Upcycling Ideas For Your Home

March 14, 2014

‘Upcycling’ is starting to build up a huge following in the country, helped by many of us turning to our existing possessions rather than splurging on new things we don’t actually need.

Upcyling itself is a very easy concept – it’s simply the process of turning something you own into another useful object, rather than throwing it out. The main idea here is that whatever you create should have more value than what the object was before.

This always has varying degrees of success, but some have even made a living out of it. One of these people Rupert Blanchard, who created the stunning chest of drawers pictured above.

Now we’re coming into Spring, it offers an opportunity during your Spring clean to salvage some objects around the house, rather than taking them to the local charity shop or merely dumping them.

By upcycling around your home, you can create a makeover but without having to hit the shops. Perfect for any savvy saver!

We’ve picked out a few of the simpler upcyling ideas for the home below. The great thing is that the possibilities are limitless as it’s all based on what YOU own and how imaginative you can be.

It’s also good to have an upcycling day with family or friends, essentially swapping things between yourselves to create new uses for old stuff not being used.

Upcycled cat bed

The upcycled cat bed is one of the best upcycling ideas we’ve seen. You just need an old hard suitcase (or a newer one will also work), which should be broken in half. This can usually be done by removing the hinges rather than having to cut into the case itself.

*Photo from Atomic Attic on Etsy

Then place the existing cat blanket/bed into the half-suitcase and voila, you’ve instantly got a piece of trendy furniture for your pet. If you want it to be raised a few inches off the ground, cut some old chair legs down and screw through from the suitcase into them.

Upcycled Cheese Grater

Have you got an old cheese grater that you no longer use because it’s missing a handle or you treated yourself to a new one? Cheese graters can be upcycled in loads of different ways, from turning them into a pencil holder for the kids, to using them as a kitchen utensil holder.

They’re add a beautifully reclaimed feel to any modern house when they’re upcycled and if they’re looking a bit battered, just use spray paint to suit your colour scheme.

Upcycled Wine Bottles

Wine bottles have become a favourite amongst the upcycling community due to their versatility. Current trends include cutting them in half to create glasses (after rounding off the edges), as well as creating stunning chandeliers.

There are some easier ways to upcycle wine bottles though, including using them as vases around the home. You can either get some string/twine to wrap around and glue to the bottle, or use some fabric off-cuts instead. The effect is simple, yet beautiful when executed well and they are perfect for single stems.