The increase in upscaling furniture has become popular not only because consumers are feeling the pinch of the economic crisis, but also because they understand the need to help the environment.
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The practice reduces the amount of mass-produced fast furniture entering the world, which saves the planet’s resources and also prevents old items from being sent to landfill.
How many people upcycle furniture?
Almost 25% of UK householders have upcycled furniture in the past year, according to a poll of more than 2,000 people carried out by Missoma.
While the most recycled items remain paper, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, old furniture recycling is rapidly growing in popularity.
Google searches for “furniture upcycling near me” in the UK increased by a staggering 277% in just six months.
The hashtag #upcycling has received an incredible 8.6 billion searches on TikTok this year, with 40% of UK residents saying they are now looking at “furniture flipping” as part of their personal effort to reduce waste and protect the earth’s resources.
Analysts say the trend has followed on naturally from the spike in home improvement projects during the Covid pandemic, when people in lockdown took up DIY as something to pass the time.
Now, we are continuing to recycle our old furniture for many reasons, not least because older items were built to last, unlike some modern flatpack items that don’t wear as well.
Save furniture from landfill
For every 26 million tonnes of waste produced in Britain, only 12 million tonnes are recycled. The rest ends up at landfill sites.
People who learn how to upcycle furniture are helping to reduce waste, which protects the planet in terms of combating air, water and soil pollution.
Save money
Save a fortune on buying new furniture by upcycling old items. With high inflation prevailing in the UK for more than a year, the cost of new furniture has increased by 17% - so, upcycling is a great idea!
Not only will you be cutting costs, but you can also feel proud that you have created something that’s totally unique.
Conserve our planet’s resources
Climate change is threatening our planet and all the species that live on it. Global ecosystems are being impacted in every part of the world, as the need to change our lifestyle becomes more urgent.
Scientists predict the demand for water and food is set to double over the next 30 years. Considering it takes 2,700 litres of water to produce one t-shirt, imagine how much it needs to make covers for that new three-seater settee and two matching armchairs!
Own one-of-a-kind furniture
Make something totally original, with your own personal style stamped on it, by upcycling around your home.
There are endless possibilities and the only thing holding you back is your own imagination, so employ some creative thinking to transform your surroundings.
Improve your skills
When you start upcycling, you’re also enhancing your own skills in DIY and home improvement.
Watching tutorials online, or taking an upcycling course at night classes, has the added benefit of honing your skills to make some incredible items. Cleaning, sewing and restoring materials, nailing or sewing on accessories and painting surfaces are just a few of the skills you can improve.
We’ve compiled some upcycling furniture ideas to help you get started.
Updating colours
A simple and cheap way to enhance old furniture is by giving it a fresh coat of paint. If you have a dining chair, bookshelf, cupboard or chest of drawers that are looking tired, give them a new lease of life by painting them.
Prepare the surfaces properly to ensure a smooth finish, especially if the items already have old paint or varnish on them. You may need to sand them down and start afresh.
There are plenty of tutorials online to help you get started. Experiment with different colours and transform your whole room.
Using stencils
Add unusual designs to your furniture by stencilling or free-hand drawing motifs to give it some personality.
A floral pattern is always a popular choice, while a geometric design can produce an eye-catching finish. The secret to freehand is using a fine brush and not overloading it with paint.
New handles
Upcycling a wardrobe, chest of drawers or cabinet when you’re on a tight budget can be as simple as changing the handles.
Check out your local hardware store or look online for some low-priced options. Even making a relatively small change such as this can create the illusion you have a new item of furniture.
Chair reupholstering
If you’re already a DIY enthusiast, or you’re looking to learn new skills, reupholstering a chair can totally transform its appearance.
While it’s more complex than a simple lick of paint, practice makes perfect. It’s well worth the effort to create either an ultra-modern or a vintage look for your tatty old chair!
You will need pliers and a flat-head screwdriver to remove the old fabric, some new or recycled fabric, scissors, a staple gun and a sewing machine to achieve the transformation.
Repurpose old furniture
If you have an eye for interior design, you will see the new potential in even the most mundane items. You can always do something new with any old household piece.
Turn a ladder into a modern clothing rack or transform that old picture frame into somewhere to store your jewellery by screwing in hooks.
An upscaled furniture item has history and memories, which you’re enhancing by giving it a new lease of life.
Data reveals there are currently 110,000 tonnes of furniture at household waste and recycling centres across the UK that is reusable in its current condition. Many of these centres have an onsite shop where you can purchase an old piece of furniture at a bargain price to save it from landfill and give it new purpose.
Upscaling furniture is just one part of saving the environment.
Having recycling bins at your home or workplace is a simple way of reducing waste – surely we can all do that, can’t we?