Functional office furnishings

Posted on: 12 January 2017

As the cost of living continues to rise and we, as a society, become increasingly aware of the impact of our actions on the environment, more and more people are looking to upcycle items they already own, rather than buying something brand new. Although it can initially seem daunting, upcycling - or furniture restoration - shouldn't be complicated. Here are a few simple ways to bring a little extra life, or a change of style, to items you either might already have around the house, or that you can purchase cheaply from thrift stores or charity shops. 

Dining Chairs:

Dining chairs that are still in relatively good condition, but aesthetically look a little dated, are an ideal item to use to experiment with upcycling. If the structure of the chair is solid, something as simple as cutting a piece of foam to fit the seat, choosing a fabric that suits your style, then using an envelope fold to wrap the fabric around the foam before firmly stapling it into place, can really change the look - and comfort - of the chair.

If your dining chairs are in relatively good condition, but are perhaps a little wobbly, it is still possible to keep these items rather than purchasing new ones. Simple furniture restoration fixes, such as tightening the bolts, or trying extra adhesive to make a joint more secure, can be attempted at home. But, if you find that you struggle with this process at home, someone who specialises in furniture restoration will very quickly and simply be able to complete tasks such as this.

A Well-Used Coffee Table:

A coffee table sees a lot of use throughout its lifetime: games played on its surface, hot mugs put down without coasters, drinks spillages, and the list goes on... So, it isn't uncommon for the surface of a coffee table to end up looking a little tired and marked well before the table as a whole loses any of its structural integrity; this provides an ideal opportunity for furniture restoration. 

If you are looking at restoring your old coffee table, there are a multitude of options available to you. The simple DIY of sanding the surface and then finishing with a wax or varnish (depending on the type of wood) is a quick and cheap option. Whilst a quirkier upcycle option is to decoupage the surface of the table (many people choose to do this using pages from their favourite book) by adhering the pages to the surface with PVA glue, then repeating this process to form two layers - leaving at least 12 hours between the application of each layer in order for the previous one to dry - then using clear varnish to coat and protect the pages. 

A professional furniture restoration of your coffee table, on the other hand, would be able to give your table a look that is the same - if not better - than when you purchased the item as new. 

Knowing what to do with furniture that has seen better days can be a tricky decision; but furniture restoration, or upcyling DIYs, are an excellent way to save money and reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill, doing our little bit for the environment.