Sarah Heeringa – The Interiors Addict

Upcycling inspo: This kitchen facelift cost just $625!

“The kitchen of this city apartment looked boring, and this was made worse by a lack of storage invariably leading to clutter accumulating on the bench,” says journalist and stylist Sarah Heeringa of one of the many DIY projects that feature in her new book ‘Upcycling with Style,’ a step-by-step workbook brimming with practical, upcycling inspo and lots of pretty pictures.

“Sometimes the solution really is as simple as adding a decent set of shelves – and the perfect set to use here were a set of old wooden shelves previously removed from a 1960s bungalow. The upcycled shelves were basic, but made with solid wood, and slightly tapered in shape, making them less overbearing when mounted on the wall,” says Sarah who added a few rows of butcher block tiles above the bench top and painted the walls before installing the shelves. “At $625 for the entire project, the cost was very low for the dramatic change in effect,” says Sarah.

As a contributing editor of Good magazine and the author of ‘Reclaim That’, Sarah is well versed in the art of upcycling with plenty of hands-on experience acquired through renovating four old houses alongside her husband. “While doing this we used as many found and recycled materials as possible. Much of the furniture in our home has been stripped, repainted, reupholstered or otherwise reconfigured to suit our changing tastes and our family’s changing needs. We took this approach to save money, but also because the end result can be so much more interesting,” says Sarah.

Macrame — This gorgeous macrame step-by-step features in Sarah’s book

“You can choose to go to a big box chain store and buy everything you need to fill your house, but the quality may not be that great or the products very sustainably sourced. Incorporating retro items or upcycled materials into your home can take imagination and a bit of effort but the reward is a home with far more personality,” says Sarah.

Sarah has a particular interest in sustainability which is one of the major drivers behind her passion for upcycling. “It’s about making the most of the things we find around us. It can involve giving things we have a new look or picking things up from second hand stores and adapting them to suit our tastes. Upcycling can be very varied – involving painting, sewing, re-upholstery, woodwork or various other techniques depending on the project,” says Sarah.

“Upcycling can also help us to become more creative because unlike painting, for instance, where you might start with a blank canvas, upcycling starts with something that is unwanted, discarded or broken. You can give yourself permission to try anything, to experiment and to make mistakes. This can be very liberating. Along the way, we can also learn new skills and techniques. And at the end you have something that is better than it was,” says Sarah.

Upcycling with Style, New Holland Publishers RRP $35.00 available from all good book retailers or online

Photography: Amanda Reelick

Upcycling made simple with Jolie Paint | Steve Cordony’s guide to upcycling furniture

5 tips for easy upcycling in your home

By Sarah Heeringa

We can all get tired of how a room looks and want to switch it out for something else. These days we can choose to decorate our homes in pretty much any style we like. But rather than just tossing furniture or other homewares and replacing them with new things, I like to refashion what I have into a new look and then mix it with other new or vintage items that have caught my eye. It’s a popular new trend called reclaimism.

Upcyling or reclaimism is the art of giving old things new value. It’s about using our imagination to fix things up and personalise objects to our own liking and changing taste. With upcycling, we can surround ourselves with things that express our personal style, that have meaning for us and that tell a story. And I believe that it’s the addition of these personal touches that really help make a house feel like a home.

Here are five easy tips for getting started:

1. Choose something simple to start

The best way to embark on any creative project is simply to begin and where better than with choosing a picture frame or an old piece of furniture you would like to reclaim?

2. Use your imagination

Have a good look at the piece of furniture and imagine how it might look given different paint treatments. What if it was given a rustic whitewash or painted glossy black?

3. Try whitewashing

It’s amazing how a piece of furniture can be transformed with a sand and a coat of paint. One simple technique is to give wooden objects a light sand and a good clean and then a coat of paint using a whitewashing technique.

4. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

One way to achieve a whitewash effect is to use a rough old brush and quick, light brushstrokes. If there is too much paint, rub some off using an old cloth. Give yourself permission to try something new and maybe make a few mistakes. The best way to get the hang of different paint techniques is to roll up your sleeves and give it a go.

Once you have practiced your paint techniques on a rumpty old piece, you’ll have the skills to try something more ambitious. This kitchen bench is made with a solid slab of wood and painted with a less rustic whitewash effect and then sealed with a water-based clear sealer.

5. Switch it out

Sometimes upcycling is about simply using an existing piece of furniture in a different way. What if you moved an item of furniture from one room to another and gave it a new purpose? This big old wooden hutch dresser was a great addition to my kitchen where storage space was short. But this cabinet is now just as useful in its new role in my studio as a place to stash tools and craft supplies.

— Sarah Heeringa is an award-winning journalist and editor with a keen interest in homemaking and interior style. Formerly editor of Inspire, Parenting and Good magazine, she is the author of Reclaim That, which invites you to find a new and extremely cost-effective way to furnish your home.