Create your own unique upcyled furniture masterpiece

It’s an old and arguably tired adage, but the saying: ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’ couldn’t be truer in the case of Feast Watson’s Re-Love Project. The initiative brought together eight designers who donated their time and expertise by ‘upcycling’ worn timber furniture items into unique, one-off designer pieces, all in the name of charity. For those new to upcycling, it involves turning used or useless furniture or other household items into something far more glamorous.

The project was an undeniable success, raising an admirable $5,000 for Salvos Stores Australia after Feast Watson agreed to match the funds raised from the eBay auction of the pieces earlier this month. James Fisher, brand manager at Feast Watson, notes that the success of the auction was a great reflection of both the strong support demonstrated by the public, and the delivery of such stunning products from the designers.

The project also shines some light on a craft form that, while popular, has yet to come into its own; with many seeing upcycling as a task best suited to smaller furniture pieces. Salvaging a larger item of furniture from the trash heap and showing it a little TLC, can in fact yield fantastic results and doesn’t require a lot of hard work.

According to Simone Barter (above), who fashioned a stylish chair and desk combination as part of Re-Love, it all starts with the search. And once you’ve purchased your piece, creating a masterpiece is as simple as planning, preparing and then achieving your vision.

Check out Simone’s step-by-step guide to achieving the look:

What you need:

• Feast Watson Timber Primer
• Feast Watson Stain & Varnish Black Japan Satin
• Dulux Super Enamel in Tango Semi Gloss
• Dulux Super Enamel in Malay Grey Semi Gloss

Planning:

Decide where the item will be placed in cohesion with the rest of the space and then choose a desk that will enable a large workspace. “Shop around and explore old and loved stores, you never know what you might find or what bargain you could stumble across!”

Preparation:

Prepare the wood by sanding it back, first with a coarse sand paper, followed by a finer one to smooth the timber. When selecting paint, “choose colours that will add a ‘wow’ factor – I chose Feast Watson Black Japan, Malay Grey and Pop of Tango from the Dulux range for a dramatic effect.”

Achieving your vision:

After applying the primer and allowing it to dry, remove all drawers and apply the first layer of stain and varnish, building up coats until the desired colour is achieved. For the chair, apply the Dulux Super Enamel in Tango Semi Gloss then allow to dry. When it comes time to paint, tape approximately 10cm from the bottom of each chair leg, evenly wrapped all the way around each leg. Then paint the bottom section of each chair leg. Remove the painters tape when the paint is completely dry.

 Find out more about Feast Watson products and where to buy them.