From my battered old dresser to my rustic shelf made from reclaimed fence palings, my flat is full of upcycled items. Things that started life as something else but have been transformed into exactly what I need. The coffee table that began as a wooden crate from the market. The shelving unit that used to be a ladder. The shade for my pendant light which was once a wire waste basket. But they don’t look crafted, they don’t shout upcycle at you. They look like what they are; quality furniture that belongs in my flat.
It’s important that things look professionally made rather than homemade. Don’t get me wrong, I like crafting as much as the next person but upcycling shouldn’t look like a craft project. British households spend an average of £250 annually on home accessories alone (ONS) and with demand for sustainable home products growing 32% in the past 5 years (McKinsey), DIY upcycling is a great way to get what you need without constantly buying new. The global home decor market is worth over £700 billion dollars per year (Statista) and a large portion of that money is spent on making your flat look good. Upcycling can let you achieve the look you want without costing the earth or your monthly budget. If you do it right.
There are three things that differentiate crafted/ homemade-looking upcycled items from pieces that fit seamlessly into your home. By understanding how our brains perceive certain materials, starting with the right bases and knowing how to properly finish off DIY projects, anyone can avoid common upcycling mistakes and create quality pieces that look like they came from a retail store instead of your workshop.
## The Psychology Behind Why Things Look ‘Homemade’
#### Vision and our surroundings:
Every single day your brain analyses trillions of pieces of visual information about the objects around you. In less than half a second your brain has assessed whether something looks expensive or cheap, functional or not and whether it fits in your room. Studies have shown (Pinterest) we even analyse every design element from symmetry to proportions without us being consciously aware of it. So when we say your brain knows when something looks homemade, we’re not spending, it knows. It also knows when something doesn’t match the other decor in your home.
Prospective homeowners follow decor rules whether they know it or not. The rules of symmetry, clean lines, ensuring colours complement each other and using consistent materials all contribute to a polished finish. When your eye scans a room it should take in each element effortlessly without being drawn to things that stick out. This is also why your local IKEA replica looks nothing like the photo on their website once you fill it with your stuff. Everything from paintbrush strokes to material choice can make or break whether your new shelf looks handmade or professionally made.
#### Colour Theory 101:
Did you know (research) shows that 52% of interiors are dominated by neutral colour palettes? Furniture, walls and décor all come together to create spaces that allow statement pieces to stand out because everything else balances each other. It doesn’t use bright colours because it’s boring, it’s because pale colours make every other detail look more intentionally placed. Choose the right colours and place them correctly, you can make any upcycled piece look like it’s from a designer catalogue. Get it wrong and your pallet coffee table will look like, well… a pallet coffee table.
#### Material Acceptance:
Our brains can tell when materials don’t match their new purpose. A coffee table painted to look like expensive wood will never fool your brain if there are brush strokes visible or if the colour isn’t evenly applied. It also knows when your metal roller blind is in fact spray painted pipe railing from Homebase. Knowing which materials can convincingly stand in for something else is half the battle to making people question whether your shelf is actually IKEA DRÖMMAR or not.
## Top Upcycling Projects That Really Work
There are four main types of DIY projects that fit into upcycling. Some require more work than others but by knowing what makes for a good base piece in each category you can avoid disaster.
**Surface Refinish Projects: ** These types of upcycling projects allow you to transform items without changing their original structure. Painting furniture is the most common form of upcycling for this reason. You can change the entire look and feel of any item but starting with something that already has “good bones”.
Paint is just one option when changing the finish of your upcycled item. Consistency is key when applying your chosen finish. Painting furniture with matt emulsion will look like a child made it for every speck of dust that sticks to the surface. Furniture paint, chalk paint (with a proper sealant) or even just using the correct primer and wood stain combo will give you a finish others will think came from a factory instead of your living room floor.
Sheen and finish level also plays a big role in upcycling projects. High gloss paint is unforgiving and will show every scrape or dent. However, when applied correctly it can also look very expensive. Matte paint hides imperfections but can also leave a cheaper looking finish. For most furniture projects, a satin finish or eggshell paint is best. Whatever finish you choose make sure you keep it consistent throughout. Nothing looks worse than an upcycled item that has paint half missing to show the wood beneath, visible brush strokes or varying shades just because you didn’t mix all your paint together.
| Project Type | Best Project Bases | What Makes Them Work | Why They Fail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Painting | Solid Wood Items/MDF With Good Edges | You don’t need to strip or change the nature of the item | Wooden pallets, while trendy don’t have the best finishing surface |
| Changing Purpose | Items with proportions that suit new purpose | The new proportions work with their new use | Forcing a bookshelf into an old window frame |
| Changing Details | Pieces with good bones that have poor details | New details are properly finished | Cheap handles that are off balanced or loose |
| Adding Lighting | Cabinets, shelving and pieces that can handle the wattage | The lights are properly hidden | Visible wiring, obvious light clips |
**Change of Purpose Projects: ** Taking an item and actually changing what it is used for. Turning that wooden ladder into a shelving unit. Upcycling an old suitcase into a coffee table. Pallet crates can become kitchen shelves.
One of the biggest keys to these kinds of projects working is starting with the right base item. A ladder makes excellent shelves because of how the rungs are spaced. Creating somewhat uniform shelving at practical intervals for displaying books and home decor. Taking a shipping crate and trying to make it into a shelf will not have even spacing and will always look like you converted a crate into a shelf.
Safety is more important than how they look but they also need to look like they can function as whatever you intend them to be. Shelving still needs to be capable of holding the weight you expect it to. Tables need to be able to stand up straight. Failing either one instantly ruins the upcycled look you worked so hard for, even if it passes holding up your DVDs.
**Changing Details Projects: ** These upcycling projects allow you to change out the smaller details that can actually have a big impact on how an item looks. Handles are probably the most common detail people swap out. But adding feet to furniture that previously sat directly on floor can transform a piece. Adding internal lighting to shelves or cabinets really brings these projects to the next level.
Hardware makes or breaks how professionally crafted a piece looks. Gone are the chunky handle you’d find on a cheap suitcase. Swapping out old brass door knobs for modern faucet shaped pulls immediately makes cabinets look less like 70’s trash. Take your time with these details and make sure you do it right. Doors that won’t close properly because your hinges are wonky or countersunk incorrectly are huge details people notice. Once again, if your putting something together take care and ensure the new hardware is properly secured to the piece.
Adding LED lighting (using 75% less electricity than standard bulbs) to upcycled projects not only looks amazing but is sustainable too. Shelf vibrators, under cabinet lighting and lamps can all make your projects stand out. Hide the evidence guys.internal lighting seems part of the design.
**Lighting Integration Projects: ** As mention before, integrating lighting onto and inside upcycled pieces is big right now and for good reason. Instead of using harvested wood and calling it a day, spend the extra time properly finishing your pieces.
Instructions were never meant to be followed religiously, but understand the techniques and reasons before altering them. Taking an old ladder and turning it into curved shelving by cutting the runs at an angle may work. But do you know why IKEA shelves aren’t built that way? Learn why you should or shouldn’t alter certain instructions before beginning a project.
#### Common ‘Upcycled Home Projects’ That Will Never Look Professional
Physically addictive pallet furniture. Trust me, we all thought it at first, pallet projects are cool. Until you find out they’re treated with chemicals you don’t want covering every surface in your home. Not to mention that stacked to make a coffee table they just don’t have sleek enough lines or better storage options than buying a regular coffee table.
Rope anything and everything. Oh the internet loves upcycling projects with rope. From ottomans to desks. Sure they look great on Pinterest but can you actually use them? That ottoman isn’t going to survive adult weight for longer than a few months. Save yourself the frustration and choose a more practical upcycling base.
Faux Boiserie or wood panelling. Painting furniture and buying properly aged wood are not the same thing. Painting wall paneling to look like pricey wood might not seem like a DIY project but if you don’t know how real boiseries look it will always look fake. Either source genuine wood that has properly weathered or pick up some fresh pine and stain it like the pros.
## Research Into Effectiveness Backing This
If you want to know upcycling works look around your local coffee shop or hipster hangout. Liquor cabinets made from pallets, light fixtures from salvaged barn parts, dining chairs spray painted grey and countless other upcycled ideas fill cafes and restaurants at every price point. They work there so they can work at home. All these projects have in common are they were done right.
Historical data proves upcycling isn’t a new trend either. DIY/home improvement website searches have increased by 55% year on year (Pinterest Insights), but search interest for specific handmade decor items has grown 192%. Meaning more people want to make things themselves than ever before. People love upcycled home decor (Etsy) but don’t want to put in the work to do it themselves.
We’ve already covered how our brains make instantaneous judgement calls on the items in our home but when it comes to upcycled furniture functionality factor into what we decide to keep or throw out. A well designed and finished piece is more likely to win someone over than an obvious upcycle even if they know it’s made from pallets. Humans tend to seek reason and order where there is none. Use this to your advantage when styling.
Furnture Fail makes countless jokes on how badly upcycled furniture tends to look(https://www.furniturefail.com) but the comments section always makes one thing clear. No one cares that it’s homemade, they care that it was put together by someone who shouldn’t have been allowed a tool kit. Entering ‘Don’t’ into any search above will highlight 100’s of examples of upcycles gone wrong. Study them, learn from them and don’t repeat them.
## Where Else Can This Be Applied
Apologies for the break in formatting. I tried to convert an excel table to html but got bored halfway through.
Apartment/ rental housing: Upgrades that can be taken with you and don’t permanently alter the home. Standalone furniture, lighting and decor are always better than built in storage or shelving.
Older Homes/ Period properties: Materials matter more when upcycling for these homes. That industrial metal shelf you want may look more Chicago loft than Victorian cottage. Upcycling older pieces to fit with your decor is always more effective than bringing in something modern.
Smaller flats/ Spaces: Balancing small spaces is hard, there isn’t room for giant cabinet hides nor ugly furniture you have to look at every day. Take stock of what you need vs what would look good. Your skinny apartment probably doesn’t need a storage coffee table.
Tight Budgets: Painting and refinishing or properly restoring older pieces are some of the cheapest ways to upcycle. If you don’t have much cash to spend look for items that only need cosmetic changes instead of replaced entirely.
Basic DIY Skills: Painting and assembly are two of the easiest skill sets to apply to pretty much every type of upcycling project. Don’t like the finish on your kitchen cabinets? Paint them. Undecided if that chair you bought fits your room? Spray paint it. You can always make it match later.
## Benefits of Applying This Technique
Low Cost: Improve your flat with furniture and storage that costs a fraction of the retail price. That £20 charity shop table can be sanded down and covered with £15 worth of paint and new hardware making a cheaper alternative to the £200+ retail version.
Eco Friendly: Upcycling isn’t just sustainable for your bank account. Giving items a new lease on life instead of throwing them out properly extends the lifecycle of furniture and prevents it from going into landfill. Every piece you upcycle is one less thing that needs to be manufactured.
Skills: Easily transferable to repair and maintenance around your home. From patching and sanding walls to restoring ageing woodwork around doors and banisters. The more you practice the better you’ll get at spotting improvement opportunities.
Personalisation: Off the shelf furniture rarely fits your home like it should. Custom upcycled pieces can be build and designed to fit your spaces perfectly.
Quality: Junk shops and boot sales are full of solid wood furniture that cost you next to nothing. By upgrading and refreshing old pieces yourself you can guarantee a higher quality finish than budget retail furniture will ever have.
Aesthetic Pride: The wall art market alone is expected to generate $564.1 million by 2026 (Grand View Research) but there’s something special about displaying handmade decor that you know the story behind.
