Tag: Sustainable Living
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Have an Happy Upcycling School Holiday!
Now Easter half-term is over (at the time of writing) perhaps you’re stuck for ideas to get your young people doing something worthwhile during Whitson or even over the long long summer holidays? Most people know that upcycling is a great way to give old furniture a new lease of life. It can also be…
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Painters Business Academy 2022 for Professional Furniture Upcyclers
Last weekend saw over 100 furniture artists gather in Derbyshire for the second UK conference dedicated to furniture painters and to celebrate all things painty. This year we were indulged with topflight furniture painters, product innovators and awash with an abundance of colour and laughter. As with last year (the very first Painters Business Academy)…
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The Varying Guises of Upcycled Furniture
If you think of upcycled furniture as a colourful slick of paint with some new matching knobs, then you are a missing out on the burgeoning trend which comes with a big sustainability thumbs up. Bureaus Take an ancient, old fashioned, beaten up grimy bureau. Chances are it will look downtrodden in most homes. However,…
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The Knapp Joint and the 19th Century American Table
On a recent reconnaissance to my local Recycling Centre, I chanced upon a console table buried under other unwanted household items. It was shapely and interesting but had clearly been in storage for some time. On close inspection of the drawer build, I was taken aback by the joints. No glue or tacks, but no…
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Upcycling Zoomers: The Next Generation
There has never been a better time to introduce Gen Z to the upcycling life choice. They have the power to champion a sustainable lifestyle amongst their peers and elders (assuming us Generation X are elders??). But how to get them engaged? Zoomers, as they are known, born mid-1990s to 2012, are digital natives. They…
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Upcycled Furniture isn’t all Bling and Pizzazz
Upcycled furniture is on a popularity roll. If you’re after an unusual statement piece with added ‘wow’ worthy of discussion, then upcycled will tick every box. However, a classic and conservative professionally upcycled item can bring understated refined elegance to your home. Most homes are not graced with bold, colourful artisan pieces of furniture and…
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Upcycling and Sustainability Christmas Quiz
Fancy a topical quiz before Christmas? This is for fun with no winners and no prizes, just a little lighthearted break in your busy day. Answers are at the bottom – no cheating! 1. How many pieces of furniture end up in landfill in the UK each year (to the nearest million)? 3. Who were…
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Have a Happy Upcycled Christmas
With any luck Christmas will be back on the menu this year. After having to endure nearly-there pared down festivities in 2020, we all deserve some seasonal cheer, in whatever guise or scale you choose. Christmas is often a time for families, friends, neighbours and loved ones. It is also a time for exchanging gifts.…
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The Carbon Footprint of our Trip to France
During the half-term break we took a long overdue trip to France to visit my Dad. But with all the attention on climate change and COP26 dominating the news, I wondered just how much our mini-holiday would actually cost the planet. I have broken down the research into the following sections: Air travel Car travel…
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Breast Cancer Awareness Month: October 2021
Every October, people all over the world show their support for everyone affected by breast cancer. Breast cancer is not a nice topic to feature in a blog post. However, I have personal reasons for doing just that; some of which have a happy ending and some of which do not. Upcycle Arcade is supporting…