Upcycling vintage furniture

In my new home I have gained a love of antique and vintage furniture from my OH (Sweep) who used to be an antiques dealer. His knowledge and enthusiasm for older furniture has inspired me and I've starting looking at these items with new potential. In the past I had delved into junk shops and found old pine that I've painted in eggshell white, such as my beloved dresser and my church pew that think came from a chapel in North Wales. I love the history that these items carry and the stories that they could tell. My church pew has a number on the side of it, I wonder who sat there and where they lives, what kind of life did they leave....

So....lately we have been going to local auctions and picking up all kinds of goodies, some unusual items for the home, things to sell on and furniture items to complete the home. It's an evening out with home cooked food and some funny characters, this is rural Shropshire and it's a whole new world to me. Whilst we have been going there, we have picked up cabinets and desks, some to give makeovers to. We both love Halloween, so we had the idea of making a Halloween cabinet for all our spooky treasures that we have been collecting. I love this upcycling  and so I was super pleased when Door Furniture Direct got in touch with regards their campaign around upcycling using their great range of crystal and marble door knobs. 

We have had the idea to paint the cabinets in a crackled black look with green underneath for a  Gothic feel and for door knobs I thought the quintessential Halloween colours would look amazing. I found these fantastic coloured cut glass cupboard knobs in amber, green, black and purple and I thought they would make for the perfect Halloween cabinet to display some of our delicate vintage spook finds so they are able to be seen but protected. I picked up two different sizes for a contrast on the drawers and cabinet doors. 

There are a choice of metal rose too, to compliment your piece of furniture - polished brass, polished chrome or satin chrome. I chose the satin and I particularly love the purple cut glass cupboard knobs, the light shines lovely through them and I think they'd be great on a bedroom wardrobe or dresser too. 

We are going to look for some paint that the vintage shop in my old town sells and Sweep might try some arty effects on another cupboard we have purchased, he really wants to paint a vintage style jack o'lantern. I know it's nearly Christmas but Halloween is such a collectable love of ours so it will carry on all year. We may even try to sell some for other enthusiasts. Back to the auctions over the winter to gather more interesting pieces of furniture and I hope to have a finished piece to show you soon. Upcycling is so satisfying and I'm glad to be having a go again, creating unique items for your home with your own stamp on them. Plus going to auctions is a lot of fun, quality pieces, well made and often purchased for so little so an inexpensive way to do the home up with furniture that will last. Adding different cupboard knobs instantly adds a new look and only takes minutes, it's a good way to match to any other colour accents in a room. 

Doing our home up is going to take a while what with work and children but upcycling gives me a buzz as it is a quick win, a lovely addition in not much time for instant room updates.



*Collaborative post