Upcycling: Breathe new life into old things

Upcycling: Breathe new life into old things

Decorating your own home doesn't have to be expensive. Upcycling makes it happen.

In every house and apartment there are old, maybe superfluous things that we once bought because they appealed to us but are no longer really suitable or useful. We can use these things again with upcycling. Never heard of it? No problem, here we show you what it's all about.

What is upcycling?

Upcycling is about breathing new life into old things that have been standing around gathering dust for a long time. It does not matter if it's clothing, furniture or decorative items. All you need is a little imagination, some time and the desire to do a bit of craftsmanship.

You recycle old objects, so to speak, and reuse them. So before we throw away an old chair or replace the old table, we should always first think about how we could continue to use it or reuse it.

How to start?

Upcycling needs to be learned. So here are some general tips for getting started:

  • It is best to go through the whole house first and collect the things you want to upcycle because you will not use them anymore. If you have all the available equipment together, you have a better picture, which should come out at the end. That reduces stress.
  • Mistakes happen - even with the most experienced Upcycle veterans. This is normal and not a cause for panic. Most mistakes can be reversed.
  • Do you have a great upcycling project for a piece of furniture in your head, but worry about whether the end result is really good (maybe you still use the furniture regularly), then you should get yourself a guinea pig - a similar piece of furniture to try with. This way errors are not an issue.
  • Combine and mix according to your mood. Whether it be fabrics, textures, colours or materials, in the end, you can create something really great by trying it out.
  • If you want to repaint an old piece of furniture, you should always sand it down first. This has a serious impact on the final result and is worth the extra work.
  • Have fun, because that's what upcycling is all about. The project does not look like it was imagined? No reason to get angry. You did it yourself and you can be proud of that. The small mistakes or imperfections make the whole character and make it unique.

Here are some upcycling ideas for the start:

  • Glasses and bottles
    Often we buy fancy looking glasses and bottles because they are eye-catching and look good. Unfortunately, sometimes they are rarely used. These vessels can easily be converted into vases. For a vintage look, you can also wrap it with rustic, thick yarn or string. Done!
  • Beautify shelves
    Shelving is, let's be honest, often boring. We can change that with ribbons and bows (the best are those with printed motifs). These are simply stuck on the clean edges of the shelf and they no longer look boring anymore.
  • Brighten the lamps
    An old lamp can be given new life by covering the lampshade with fabric. Not any fabric - but the fabric of a characteristic garment. If you leave a few buttons, rivets or the like on it, the lamp gets a unique character and becomes a real eye-catcher.