White wax on furniture creates a faded or whitewashed look over paint or natural wood. It’s a simple process and can have a dramatic impact. My friend, Katherine, asked if I would like this mirror before she put it on Freecycle. Of course, I said yes because it had pretty details and I thought it…
Want to know what to buy to start upcycling? Here are the 5 products you need to start upcycling furniture and recommendations for each. I see people say all the time “I’d love to start upcycling. Tell me everything I should buy.” But telling someone what to buy doesn’t work. We don’t all have the…
Author Notes These are the best tools that I’ve found and are based on years of testing. You’ll find examples of how I’ve used them throughout this website. Most of these tools are items that I’ve bought myself. Some I have received as gifts but I only share items that I regularly use and recommend…
There’s no need to spend money before looking for quality free furniture. Here are 5 places and simple tools to find free furniture to upcycle. If you’re starting upcycling, free pieces of furniture are a great way to do a test run. Not the family heirloom. The upcycling movement has kicked up a notch as…
Have a retail space or looking to get one? These are five key rules for how to design a retail booth for maximum impact. It’s not enough to have beautiful products if they aren’t displayed well. It’s the same as staging to take product photos. Your booth is your stage and there are ways you…
From laying off to keying surfaces, this guide covers the commonly confusing and searched-for upcycling terms and jargon. Find yourself constantly Googling what things mean? There’s always something to learn. Missing something? Let me know in the comments. The ultimate guide to upcycling terms and jargon A Antique – something that is 100+ years old….
Don’t ignore old furniture because it’s brown and boring. This is a guide on how you can update old furniture using a beautiful bird feature. Reduce, reuse, recycle. I want to start by acknowledging that not all old wood furniture needs painting. Plenty of people are in the ‘it’s terrible to paint that beautiful piece’…
Want to make money upcycling decor from charity and thrift shop finds? From candlesticks to picture frames, here’s how to make them more valuable. Let’s start with the obvious thing. You aren’t becoming a millionaire by upcycling candlesticks any time soon. But they can be fun little projects in their own right, either to sell…
Want to transform a free bookshelf from shabby chic (or just shabby) to classic and clean? Here’s how with a navy blue makeover. I got this solid pine bookshelf for free. Bargain. Although sometimes a piece that has already been painted is more effort than it’s worth. Not this time, fortunately. Navy blue transformation of…
From playing cards to masking tape and syringes, here are 7 painting hacks to help you paint better with items in your home. 7 hacks to paint better with items in your home 1. Foil for easy cleaning Line a roller tray with foil before pouring paint in. When finished, carefully pick up the foil…