With a splash of creativity and a touch of TLC, you’d be surprised how easy it is to transform your tired and tattered old furniture into revitalised and refreshing statement pieces which are budget-friendly, environmentally-conscious and look great in your home.
We spoke to Rachel from Zebra Homeware and Amy from Dolly Did It to hear all about why they first embarked upon their upcycling journeys, where they find inspiration and their top tips for starting your own upcycling projects.
Credits: @dollydiditlnd, @zebrahomeware
How do you source pieces of furniture to upcycle?
Rachel: We source pre-loved furniture and homeware from a variety of different places including flea markets, auctions and second hand stores. We also love browsing through online marketplaces such as Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace and Freecycle to see what’s available in our local area.
Amy: Most of our pieces are found in charity shops! We all enjoy, as a family, having a good hunt round them and love the fact that we are giving money to help good causes.
Where do you find inspiration from?
Rachel: We find inspiration from a whole range of places. Pinterest is great for generating ideas and creating mood boards for specific pieces. We also love flicking through magazines such as Reclaim and Homes and Antiques to get an idea of the latest vintage and retro trends
Amy: EVERYWHERE and most of the time you don’t realise it either! I saw a great post the other day that said “We need others to inspire us to prove that it can be done.” Social media is great to see what other talented upcyclers are up too but we try not to let it influence us too much as we like to do our own thing. We like to try and guess what the new trends are going to be too before they happen, so we are always trying to be one step ahead!
“Our love for upcycling is actually what inspired us to set up Zebra.”
- Rachel
How did you begin upcycling and what is your advice for starting out?
Rachel: When we moved into our first rented home in 2019 we were looking for affordable and sustainable ways to furnish our home and spent our weekends rummaging through bootfairs and flea markets. One particular weekend, we came across a beautiful mid-century armchair that looked like it had seen better days. Although we didn’t have the space for it in our house we were excited by the possibility of giving it a new lease of life, so we handed over the money and took it home with us to upcycle. Once restored, the armchair marked the opening of our Etsy store and proudly became our first ever Zebra product.
Rachel’s top tips for starting out:
Do your research - make sure you have all the tools needed to complete your project
Fully prepare your item before you begin - this is so important for getting a good finish
Have fun - upcycling is a creative process so experiment with colours and patterns, and most importantly enjoy it!
Credits: @zebrahomeware
Amy: For 6th form I went to The BRIT School where I studied Technical Theatre. I really enjoyed making props and because budgets were tight, it was all about reusing and upcycling pieces into the props we needed. Whilst I was there my mum, Annette, started upcycling pieces and when I was coming round to finishing we decided to start doing small pieces of furniture together as we both really enjoyed it. We got our first stall back in July 2014 at a local market which we still trade at now!
“Our top tips would be to start with small pieces and build your confidence and techniques. Also try out different furniture paints and see which works best for you and your style.”
- Amy
What is the first thing you do to an object to prep it?
Remove any hardware - handles, hinges or locks
Give the item a good clean - vintage furniture tends to be dusty!
Rachel: If working with a wooden piece of furniture we then prepare the surface for painting or staining by sanding. This is often the most time consuming part of the project but is crucial in ensuring that you get the best finish. Medium and fine grades of sandpaper are generally recommended for upcycling furniture, and remember to always go in the direction of the grain to avoid scratches.
What is your favourite material or paint to use when upcycling?
Rachel: We really love using Farrow and Ball paint for upcycling. Their modern eggshell paints are perfect for painting wood and they have the most beautiful range of colours. We also love that all their paints are eco-friendly.
Amy: Ooh I think it would have to be colourful wallpapers, we’re always on the look out for bold & unique designs!
Credits: @dollydiditlnd
What is your one top tip for upcycling?
Rachel: “identify what material you are working with to prevent causing permanent damage, especially when you’re working with wood.”
Furniture with a veneer finish usually needs to be handled with a little more care, often not to expose the chipboard or plywood underneath - we’ve learnt this the hard way when recently restoring a mid-century sideboard. If your furniture has a veneer finish, avoid using an electrical sander if you can, especially in the corners and opt for a fine grit sandpaper.
Amy: “Use a good quality paint and just enjoy it, get creative!”
Credits: @dollydiditlnd, @zebrahomeware
For more upcycling inspiration and beautiful homeware feeds, follow @zebrahomeware and @dollydiditldn on Instagram and check out their latest projects!
Browse all of Zebra’s creative upcycled pieces and beautiful bespoke vintage furniture and homeware accessories on their website & check out Dolly Did It's unique pieces here.
You can also follow Hutch's upcycling board on Pinterest for even more ideas!