March 19th, 2012

Upcycling

Or, what can’t paint do?

Making a room that is stylish yet personal often means including things that have sentimental value.  A treasured chest (ha ha) you’ve had since college, a grandmother’s favorite chair, the quirky end table, it’s these things that make your home yours.

Or sometimes it just a cool find. Flea markets, antique (um, junk) stores, yard sales, so these may not be the spots typically associated with high-end interior design, but that doesn’t mean you can’t scout the perfect piece.

Want proof? Remember our Operation: Decoration nursery, the one we dubbed Garden: Lovely + Modern? Look at the sweet pink shelf…

 

 

and how that shelf started:

 

 

That one took some elbow grease. Layers of paint. (Side note: in the right boy’s room, I totally would have kept it like the below. So cool. You literally can’t buy that kind of character.)

 

Besides being very eco-friendly — of course, one less piece of furniture in the landfill means everybody wins — upcycling also allows your design budget to go farther. It’s easier to spring for that drapery fabric you really want when you know you’re saving someplace else in the room.

And I practice what I preach. This chair, and unfortunately the “before” picture was on my old, long-lost phone, is in my living room. It used to be skirted, so not the look I wanted, so I had the legs upholstered. Love how it turned out.

 

 

Take a look around your own home. See anything that needs just a little refreshing to bring back the love?

 

 

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One Response to Upcycling

  1. Pingback: Fandango | Finnian's Moon Blog

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