{"id":22947,"date":"2022-03-25T15:32:08","date_gmt":"2022-03-25T19:32:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cubesmart.com\/blog\/?p=18994"},"modified":"2024-07-01T10:47:17","modified_gmt":"2024-07-01T14:47:17","slug":"tips-to-upcycle-furniture-for-a-brand-new-look","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.cubesmart.dev\/blog\/your-home\/tips-to-upcycle-furniture-for-a-brand-new-look\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips to Upcycle Furniture for a Brand-New Look"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Make old things look new with upcycling hacks.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

An Introduction to Upcycling<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One person\u2019s junk is another person\u2019s\ntreasure. Never has that statement been truer than when applied to upcycling. From farmhouse\nd\u00e9cor to boho stylings to contemporary chic, upcycling is not only a decorating trend, it\u2019s a\nwhole new way to look at and think about \u201cold\u201d and \u201cnew.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is\nupcycling? Good question. Not to be confused with\nrecycling, upcycling\nis finding creative uses and alternative purposes for old or used items or\ngiving an old piece of furniture new life. It\u2019s turning an old, beat up credenza\nfrom a mechanic\u2019s office into a classy looking coffee bar in a women\u2019s\ncoworking space. (True story.) There are many ways to upcycle and a whole community of people who\nwill blow your minds with their repurposing ideas. Seriously, check it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you are a seasoned upcycler or a newbie, peruse the info below to learn more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Upcycling?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Upcycling is not only a fun creative outlet, it\u2019s good for you and the planet\nby keeping items like furniture from local dumps and landfills. Beyond\nfurniture, upcycling extends to a range of\ngoods and materials<\/a>, such as empty plastic and glass bottles,\ncardboard boxes and egg cartons. Finding creative uses for these things reduces\nboth the waste caused by simply throwing them away and the energy input\nrequired to fashion new goods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond doing some good for the planet and your\npocketbook, upcycling\nis a great mental project. Upcycling\nrequires you to think differently: to see beyond what a thing is and imagine\nwhat it could be. When you start upcycling, you adopt a new way to look at household items and\npieces of furniture you may take for granted. You start to see potential and\nfresh ideas in all things. It\u2019s a pretty cool way not only to decorate your\nhome or spend a weekend, but to look at the world.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this sounds appealing, you\u2019re probably\nready to take on a new \u2013 or maybe your first \u2013 furniture upcycling \/ creative reuse project.\nRead on for ideas, resources, and to learn more about the different phases of upcycling furniture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You can repurpose almost anything and make it cool and functional.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Upcycling Phase 1: Find your Inspo<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sadly, most projects do not spring from our\nbrains like Athena from Zeus\u2019 forehead. Most of us need some inspiration to\nhelp get the creative juices flowing and give us some ideas of what is\npossible. So if you are not a Greek god but a mere mortal, check out some of\nthese sources for creative ideas to get your upcycle on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social\nmedia<\/strong>. Ok, yes, Pinterest, but these days you can\nfind so much on other social media platforms, often with mini-tutorials or a\nstep-by-step video. Check out and follow Instagram accounts like <\/a>the.painted.unicorn<\/a> and <\/a>percy_and_albert<\/a> for a\nrange of ideas. There are also Facebook groups dedicated to upcycling; a search for upcycle will yield a few\nand these are great places not only to find inspiration, but to ask questions\nand learn a few new tricks. Subscribe to YouTube channels like \u201cThat Upcycled Life<\/a>\u201d and\n\u201cI Restore\nStuff<\/a>.\u201d It\u2019s like watching makeover montages but\nfor furniture!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Websites.<\/strong> Endless online browsing has its uses, and thanks to many a late night waiting for my kids to fall asleep, I\u2019ve tracked down a few key sites for upcycling ideas and inspo. One of my favorites is Upcycle That<\/em><\/a>. You can search by material \u2013 think bottle caps, wood, or wax \u2013 or by project type, like furniture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Television shows<\/strong>. You know<\/em> HGTV is all over this upcycling thing. Shows like Flea Market Flip<\/em><\/a> and West End Salvag<\/em>e<\/a> are fun to watch and provide plenty of upcycling ideas. You may not be at the level of turning an upright piano into a bar cart, or a bar cart into a portable music station complete with a record player and speakers, but you can often incorporate something new you’ve learned into your own projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Inspiration is everywhere. Think creatively when picking pieces to upcycle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Upcycling Phase 2: Know Where to Look<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Where do you find your \u201csomething old\u201d for your creative reuse project? Really, the world\u2019s your oyster when it comes to this phase of upcycling. Garage sales, thrift stores, estate sales, and flea markets are all great places to look. Search online for flea markets near you. I guarantee you\u2019ll discover some you probably didn\u2019t know about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep your eyes open. There are taken-for-granted pieces of furniture everywhere. You\u2019ll be surprised by what you find and where you find it. Many times people are happy to hand over things they don\u2019t view as special and are often pleased and intrigued by your interest in and ideas for an old piece. Just be sure to send a photo and a thank you note upon project completion!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cherry picking free pieces no one wants anymore is a common way to upcycle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Upcycling Phase 3: Assessing a Piece<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Take a moment to critically assess a piece before you buy it or haul it away. Doing so can save you a lot of time and effort. Scroll down for a few questions to mull over as you consider any potential piece for creative reuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can I\ntransport it?<\/strong> Sure, you might be excited about that\nenormous Davenport, but if it will require a U-Haul and a team of muscled\nindividuals to move it, maybe it\u2019s more trouble than it\u2019s worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do I\nhave room for it?<\/strong> Ok, you got it home but now that you look\naround your living space, you realize there is simply no room for this new\npiece of furniture. Making space may require getting rid of an existing item in\nyour home, or putting something in storage<\/a>. You also need to think about the space required to do the upcycling project you had\nin mind for this hulking item. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are my skills\u2014and tools\u2014a match for this project? <\/strong>Go for stretch goals and challenging projects to learn new things. But also understand your limitations. What’s yours? Power tools, carpentry, etc? Think about what you find enjoyable and what may start to feel like a chore. Take all of it into consideration as you assess what a particular piece may need to fulfill your vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does\nit tell or story or mean something to me?<\/strong> A yes\nto this question can easily trump your answers to the previous questions and\nhas done so for me many times. If a piece means something to you or you can\u2019t\nresist its unique story, it is worth the investment.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Unique pieces may just need a little love and restoration to make them shine.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Upcycling Phase 4: Repair<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You took the plunge and you are now the proud\nowner of a piece of furniture about to be upcycled. Chances are, the piece you are dealing\nwith needs a bit of repair. Or at least some TLC. Sandpaper, wood glue,\ncaulking putty for filling in holes, and finishing nails are your new best\nfriends in this upcycle\nphase. Carefully inspect the piece of furniture and see what ails it. Before\nyou worry about making a piece pretty, take this time to make sure you have\naddressed any structural issues like uneven legs, wobbly shelves or broken\nhinges. It may take a few trips to the hardware store but this phase is a good\ninvestment. If you need to make significant changes to the piece to accommodate\nits new use, this is the time for that, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upcycling Phase 5: Flair<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now the fun part. You\u2019ve repaired any damage\nand are ready to give your piece some character. Here are a few ideas for\nadding some flair to your upcycled\npiece:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chalk\npaint.<\/strong> It\u2019s another primary tool in the upcycler\u2019s\ntoolbox. Chalk paint comes in a wide variety of colors and is easy to use. It\u2019s\nalso easy to find tutorials on YouTube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hardware.<\/strong> From door knobs to drawer pulls, there are so many unique and\ninteresting hardware pieces available these days. This is one area I think is\nsplurge-worthy and those little details can really bring a piece to light. Big\nchains like Home Depot carry a range of hardware options. Check out <\/a>Etsy<\/a> and <\/a>Anthropologie<\/a>, too.\nYou\u2019ll be surprised and delighted by what you find.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stencils.<\/strong> This upcycling\ntrend is really big right now and it\u2019s easy to see why. Use stencils to give a\npiece of furniture a whole new look. For this approach, blue painter\u2019s tape is\na must have, so be sure to pick some up for this or any furniture painting\nproject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter your approach, you are guaranteed to find fun, and a challenge, with upcycling furniture. Everything old is new again! A fun and often rewarding perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An Introduction to Upcycling One person\u2019s junk is another person\u2019s treasure. Never has that statement been truer than when applied to upcycling. From farmhouse d\u00e9cor to boho stylings to contemporary chic, upcycling is not only a decorating trend, it\u2019s a whole new way to look at and think about \u201cold\u201d and \u201cnew.\u201d What is upcycling? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":18998,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39,640],"tags":[75,1585,1586],"class_list":["post-22947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diy-projects","category-your-home","tag-upcycle","tag-upcycle-furniture","tag-upcycle-project"],"yoast_head":"\r\nTips to Upcycle Furniture for a Brand-New Look | The Storage Space<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Want to refresh your furniture? 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