{"id":14973,"date":"2022-09-26T17:30:50","date_gmt":"2022-09-26T15:30:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homesandantiques.com\/?p=16226"},"modified":"2022-09-26T17:49:10","modified_gmt":"2022-09-26T15:49:10","slug":"what-is-upcycling","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/homesantiques\/rss_feed\/what-is-upcycling\/","title":{"rendered":"What is upcycling?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Sophie Hannam\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 26 September 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Upcycling has become a hot topic in the world of interior design in recent years, but do you know what it actually is? We sat down with interior designers, painters and upcycling experts to find out what the practice actually involves \u2013 and why it brings together sustainability and a focus on aesthetics.<\/p>\n

What is upcycling?<\/h2>\n

Upcycling can be defined as the \u2018creative recycling\u2019 of old objects. It involves the transformation of an unwanted item or material into a more valuable product.<\/p>\n

Although the term was only coined in the 1990s, upcycling<\/strong> is an age-old enterprise, and examples can be found throughout history: from 16th-century coffers adorned with carvings that were added centuries later, to lamp bases made from antique ginger jars.<\/p>\n

Although aesthetic principles are at the centre of upcycling, the practice is also about sustainable living, rather than simply throwing away the old to buy the new.<\/p>\n

For interior designer Krystyna Martin-Dominguez, upcycling is about sustainability as much as it is about aesthetics. \u2018I love the marks of age, the wear and tear, the evidence that a piece has had a life,\u2019 she says. \u2018By giving something a new purpose, you are extending and enriching that life.\u2019 It\u2019s also a fail-safe way to add character to a home. \u2018Interiors need layers and texture,\u2019 says Krystyna, and furniture that has been cleverly repurposed will provide a sense of personality and history. \u2018It\u2019s not all just new, new, new!\u2019<\/p>\n

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An old dresser doubles as a kitchen unit in the home of interior designer Krystyna Martin-Dominguez.\u00a0Image by Penny Wincer<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Annie Sloan, the doyenne of upcycling and founder of Chalk Paint, thinks it\u2019s time to reframe our ideas about throwing things away. \u2018Our responsibility to the planet is to be more thoughtful. Reusing something is so much better than disposing of it or even recycling.\u2019 Before buying something new, she suggests we ask ourselves if we really need it, or do we already have something that could be adapted? \u2018The benefits are tenfold,\u2019 she says. \u2018You\u2019ll have something witty and unique, that hasn\u2019t had a negative impact on the planet.\u2019<\/p>\n

Read our pick of the best Annie Sloan Chalk Paint colours to use in upcycling projects<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Annie Sloan\u2019s new Pearlescent Glaze is used to stunning effect over a white paint on an antique chest of drawers and a vintage wardrobe.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

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