insideKENT Magazine Issue 97 - April 2020 | Page 114

HOME+GARDEN
Bring sustainability back to your home; it’s time once again to recycle, reuse
and repurpose, and upcycle your way to a new home look
STYLE WITH CONSCIOUS
Upcycling
Upcycling – taking something old and
no longer useful, often furniture
although it could be material,
crockery, toys, or pretty much
anything else, and making it beautiful
and useful once more, usually by
making it into something entirely
different (although not always) –
was something we, as a nation, used
to be great at.
During World War II, the idea of
‘make do and mend’ was something
that everyone was on board with; they
had to be, since it was hard to get hold
of new things, there was little money,
and the war effort took its toll on
finances and household objects
equally. Fixing things up so they could
be used for many years or even
generations to come, was a normal
part of everyday life.
Then things changed and the country
grew richer. It was easier to buy
new and throw away the old and we
did so, wanting to show affluent
lifestyles and not caring that the
landfills were growing.
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But now, with everyone so conscious
of the environment and waste and
with austerity still nipping at our heels,
we seem to have come almost full
circle. Now, however, upcycling
happens not just out of necessity, but
out of a desire to create. It’s the perfect
combination of the make do and mend
mentality and the creative spirit that
is so good for our souls. It gives us a
real chance to be mindful and slow
down, and with an end result that you
can keep and use forever.
If you’re thinking of starting to upcycle
some of your old possessions here are
some useful hints and tips about what
you can do to make the process fun
and the outcome just what you want.
Remember, you don’t have to be
‘artistic’ to be an upcycler – you just
have to enjoy yourself and remember
a few basic rules.
Choose The Right Project
Although you can go out to the charity
shops and the car boot sales to look
for items to upcycle, you don’t have
to. When you’re first starting out it’s
easier and cheaper to look around
your own home. There are sure to be
old chairs, tables, lamps, glasses, and
much more that, if you were honest,
you would throw out. Don’t throw
them out. Upcycle them instead.
Pick something that you have the
tools and the ideas for. Start small and
work your way up to large pieces of
furniture when you have more practice
and confidence.
Keep It Simple
Unless you are already experienced
in using tools and planning DIY
projects, it’s really best to start simple.
Some of the easiest ways to get started
are to learn how to:
• Decoupage
• Re-paint
• Stain/varnish
• Polish
• Re-cover
Any of these skills will help you to
upcycle all kinds of different pieces
and mak e them look absolutely
stunning when they’re done.
One Person’s Trash…
…is definitely another person’s
treasure. Websites such as Etsy offer
the home crafter the perfect platform
to sell their upcycled goods, and plenty
of those who started this wonderful
hobby have gone on to make it their
business. Why not you?
Claire from Canterbury based
upcycling company Funkage
(www.funkage.co.uk) agrees. She says,
“I love anything old, vintage, once
loved but now not, and being able to
turn it into something lovely again. It
is my belief, as my nan used to drum
into me, often when you think you're
at the end of something, you're at the
beginning of something new, and that's
how I think of furniture, there can
and always will be life in the old dog!
“I love making unwanted things be
loved again, so I up-cycle, re-use and
re-love… make do and mend!
Upcycling can save you money, can
be unique and most importantly is
good for the environment… never
throw anything away!”