen upcycler? We’d love to see photos of your creations in the Comments below.
Old pallets make great coffee tables. Leave them bare, paint them, add castors or even pop on a glass top to create more useable space.
With a big, chunky, rough-and-ready piece such as this, allow it to be the star of the room by contrasting it with more delicate furniture, like these spindly-legged side tables and elegant lamps.