Upcycle to affordable style

Taking an old piece of furniture or household item and giving it new life is now known as upcycling.

It is something every DIYer eventually learns to do and is a wonderful way to express one’s creativity. Even the most damaged furnishings can be turned into something amazing looking with the right tools and a little creativity.

Some items, like old dressers, TV cabinets and china cabinets lend themselves to upcycling a little more easily than others.

Second Chance’s Cindy Snodey said a lot of customers buy old tables and chairs, cabinets and dressers to give a new shabby-chic life with a coat of paint or fancy doorknobs or turn them into something useful with a few clever DIY tricks.

Anything with drawers works well because you get several elements to work with. A dresser can be turned into a media console, a wine rack or just about anything else when you get rid of the drawers. The drawers can be turned into shadowboxes, floating shelves and DIY accents.

China cabinets are another old fashioned piece of furniture with many drawers and shelves begging to be repurposed. Turn it into a bookshelf, media center, an interesting bar or an elaborate desk.

Old TV cabinets are easy to find with today’s flat screen TV’s rendering those big, deep ones obsolete. TV cabinets built with extras like cabinetery, shelving, media consoles and entertainment centres are very useful for upcycling and can be turned into wardrobes, dressers, kitchen consoles or practical furnishings.

Broken tables need not be used for fire wood. Tables only need two legs if they stand against a wall. With just two legs, any table can be secured to the wall with a few screws, creating a fun effect.

Old, rusted fans can be used as picture frames if you remove the motor. Leave the blades in for a rustic look or remove them to focus on the industrial design.

An old bed can be made into a fantastic bench if you attach the headboard and foot board together with a center plank.

Your local hardware store keeps tools you will need, like a hammer, nails, paint and paint brushes as well as fancy door knobs and handles.

Secondhand shops, flea markets, garage sales or your grandparents’ garage are great places to find items just waiting to be upcycled.