There are many benefits of recycling your old furniture including helping the environment
By Guest Blogger Nisha
Old furniture can gain new life with a little imagination. Recycling furniture has taken a life of its own with both amateur and professional interior artists sharing their results online and showing what can be done. Recycling also makes sense in avoiding sending more items to the landfill. Finding new ways to use familiar items can be one of life’s biggest rewards in your home.
Online Inspiration
Pinterest and YouTube can be your best friends in finding the inspiration and instructions for turning old furniture into something new. On Pinterest, you can search under “furniture recycling ideas” and then review hundreds of home projects, often accompanied with instructions.
From videos on reupholstering to details on repainting wood, YouTube offers videos that describe nearly any home project you might want to tackle, and you can find professional craftsmen explaining specific projects, such as repainting, staining or refinishing, usually listed among the DIY videos. The combination of these two sites can give you a wealth of information and the confidence to tackle your next project.
Dare to Dream
Sometimes, the architecture of a piece lends itself to a different duty. Consider an unused crib with its long, tall posts for sides. With some boards and the appropriate tools for dismantling the crib, this piece can become a modern design storage unit with shelving that could work in a home office or as a storage island in your kitchen. Turn an old metal or wooden headboard on its side and it could become the centerpiece of a decorative gate outdoors with giant hinges holding it in place.
Cool Tip: Kitchen tables turned upside down could become four-poster toddler beds with new paint, some wood posts added for legs, and foam pieces cut to size for a mattress.
The Magic of Spray Paint and a Sanding Tool
Spray paint can transform many pieces of home furniture into sleek, modern designs. A drab wooden table can quickly turn into your favorite side table with a clean, fresh coat of white paint. That old book-stand you have dragged around since college could become a trendy china buffet cabinet with a new light green coat of color. Your local hardware store can give you tips on priming, painting and sealing.
Cool Tip: Take a picture of your piece and then head to the store for advice on the best approach. This photo, with the piece in the setting where it will reside, also may give you new ideas for colors when you start looking at cans of spray paint. A good handheld sanding tool also is a must-have for these projects.
When in Doubt, Donate
In addition, charitable organizations may welcome furniture donations in your area. These donation drives may occur at different times of the year, so call ahead to see if you need a scheduled pick-up.
Nisha represents a site called Antiques.co.uk, she’s been writing about antique furniture for the last three years and is always offering tips and advice to many different sites.
Image credit: www.thisiscolossal.com
