Recycle Chic - Make it Better

Sunshine, Lollipops ...

2010-06-13T15:56:00.000-07:00

Before

After

We don't get a lot of sunshine in Ireland but recently we've been uncharacteristically sun soaked and this yellow desk transformation by Lycke is totally apt for the sunshine theme! The before and after is really fab and the piece is hardly recognisable in it's new sunny, uplifted state!

You can visit Lycke's blog here.

One to watch ...

2010-06-13T15:31:00.000-07:00

A fantastic alternative for wall decor by Trisha. Using variously sized fabric hoops that she sourced in thrift stores and some vibrant fabric samples this wall is dressed to impress! I also really love the TV unit ... not to mind the lamps!

You can visit Trisha's blog here.

Dishy

2010-06-06T12:04:00.000-07:00

This eclectic collection of plates is a fab way to add interest to a plain wall. Owned by Ingrid these plates are mostly vintage (with the exception of the heart plate which she bought new from Ikea a few years back) and have been sourced from second-hand stores in places as far as Belgium and France. I think it's a great alternative to the typical framed print!

You can visit Ingrid's blog here.

True-Blue

2010-06-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

Aren't these blue jars belonging to Anna fabulous? She came across these at estate sales and thrift shops and knew they had to be hers ... they're so beautifully well matched! What I love about this pic though are the green glass bowls in the foreground which belong to her cat ... mustn't let my two see them otherwise they'll get the hump with me about their regular stainless steel ones : D

You can visit Anna's website here.

In the Red

2010-06-05T13:17:00.000-07:00

Before

After

What a fantastic before and after by Kathrin. After seeing this on eBay she realised it had big potential and wasn't she right! The seller had it in her garage for years previously and just wanted to throw it out. Kathrin painted it white on the outside first but decided it needed more punch so painted it in this statement red colour ... doesn't it have serious WOW! The inside is lined with a contrasting green and white gingham wallpaper.

You can visit Kathrin's blog here to see more of her stunning transformations!

Sitting Pretty*

2010-06-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

Came across this wonderful chair restoration by Helena. My own chairs ... I'm ashamed to admit ... are still sitting untouched in our spare room, I really must get a move on! It's so silly as I have the fabric sitting next to them both!! Anyhow, Helena found this fab chair in a flea market and used Josef Frank fabric to give it a touch of flora and fauna ... she did the sewing herself also. It's gorgeous!

You can visit Helena's flickr page here ... it's really worth a visit, there are tons more inspirational images of her home there!

*thanks for the help here Rich : D

The Ultimate Recycle Chic

2010-06-05T08:59:00.000-07:00

Before

After

I know that my posts have been fairly sporadic of late and here's the reason why ... we've been tranforming our old little cottage into something with a little more room and more importantly a lot more insulation!! This has consumed so much of my time recently that I haven't been able to devote much time to anything else really. The good news is that we moved in last Saturday but the bad news is that it's still a long way off being finished completely. However, I thought I'd share one or two pics with you today because I was quite shocked at the before and after myself. We had to pull down the wall at the front in order to build a new one (a planning stipulation) which will happen on Monday.

It's so strange that when you're coming from a certain angle on the road it just looks like we've put a new render on the little cottage but as you move along the modern extension reveals itself. We worked with a fantastic architect on our home and we're so happy with his work! I couldn't recommend his work highly enough, so if you're thinking of updating or extending, you can find Tom's contact details here.

Oh and apologies for the snowy before pictures but I'm on my laptop and these were the only ones that were to hand!

Chic Out

2010-05-17T15:03:00.000-07:00

These chair restorations are absolutely fantastic. Using original 70's fabric, Sabrina restored this Louis XV sofa to bring it right up to date. The bronze paintwork on the arms and legs just sets the whole piece off and it's accessorised perfectly with contrasting green and pink cushions. Not content with creating that heavenly piece, Sabrina moved onto restoring this Louis XV armchair. Reupholstered in Fushia corderoy and finished with a coat of white paint on the frame, arms and legs. This is perfectly contrasted by the distressed kidney shaped drawer unit, creating a recycle-chic look beyond compare.

You can visit Sabrina's blog here.

Bedroom Va-Va-Voom!

2010-03-31T14:37:00.000-07:00

Before

After

This room looks a million miles away from where it began thanks to Kim. There are so many details to take in ... the room divider used as a headboard, the beautifully restored wicker chair adorned with funky pink cushions, the fantastic glossy flooring that you would never guess has been painted to look so magnificent ... everytime I look at the images I pick out some other detail that I've never seen before. Truly inspiring.

You can visit Kim's blog here.

Rags to Riches

2010-03-31T13:41:00.000-07:00

Before

After

Another ugly duckling turned stunning swan by Anne in Kerry. She rescued this piece from certain death by dumping and gave a fairly tired piece a whole new life. After running out of fabric to do the seat she had the super savvy idea of using some oilcloth and bolstered with a 20" cushion for added snuggley-ness! Well done Anne, this is fabulous.

Operation Transformation

2010-03-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

Before

After

I came across this fantastic transformation by Sarah recently and couldn't believe how much of a dramatic difference she made. This piece is hardly recognisable and doesn't it look so amazing ... that's recycle chic at it's best!

You can visit Sarah's blog here.

Take Cover

2010-03-25T13:56:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally ordered the fabrics for my chair restorations from Hawthorne Threads. I have searched high and lo and was really undecided for a long time as to whether I wanted a traditional upholstery fabric with a funky twist or whether I wanted to really go out there with it and choose a sturdy yet light printed fabric. I decided on the latter because there was just so much more choice when it came to the type of fabric. I love Etsuko Furuya's range of fabrics, they're so fantastically colourful and funky. So, above you can see the two fabrics, the Etsuko Furuya's green I'm going to use on my wingback and the floral fabric by Lecien is being used on the other chair. I just have to wait for it to be delivered before I send them off to the upholsterers! You can visit Hawthrone Threads online store here.

Bag Lady

2010-03-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this fantastic bag creation by CERIosities recently and isn't it wonderful? The bag is made from an old book spine and even uses a fab old belt as the handle. It's a really striking piece. You can visit the CERIosities store here to see lots more fantastic upcycled pieces.

Back for Good

2010-03-06T13:02:00.000-08:00

So sorry that I haven't posted in a while ... I changed jobs and am coming to the final few weeks of my house build so I've been totally consumed with all things home ... without paying any attention to the blog. But things have calmed down a little so I've been able to put some thoughts together again!

I'm still ignoring the two chairs that I've got to reupholster ... not intentionally of course! Because of time issues I may have to send them out to a professional instead now but I might be able to do one. I've been on the hunt for some suitable fabric for a long time and came across this beautiful restoration project on my internet travels. Doug found this sad looking wicker rocking chair sitting by the garbage and knew he could transform it. A lot of work has gone into this project but isn't the end result worth it? After dismantling the chair, piece by piece, he sanded every piece down by hand then created a new seat cushion to replace the broken wicker. Well done Doug, I really love the side profile ... the detail is just gorgeous!

Country Glamour

2009-12-09T00:48:00.000-08:00

Add a touch of country glamour to your front door with a fantastic fabric wreath like this one by Anna. Everything in Anna's store is handmade and handpainted and I really love her beautiful blue dotty Christmas stars too. If you're looking for a very special Christmas gift why not check out Anna's store Half an Acre here.

Sending something Special

2009-12-09T00:30:00.000-08:00

Receiving a handmade Christmas card is something that's very special to me. It's so easy these days to buy stacks of printed cards so when somebody goes to the effort of making one it's just that bit more memorable. These fabulous handmade cards by designer Alexia Abegg are just beautiful. Made from recycled wrapping paper, which all of us most definately have hanging around the house so there's really no excuse ... well not for me anyway : )

You can visit Alexia's blog here.

Sleighbells ring (finally!)

2009-12-01T14:09:00.000-08:00

Seeing as today is the official launch of my favourite time of year I can finally post up all things Crimbo. It took a lot to hold back when it came to the end of November because I was really excited about lots of the things that I came across. These Christmas Trees made by Dutch designer Ingrid are the essence of simple beauty. Made from recycled wood, the idea of decorating with your own funky accessories, ensuring each one is truly unique and individual to the buyer is just inspired. Even though I love the sparkley magic usually associated with Christmas and all the glittering accessories, these rustic trees are the absolute opposite of that ... maybe that's the reason that I was so attracted to them!

You can visit Ingrid blog here or her Etsy store here.

Jack be Nimble ...

2009-11-29T10:39:00.000-08:00

It's so in vogue right now that every shop I go in to seems to have these chunky candlesticks asking me to buy them. I gave in the other day and bought two of the most beautiful apple green ones for a pretty penny in TK Maxx (well not exactly a pretty penny!) I've been searching for this particular shade of green, particularly in kitchen accessories for ages because my new kitchen will be grey wood and I'd like to add some highlights with this green. Then I came across this candlestick revamp by Chelsea ... how beautiful?! I really have to open my mind a lot more to painting accessories as well as furniture!

Chelsea has got a wonderful Etsy shop called Paper Cakes, click here to visit.

Going Dotty

2009-11-28T01:57:00.000-08:00

I'm just weak for this revamped polka dot dresser by Katrina in Eclectica. Based in Miami, Eclectic sells salvaged furniture & accessories for the style conscious decorator on a budget ... which is pretty much the majority of us these days. Katrina's store is truly inspiring, click here to check it out. You can also shop her vintage collection here, or her home decor collection here.

Katrina has recently launched a home ECOnomics workshops in her studio in Miami where you can learn all about her mantra of 'making things better' ... seems Recycle-Chic & Katrina have a lot in common! Click here for more info.

Rest Up

2009-11-25T13:46:00.001-08:00

This is a beautiful restored footstool by Caitlin Clark. The fabric and paint colour work so well together ... this is a really happy piece! Caitlin has the most wonderful blog, which you can read here and her photography is some of the most wonderful I've ever seen. You can also visit her Etsy store here.

A soft spot

2009-11-25T13:13:00.000-08:00

More beautiful work by textile designer Ruth Singer. These cushions are made from different recycled fabrics and remind me of snuggly clouds. The extra details make each one so unique. You can check out Ruth's Etsy store here, which features some beautiful pieces. She also has her own website which you can visit here.

You be the Judge

2009-11-24T02:44:00.000-08:00

Such a funky piece by designers Ross & Tom, who bought this table from a charity shop. Using some Judge Dredd comics which he picked up for £12, he rallied his friends to help him out with his restoration venture. What I like most about this is the understated colour scheme but the comic strip gives it real presence ... and monochrome is so in right now!

You can visit Ross' website here.

With Flying Colours

2009-11-20T09:50:00.000-08:00

Another case of believing that an old piece has potential, completed by the lovely Carlina. After spotting this piece at a thrift store she just knew she could give it a new lease of life. Following hours of sanding, painting and finishing off with a gloss coat, her hard work really paid off ... Isn't it just stunning?

You can visit Carlina's blog here.

Something Old

2009-11-19T06:02:00.000-08:00

Restored pieces that have been handed down by a relative must really be the most special. These were originally bedside tables belonging to Adriana Oliveira's grandmother. She restored them beautifully and now they work perfectly in her hallway. Seeing the potential in older pieces of furniture is probably the biggest challenge. I have an old kitchen cupboard from the 40's that's badly in need of some tlc. I'm hoping to convert to a dressing table without alterting the piece too much but I'm still not sure if it'll work out ... I'll keep everyone posted.

You can visit Adriana's website here, or her Etsy store here.

Top Drawer

2009-11-18T11:56:00.000-08:00

I just love this drawer restoration by Brian Kyle. Again it's a case of taking something quite everyday and doing something extraordinary with it. His colour scheme is truly fabulous and I really like the contrasting green drawer interiors. I've done something like that myself with a sideboard that I'm restoring at the moment (except I wasn't half as brave with the colour palette). I'm nearly there with it so hopefully I'll be able to post it up next week!

Inspirational Spaces

2009-11-18T05:10:00.000-08:00

When I came across Tif’s place I had that sharp intake of breath that’s reserved only for very special things. Her eclectic mix of pre-loved pieces is perfectly complimented by her retro colour pallette and nostalgic patterns. I’ve never come across a place that’s so airy, joyful, that oozes buckets of personality. These pictures made me smile and I hope they do the same for you.

You can check out Tif’s blog here, or visit her Etsy store here.

Chair Necessities

2009-11-17T09:19:00.000-08:00

Okay, I'll admit it ... I'm now officially obsessed by restored chairs. But isn't this one just stunning? Ruth Singer is a professional textile designer from the UK. Creating bespoke fabrics for interiors using skillful hand-sewing techniques, Ruth uses almost entirely sustainable and recycled fabrics in her work. Check out her Etsy store here, which features some beautiful pieces. Ruth also has her own website which you can visit here.

Funky Fresh

2009-11-17T04:41:00.000-08:00

I have two very sad chairs sitting in my house waiting to be loved again. I suppose the main thing that's stopping me from beginning their transformation is that I know nothing about reupholstery and there is a big cost involved when sending it to a professional. Jennifer's restored chair above has really inspired me to start looking at funky fabrics again and I'm definitely going to aim to have two amazing Jennifer-esque chairs in January (I hope!). You can check out Jennifer's Etsy store here.

What a transformation

2009-11-17T01:39:00.000-08:00

It's amazing when you open your eyes to see the potential that an existing piece of furniture has. I absolutely love this locker transformation by Vickie Howell. By removing the upper doors this piece now also works as a bookshelf and the new colour is absolutely stunning. You can find out more about Vickie's work here.

Before & After

2009-11-16T07:57:00.000-08:00

I've only recently tried my hand at furniture restoration. Previously I used to admire from afar but since work began on my house I've had to think long and hard about how to fill it with furniture. Because it'll be a mix of old and new (the initial structure on the site was an old cottage while the extension will be a contemporary structure) it made sense that the style of the furniture would be more of an eclectic mix of modern and older pieces. To make sure that this merge of styles comes together I've decided to restore the pieces with a modern twist through bright paint and patterns. Needless to mention, I've kinda become obsessed with this type of restoration. The cabinet restoration by Jana above is just fab. I love the new lease of life that she's given it and the funky colour pallette is so different. You can check out more of Jana's projects on her blog here.

Something to write home about

2009-11-16T06:29:00.000-08:00

Isn't this restored writing bureaux just stunning? Check out Hannah's blog here where you can see more of her beautiful recycled pieces as well as some seriously delicious recipes!

Pining Away

2009-11-16T04:38:00.000-08:00

image from Fir0002/Flagstaffotos

I love Christmas. This year I'm making Christmas dinner for the first time and I'm already thinking about how to decorate my table. I've been really inspired by the table settings in Meadows & Byrne this year with their large glass vases holding beautiful decorations as centerpieces. Because I'm on a major budget because of the house build I just can't afford to splash out in there so I've had to think about how I'm going to recreate that look for less. When I'm on a budget my first stop is Penney's and I was pleasantly surprised to see that they have a range of minmalistic decorations made from wood which I snapped up right away.

To continue this natural theme through to my centrepiece I decided to collect some pine cones. So I loaded up the car with the dogs and we set off on a pine cone collecting expedition! They're all sitting at the base of the fireplace now because I'd like them to open out a bit before I clean them out and spray them. Not sure if I'm going to go white or just a simple sparkley glitter or maybe a mix of both. I'll keep you posted!

Away with the Fairies

2009-11-16T03:54:00.000-08:00

It's getting closer to Christmas and as everyone knows we're all searching desperately for the perfect gift, but more importantly something that isn't going to leave us penniless. Here's an adorable idea from Pam which featured on Jumbletown. All you need is a jar, some leftover fabric, some shredded paper and a little magic fairy dust : )

Sweetness & Light

2009-11-16T03:35:00.000-08:00

This lamp is a real statement piece by mixed media artist Tracy Nors. Addicted to all things vintage, Tracy works with recycled furniture and acessories in a variety of mediums such as textiles, papier mache, painting, collage and print and creates fabulous interior pieces. Check out Tracy's blog and more of her amazing designs here.

Make a Note

2009-11-16T03:26:00.000-08:00

As a designer I'm always looking for unusual notebooks to bring along to meetings with me to jot down my notes. I know it may sound a little weird but I think producing the regular foolscap is just lazy. At the moment I've got a lovely large polkadot print notebook that I got in John Lewis when I was in London last year. I just came across these beautiful journals on ReForm School. They'll definately be appearing on my Christmas Wishlist!