Creating stunning upcycled furniture with paint and cupboard knobs

Upcycled furniture has become an increasingly popular way to create stunning and unique pieces for your home. There is virtually no limit to the creativity and design of an upcycled item, anything goes! This method of creating new furniture from old pieces, is often a cheaper alternative to buying new furnishings, with the ability to create stunning looks in any area or room you desire. At abodent.com, we love the vintage, rustic look, as well as fresh contemporary vintage inspired designs, the options are limitless! We are bursting with ideas for where and how to use our products, so please ask for our advice and tips on how to best transform your pre-loved items into stunning, novel pieces.

The following guide breifly explains the process for upcycling wooden furniture or doors and explains the option for completing the look with unique hardware.

Preparation

When commencing an upcycling project, please ensure to remove any existing hardware, screws, washers, nut, bolts, etc. first. This will allow a cleaner finish for the overall artefact. Also take some time here to consider any new hardware that might be needed to complete the project, and what effect this will have on the preparation stages.

If the project piece is already painted, we feel the best option is to sand back the surfaces, either to the base material, or to give a suitable surface to re-paint, varnish, etc.. It is often a wonderful surprise to find a beautiful wood, or rustic metal product underneath a drably painted item. In these cases, half your upcycling job is done for you!

Painting

There are many variations of paint on the market to aid upcycling projects, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint for example, is perfect for creating a vintage, distressed look. Painting is often the most exciting part of upcycling and is often the part of the process where you can be the most creative. We advise our customers to take the time to choose the right paint, colour and application method, before the project begins. Check our Pinterest account and see what looks we have been impressed by!

Two-Tone

Two-tone designs are a clever way to create an alternative finish, which exudes style and depth. A popular option currently, is to use paint in combination with wood surfaces, to create a truly contemporary look.

Lime-Wash

If you desire a simple yet elegant finish, the lime washed look is a cheap, easy option, which gives a stunning result. The lime-wash mix simply washes on to a wood base and subsequently emphasises the natural grain or pattern. The look can be further adapted by sanding or distressing the surfaces to create a vintage style look, with very little effort. We love this look, and would highly recommend it when upcycling old furniture pieces.

Finishing the Project

To finish your upcycling project, ideally wax or varnish the furniture item to avoid unnecessary scratches and marks. This stage is often straightforward and usually doesn't take much time. You can opt for a matt or gloss finish, depending on the style you desire. Matt products are usually water-based and non-reflective, whereas gloss finishes are shiny, and we feel, aren't as rustic looking.

As well as adding a beautiful finishing touch to your upcycled piece, selecting the perfect fixtures and fitting can definitely add a completely individual look to the furniture. We suggest maybe buying a selection of different knobs and hooks to add some glitz and glamour, or a variety of different colours of the same design, the choice it yours.

Shop our upcycling cupboard knobs

For a step-by-step guide in how to fit hardware, please see our helpful guide to fitting cupboard knobs.