Meet the 7 types of furniture upcycler
‘Anyone can upcycle furniture’
Technically yes, anyone can upcycle furniture. Whether you choose to do the work yourself or pay a professional really depends on your personal style, ideas and the quality of finish you expect.
As we go about our work, we’ve identified seven different types of upcycler. For a bit of fun, we thought we’d explore their key characteristics and the benefits and drawbacks of using each one.
7 schools of thought
The DIY upcycler
‘Why pay someone else when I can easily slap a coat of paint on the bookcase myself? It can’t be that hard!’
That’s the mantra of the DIY upcycler. They like to take control and get the job done. The obvious advantage is you have complete control over what you’re doing. But will the outcome meet your expectations?
The hobby upcycler
Their home is filled with unique and colourful upcycled pieces ranging from Arts and Crafts to Victorian classics. They love what they do but also hold down a full-time job so only work on pieces in the evenings and on weekends. They’d love to turn their hobby into a career but haven’t yet managed to take the leap.
The hobby upcycler will take good care of your furniture and produce a good result. On the other hand, it might take a while until you see the finished product due to the limited time they have to spend on it.
The rough and ready upcycler
They take your item, sand and paint the visible areas, leaving the underside, back, and insides of drawers and cupboards in their original state. This upcycler focuses only on what’s visible. From the outside, the furniture seems lovely but once you take a closer look, there are flaws in the paintwork and parts left unfinished. Drawers may still contain fluff and retain their original odour.
With their services at the lower end of the scale, the rough and ready upcycler is ideal if you have a small budget and if you’re not too concerned about quality of finish.
The ‘one style’ upcycler
Perfect if you’re sold on a specific style like shabby chic or modern contemporary. This upcycler understands their preferred approach inside out and has a signature style. It doesn’t matter what period or style of furniture they’re working with, you’ll be guaranteed the same finish, colour palette and features – every time.
We’re not saying consistency is a bad thing. But if you’re looking for more creative ideas and inspiration, you’re going to need…
The creative upcycler
Innovative and adaptable, this person is an ideas machine focused on making the most of features, drawing out character and coming up with brand new uses for furniture. They’re not frightened of radical transformation and love a challenging brief.
You’ll be wowed by their ideas but it’s wise to keep a close eye on the creative upcycler – just in case they do something you weren’t expecting!
The classical upcycler
This person is a restoration expert (so not strictly an upcycler), intent on recreating the beauty of classical furniture. They will probably research the history of the piece before painstakingly cleaning, repairing, and refurbishing the item, bringing it back to its former glory.
The classical upcycler is the person to call for a sympathetic restoration. Radical is not a word in their vocabulary.
The precision upcycler
Meticulous in their approach, your furniture is in good hands with the precision upcycler. They’ll strip a piece back to its bare bones before repairing and rebuilding it to their own high standards. The precision upcycler has to be confident that their work is sound and of a quality they would like in their own home.
With such a thorough and conscientious work ethic you know you’re going to be impressed with the end result. It just might take them a little longer than you anticipated to reach the finish line!
So, what do you think?
Do you recognise yourself or someone else in these descriptions? Let us know in the comments below.
If you’re wondering which category The Odd Thing fits into. Well, we’re Odd. We push the boundaries of upcycling.
Enough said.