eUpcycle
OH HELLOIt’s Nice To Meet You
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ARE YOU READY TO JUMPSTART YOUR HOME’S CLEVER NOD TO THE PAST, GET CREATIVE , AND SAVE WAY MORE MONEY THAN YOU THOUGHT?
Let’s Get Started!
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HOW TO bE REUSEfUL 3 J EN & NATE’S UPCYCLED M IX 8
A GORGEOUS bEfORE & AfTER 1 2 D IY DAbbLE 1 4
CREATIVE I NSPIRATION 1 6 RESOURCES 1 7
How to be Reuseful
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It seems like as soon as the temperature starts to rise and
the flowers begin to blossom my need to redecorate and
rearrange my house shifts into high gear. I feel the need to
move the chairs closer to the windows. I want everything
to look lighter and brighter. I find myself pouring over
decorating magazines and websites, drooling over new
prints and patterns. Does this happen to you too? Don’t
rush out and buy a new piece of furniture just yet! You can
reuse, refinish and repurpose furniture you already have
to give your rooms a new Spring look for almost noth-
ing. Keep in mind, some of these photos are of my real
house…the one I live in with my three messy boys, a dog
and a cat. And a husband who doesn’t do windows. So,
dismiss the dirty floors and dusty windowsills.
I DEAS ON HOW TO RE - IMAG INE THE fURN ITURE YOU ALREADY OWN .
R E f I N I SH ITRefinishing is much easier than you would ever think. Quality
wood furniture is expensive, so if you have a good, solid piece
of furniture it will save you money in the long run if you can find a
way to make your piece work in a new way. The side table above
was natural maple color and it would not have worked in the
bedroom next to our mahogany bed. A fresh coat of white paint
and it looks perfect in this space.
PAI NT ITAlmost everything looks better with a coat of white paint. If you
have mismatched pieces that don’t share the same finish or
wood color, consider painting them all the same color for a more
unified look. I know all of the decorating magazines tell you to
change out the hardware and knobs, but this really works. If the
hardware on your kitchen cabinets or dresser drawers are mak-
ing it feel a bit frumpy, change them out! You will be glad you did.
ADD A LIT TLE AGEIf you love the look of Pottery Barn furniture, but not the prices,
you can give your current furniture the same treatment for little
to nothing. I love furniture with a rustic feel. “Rustic” means that
my 5 year old can run his hot wheels into the leg of our kitchen
table to his heart’s content giving his mother a hear attack. This
is a great link on how to repaint furniture black with an aged look.
(I’m sure it would work with white paint too). Or this one explains
the techniques for using wax to get a worn look.
STR I P ITI hate stripping furniture. I’ve only done it once. But it was worth
it. If you have mostly painted pieces, one natural wood table or
buffet can keep your room from having that “matchy-matchy”
look. And stripping furniture is a great alternative if you have
a quality wood piece of furniture that you want to return to its
original state.
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REUSE ITIf it is the clutter that is getting to you, try adding
doors or shutters to your bookcases. Or use
a tension rod and curtains to cover the mess.
You’ll love the instant change. Covering a sofa
with a slipcover might be the easiest way to
update your couch. Dining room chairs are
easily recovered with fabric and a staple gun
or small nails. Cut the legs off a taller table to
make it a shorter coffee table or a play table for
a playroom. Add castors to a trunk or suitcase
to make a rolling coffee table. Or add castors to
a bedside table to make a small kitchen island.
Take drawers out of a chest and use them as
shelves. Then, add a tension rod and curtains
to the dresser for a different look. Add fabric or
wallpaper to the backs of bookshelves, or as
curtains if cabinet doors are missing.
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“It’s a miracle what
a coat of paint can
do to an old, tired,
yet beautiful piece.”
Jen & Nate’s Upcycled Mix
LOCATION: TORONTO, CANADASIzE: 2 bEDROOMS, 800 SQfTYEARS LIVED I N: 2.5 YEARSA self-professed cheapskate, Jen doesn’t aspire to
own designer pieces or follow the latest trends; she
does, however, insist on sheltering only those items
that speak to her or Nate personally. Jen finds charm
and style in items that others see only as cast-aways,
relying on an arsenal of creative interventions to help
return them to their former luster. Jen shares her
methods, current decor, and style crushes on her blog.
She has also recently opened an online boutique, Will
& Bequeath, for those of you looking to score similarly
eclectic and enchanting second-hand treasures.
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OUR STYLE: ECLECTIC CHEAPSkATEINSPIRATION I’m most inspired by failures — art attempts gone
wrong, horrible old furniture put out on the curb, anything hand-
made that’s just a little bit wonky. Failed attempts have so much
heart. They inspire me to try new things. After all, what’s the
worst that could happen?
fAVOR ITE E LEMENT I tend to be in love with whatever I finished
most recently. Right now, I’m pretty into the salon wall in our hall
way, and the very dark blue walls of our bedroom. In a week, I
may love something else more. I’m lucky. I used to tell people that
I wanted my future home to be filled only with things I loved, and
I’m doing pretty well on that front. (Do I love my vacuum cleaner?
Not particularly — the suction leaves something to be desired —
but in terms of the home’s decorative elements, I’m all set.).
b IGGEST CHALLENGE Turning the place from a dark, dingy,
mouse-infested cave, which it was when Nathan lived here with
roommates — sorry, Nate — into what it is now: a cozy home.
Just making the space livable (at least, by my standards) was a
big job and on many occasions along the way, I wished we’d just
found a move-in-ready (read: clean) apartment instead, but in the
end, it was worth it.
“Throughout the couple’s home, family heirlooms and
art pieces can be found alongside salvaged furniture
and thrift store finds.”
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b IGGEST I NDULGENCE Oddly,
it’s the little stuff — decorative
pieces, housewares, knick-
knacks, bad art — that add
up. I buy it all second-hand,
mostly from places like Good-
will, so no single item is a
splurge, but I’m addicted, so
over time, I know I’ve spent
more than I should have on
stuff we don’t need.
bEST ADVICE Relax. Your
home will never be perfect,
and even it could be, perfec-
tion is overrated. It makes
people uncomfortable. (And
for goodness sake, wash your
shower curtain once in while.
Or at least replace the liner.)
DREAM SOURCES This is going
to make me sound like an
insufferable goody goody, but
even if money was no object,
I’d keep shopping the way I
do — at Goodwill, on Craig-
slist, etc.
“Throughout the couple’s home, family heirlooms and
art pieces can be found alongside salvaged furniture
and thrift store finds.”
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SOME ROOM MAkEOVERS JUST MAkE YOU SAY, “WOW.” TH IS IS ONE Of THEM . The room started with dingy avocado green
walls, an outdated chandelier and curtains,
and a floor in need of some serious love.
You’ll be shocked at what they were able to
do in only 3 weeks! Abbey from Aesthetic
Outburst and her husband are the masters
behind this spectacular renovation. They’re
both artists, and you can definitely see it
in their well-curated collection of largely
reclaimed and vintage decor. One of the unex-
pected things that Abbey really likes about
this house is that curtains aren’t needed; it’s
tucked back off the road and very private. A
French mattress for the window seat is in the
works. It’s the perfect reading spot.
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1 A pho to wa l l can eas i l y be c rea ted to make a b o ld s ta tement 2 Ti red o f y ou r o ld s ide b oa rd? Add a sp lash o f co l ou r. 3 Reupho ls te r ing a sea t cove r i s p robab ly the eas ies t way to f reshen up a worn cha i r. 4 Th i s l ove l y d in ing ro om combines s imp le e legence w i th a re t ro v ibe 5 bored o f b land g rey and taupe so fas? Tr y a un ique hue , l i ke p ink !
Neils Crains
DESIGNER SHOWCASE
WHAT: UPCYCLING DESIGNERLOCATION: AMSTERDAM , NLMOTO: “ENJOY TWICE”Niels Craens is a graphic designer that has completed extensive
research into the advantages and disadvantages of cardboard drinking
packages. In response to his findings, he created the ingenious lamp
“Enjoy Twice”.
For Niels Craens, this is an interesting problem as a designer to take a
swing at. The words “Enjoy Twice” shine through the packages that lack
aluminium. This makes the text only legible when the lamp is switched
on. With this design, he gives an environmental negative a positive twist.
This approach can be applied on many other aspects as well. Why go to
Ikea when you can personalize your own furniture? Not only does it save
money, it saves the environment as well
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Resources To Rely On
By Design Modern bydesignmodern.comFullhouse Consigment fullhouseconsign.comThe Fabulous Fine thefabulousfind.caMid Century Modern Home midcenturymodern.ca
G.U.F.F. guffonline.comMorba Designs morbadesigns.caSilver Falls Vintage silverfallsvintage.com/Thrift Town thrifttown.ca
Junktiques Ltd. junktiques.comPretty Little Things prettylittlethings.caMid Century Dweller midcenturydweller.comConsignment Gallery consigmentgaller.ca
Cité Déco citedecomeubles.caMontéal Moderne montrealmoderne.comAntiqués Curiosités antiquescuriosites.ca Jack’s jacks70.com
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