The furniture upcycling bug is sweeping the nation – with good reason too. It’s eco-friendly, cost-savvy and great for your mental health. The downside? Some people simply don’t know where to find furniture to upcycle!
In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the bug, its symptoms and why it’s so contagious, before discussing where you can find an abundance of furniture to upcycle next.
The furniture upcycling bug
Unsure whether you’ve caught the furniture upcycling bug? Here are some of the symptoms to look out for:
- Sizing up other items in your home for a makeover – or even other people’s homes!
- Walking around the house with a paintbrush wondering what to paint next
- Looking out for furniture freebies people leave outside their houses rather than throwing away.
- Skip diving and hassling people in the queue at the tip
- Tripping over the extra chair or side table which is your next project in waiting
- Finding that most of your clothes have just a little bit of paint on them – or even your hands!
- After long-term exposure to the bug, you might even decide to develop your passion as a side hustle
What’s behind the bug?
Some bugs are airborne. Others spread by contact. In contrast, the furniture upcycling bug spreads because it has so many benefits:
Eco-friendly – By upcycling or revamping furniture, you’re saving the planet one piece of furniture at a time. As well as stopping things going to landfill, you’re reducing the amount of resources and energy being used to make new furniture.
Sentimental – Upcycling furniture can also help you keep hold of sentimental items.
Rather than being unwanted or unused, you can update a family item. It’s amazing how great you can make an old piece look simply by adding a couple of coats of paint.
Creativity – Above all else, having furniture upcycling is fun.
You can let your creativity run wild and simply paint over anything that doesn’t work. When you finish a piece, you get the unmatchable sense of achievement and satisfaction.
Financial – Finding furniture to upcycle has plenty of cost-saving benefits too.
There’s no need for a new chair, table or even a whole new kitchen, when you can refresh them all with top-quality furniture paint. When you do need something new, you can buy inexpensive preloved items and update them to save money.
New and on-trend – The furniture upcycling bug also allows you to stay on-trend at a fraction of the cost. Whether it’s your coffee table and sideboards or the front door on your home, you can update it whenever you want to keep up with the latest colours or just keep ringing the changes for something fresh and exciting.
Mental wellbeing – Many furniture upcyclers find that it works wonders for their mental health too. The act of preparing and painting furniture provides an immersive escape from the hustle and bustle of modern life. It’s a mindful activity that takes you to a peaceful, happy place – which we can all benefit from in today’s fast-paced, tech-filled world.
Sense of community – When you catch the furniture upcycling bug, you’re not alone. Far from it, in fact. There’s a whole host of forums and Facebook groups where you can discuss DIY and painting tips. One that’s definitely worth checking out is the Frenchic Fan Forum, which is well managed to keep everything friendly and fun.
Where to find furniture to upcycle
Finding furniture to upcycle is the first hurdle for anyone who’s caught the upcycling bug. Thankfully, with a bit of inspiration, it can actually be yet another enjoyable aspect of your hobby.
Here are some ideas to get you started…
Ecommerce platforms – Dedicated reselling platforms like Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Gumtree are a great place to start. You can search for specific pieces, filter according to your location and budget and sort the result by price, location or date.
Local buy and sell groups – Marketplace aside, Facebook also has a number of local buy and sell groups where you can find plenty of preloved items. While searching isn’t quite as easy, you can simply join groups and check the latest items whenever you log into Facebook.
Second-hand shops – From furniture dealers to charity shops, it’s well worth visiting your local second-hand shops for some bargain pieces. This has the added benefit of seeing items up close and being able to take them away immediately.
Freecycle – The Freecycle Network is a movement of people dedicated to giving and receiving freebies in the local area. Items can be filtered by the ‘furniture’ tag to narrow down your search. Best of all, everything is completely free!
Local papers – Let’s not forget the local papers! You can still find the odd gem in your local paper’s small ads. Don’t forget the papers for nearby towns too if you’re happy to drive a little further to pick things up.
And where to find the best paint…
Once you’ve found more furniture to upcycle, it’s time to get cracking. Ideally, you’ll want a water-based paint that is pleasant to use with low odour and minimal VOCs. Choosing a paint that’s self-priming and suitable for multiple surfaces will also make it quicker and easier to get your upcycling fix.
Chalk paint ticks all of these boxes, with Frenchic’s innovative self-sealing ranges also eliminating the need for separate waxes and sealants.
Choose from interior and exterior options to achieve a super-smooth contemporary look. The Lazy Range is ideal for internal furniture, while our Al Fresco Range has added weatherproof qualities making it suitable both indoor and outdoor projects.
Alternatively, you can opt for our traditional Original Artisan Range to try distressed, aged and limewashed effects. Pair with your choice of sealants, topcoats and waxes to get the desired effect. It’s never been easier to experiment and try new ideas and looks!
