Reimagine your home with these upcycling ideas

Through upcycling, we are given the option to curate our own blend of character by using existing items in the household and giving them our own personal twist.

The word ‘upcycling’ has been coined by the décor industry to promote the revival of older or unwanted furniture pieces and giving them a contemporary facelift.

This gives decorators looking to re-style a modern piece of mass-market furniture a unique and personable touch. 

No matter what your style is, a little inspiration can help you look at your home completely differently, allowing you to transform even the most mundane spaces into something amazing.

With so many characterless items available on the market, it’s becoming important to personalise one’s surroundings to reflect their creators.

Upcycling is just another version of DIY. This means anyone can do it. Take a look around your house and browse through items that have been sitting in storage, collecting dust or are almost on their way out. The major point of upcycling is thinking out of the box. To get your creative juices flowing, look at items you think could work with a different function.

Picture frames have an array of uses; they can be transformed into jewellery holders, key holders, firm structures for outdoor planters and beautifully bordered mirrors. Often it’s as simple as sandpapering the surface of the frames, adding a coat of paint or using decoupage techniques to add personality.

Books are a great source of inspiration, especially if they are falling apart or haven’t been read in decades, and are just taking up space on the bookshelf. Firstly, they act as great wallpaper and can be used in drawers, cupboards and shelving.

They also give bins, chairs and oddments great detail in character. What’s really great for old cookbooks is when you hollow out the book from the top and glue the covers shut; turning it into a storage box for your kitchen utensils. If you're really into getting involved in your project, you can create a single leg table made from a variety of colourful books, giving you a unique aesthetic to your furniture.

So no longer do we have to be concerned with keeping up with the trends, but rather we can be part of creating them. Our concept of trash has changed too.

What was once thrown out because it didn’t serve a purpose any longer can now be used to create decor fittings that are crafted and reimagined to fit into the atmosphere of your home, showing off your personality and creativity in the process.

Upcycling is all about looking at things with a new set of eyes, so go and have a look around the house, garage or shed, and see what materials you can use to create a new spin on the design of your home.