UPCYCLING TECHNIQUES
■ Preparation Ensure you have the tools and equipment needed to do the job. Give all furniture a wipe down before you start – any dust or cobwebs could affect the finish of the paint. Factor in extra time to make corrections to any imperfections.
■ Varnishing Protect all your hard work with wax or varnish, depending on the surface material. This will help the durability and keep it looking good for longer.
■ Adding detail If you want to create a distressed, shabby chic look on wood, you’ll need sandpaper. Choose areas where you think it would naturally wear – such as the edges – and gently sand them. You could also try adding embellishments, such as stencilled designs or découpage. Craft shops sell patterned paper and gold-leaf sheeting to achieve this look, but try old newspapers or book pages too.
■ Chop it If you’ve got a chair that’s too narrow to sit in, removing the arms can help. It might be as easy as unscrewing the arms using a screwdriver, but with some you might need to saw them off. Enlisting a friend to help with this is a good idea! Once removed, sand down the area and repaint it. ■ Re-upholstering Do you have a footstool, ottoman or dining chair that needs an update? It’s possible to reupholster any seating with a hard frame and seat pad to make it look completely new. You’ll need tools such as foam padding, fabric and a staple gun, so it will cost a little bit of money if you don’t already have them to hand. But this method will always be far cheaper than buying a new piece of furniture and you can use them on another project!