Recycled Style
Upcycling mastermind Matthew Mead shares some fun ways to reimagine castoffs as delightful additions to your decor.
Newspapers, glass bottles, foam cups. . . garden fencing? More and more, the term “recycling” refers not only to the refuse sorted into bins on garbage day but to pieces of the past that can find new life with just a little imagination. Repurposing guru Matthew Mead, www.holidaywithmatthewmead.com, has made it his life’s mission to show decorating enthusiasts magical ways to reinvent fleamarket bargains, furniture rescued from the dump and even bartered-for treasures. “Recycling speaks to personal style, which means no one else will have exactly what you have,” Matthew says. “And, many of the items are free. It’s a great way to decorate while saving money and being super creative. I believe it truly has its roots in country design.”
Whether you call it upcycling, recycling, repurposing or just making do, the art of finding new life for castoffs small and large lies at the heart of many country homes. The possibilities and variations on themes are endless. “My mind is always working on what I can do with what I find,” Matthew explains. “I love free things on the side of the road, thrift shops, rummage sales and of course flea markets. Almost anything can be reborn and transformed into something better, so I never have a shortage of supplies or ideas.”
On the following pages, Matthew is sharing a handful of the many, many inspired repurposing projects he’s done or discovered over the years. We invite you to look around here—and then scout around your home, garage sales or flea markets for something quite ordinary that you can reshape into something extraordinary.