MY TOP FIVE UPCYCLING TIPS

MICHELLE SIMPSON is the business manager for

Remade in Britain (www. remadeinbritian.com), which is the UK’s largest upcycling marketplace with over 400 retailers and over 2,500 products. Here she lists her five top upcycling tips and shows us some examples of how to use them…

1 Don’t throw away old phones just because they look old-hat – they can be updated with découpage! All you need is découpage paper, Mod Podge, a paint brush and creativity! (Restored Vintage Phone, right, by Love Kitty, £190, available from Remade in Britain)

2 Reuse spare pallets to make household accessories like a wine rack. Start by removing nails and sanding before sawing and nailing your item into a box shape.

3 For that perfect demijohn-like lamp why not convert an old glass bottle or vase? Start by drilling a hole near the bottom (using a drill bit for glass), then simply thread through a lamp fitting and add a shade of your choice. (Brightlanterns Demijojn Lamp, left, £160, available from Remade in Britain)

4 Reclaimed photo wood blocks are a stylish and thrifty alternative to traditional photo frames. Take an unused pallet, scaffold board, shelf or any fairly thick piece of wood, plus some quality PVA glue and a photo printed on thick paper. Apply a thin layer of glue to the back of the photo and press it against the wood, then trim any edges.

5 Turn unused tea towels into cushion covers! Pin together two tea towels (picture sides together) and sew three edges fully. For the fourth, sew a third of the way from corner to middle. Turn the cover right-side out and attach a fastening. Pop in a cushion pad and you’re all set! (Apollo Moon Landing cushion, right, by Hunted and Stuffed £85, available from Remade in Britain)