From drab to fab

By McPherson Media Group

Sep 15, 2023

This console table wasn’t in bad shape, but it was in need of a spruce up tomake it feel brand new again.

After the drawers and hardware had been carefully pulled apart, the sanding backprocess revealed a beautiful timber top and the remainder of the console table was treated with two coats of paint primer.

After some back and fourth, I decided to retain the original drawer hardware.

I decided to stick with the authentic timber top and coat it with a natural finish lacquer for protection. A coat of fresh white paint on the drawers and legs gave this console table a timeless and contemporary feel. Topped off with some décor pieces I already had — which are all local second-hand store finds, along with a cutting from my lovely neighbours indoor plant — she was ready for display in our front entry.

Have you ever wanted to give upcycling furniture a go, but just didn’t know where to start? Well, in the current society where sustainability awareness and budget-consciousness are on the rise, now is the time to get creative with a DIY project.

Let’s give that piece of furniture that’s been collecting dust in your shed, a second lease on life.

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If you have the vision already, great, you’re halfway there. If you need some inspiration on what piece of furniture to transform, there are plenty of online resources, books, and magazines, even pay attention to the furniture in stores and cafes.

Once you have the vision, you can choose a piece of furniture to transform. You can utilise an item you already have or get resourceful and hunt down a pre-loved piece of furniture at a second-hand store, online marketplace, garage sale, clearing sale and auctions or even rescue a piece of your neighbour’s unwanted furniture from going into landfill.

Upcycling is the art of turning those forgotten furniture items — a worn-out wooden chair, a weary entryway table, a beaten-up bookshelf, or a dated dining table — into one-of-a-kind statement piece that you can proudly display in your home.

Before you get stuck into your upcycling adventure, ensure to gather these essentials — sandpaper, paintbrushes, paint and primer, along with some protective gear, and you’ll be ready to get your hands dirty and start your upcycling journey.

If it’s the first time trying your hand at upcycling — don’t be scared. You don’t have to be a DIY pro to give upcycling furniture a shot.

This is a great opportunity to tap into your creative side and experiment with different paint colours, patterns and stencils, distressing techniques and more.

With your imagination, a touch of paint and some shiny new hardware — you’ve got yourself a masterpiece.

There are lots of benefits to upcycling a piece of furniture. In today’s world of economic increase, and environmental worries, I think a lot of us will be reaching for the paint brush rather than splurging on an expensive piece of furniture (that you will probably get sick of in a year’s time).

Giving a new life to old furniture is a great way to be eco-friendly. You’ll be actively reducing waste and be doing your part in minimising your carbon footprint, all without sacrificing style or breaking the bank. Just because you are upcycling — doesn’t mean it can’t be chic.

My advice would be to embrace your creativity and let your instinct guide you. It doesn’t matter if you have missteps along the way — enjoy the creative process and the rewarding result of having a stunning piece of furniture which resonates with your personal style, ensuring you won’t tire of it any time soon.

Melissa Gee

The Rural Design Co.

By McPherson Media Group