Why are antique bathroom fixtures preferable to new?

By comparison to anything available today, an antique basin will be unique. You buy antiques for the story they tell, the quality of the craftsmanship or manufacture and the patination. All antique and reclaimed bathroom pieces are full of history, beautifully made and have a look that cannot be replicated by anything made new. They are also green. By choosing a reclaimed bathroom you are doing a little bit to save carbon emissions created by the manufacture and transport of the new equivalent.

What should be considered when designing and sourcing a reclaimed bathroom?

Most antique and reclaimed pieces can be incorporated into a modern home. However, items may come from different periods and countries, so it’s a good idea to choose a style and period and use similar-aged items together. Think about space and start with the bath. These come in all shapes and sizes. If you take a bath to relax with an aperitif, then the tub you require will be different to one that’s comfortable to sit up in and read your favourite magazine. WC pans with high-level cisterns are not only elegant in any bathroom but can also save space. Basins with stands or pedestals are useful if you don’t have solid walls.

What kind of reclaimed fixtures are available?

Antique sanitaryware will date from the 1880s, but items from the 1930s to the 1950s will be the most commonly found at salvage yards and specialist dealers. Be aware that the older an item is the more expensive it is likely to be. There’s a huge range of items to choose from in terms of colour, decoration and material. Slipper, bateau or double-ended baths are mainly from Europe and may be harder to find than baths with tap holes at the end. Decorated Victorian items are available but hard to find in good condition. Taps and other fittings are readily available, but shower fittings are hard to find.

Will they need to be restored?

Condition is key. Bathrooms and cloakrooms need to be practical spaces and so it’s important that any reclaimed pieces are functional. A specialist dealer will restore items prior to sale. However, if you buy unrestored items, they will need some restoration. Ensure that all taps and other brass is removed prior to any work being carried out and that any resurfacing is done by a specialist prior to installation.

What needs to be considered in terms of plumbing in older items?

The Victorians invented modern plumbing and exported it around the world. The vast majority of pieces will conform to modern standard sizes as these have never changed. Plumbers will often suggest that you cannot get parts for old cisterns, taps and so on, but this is not true. It’s possible to get most parts for most items, or an alternative. There are some items which will not conform to modern sizes and will require a specialist to adapt them. Most antique water supplies were gravity fed and ran at a lower pressure to our modern domestic water supply; an antique tap may not cope with this without an overhaul, but most can be made to be functional.

What about aftercare?

Limescale build-up is the worst thing for resurfaced baths and taps, so it’s important to replace washers in dripping taps and dry resurfaced baths after use. In areas of hard water, I’d recommend fitting a water softener. Most modern bathroom cleaners are non-abrasive and can be used for most surfaces, but check the label.

glasgowarchitecturalsalvage.co.uk

lassco.co.uk

acereclamation.com

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Unseen Icons are specialists in rescuing and refurbishing vintage cinema seats.  We’re rebels at heart with a passion for taking the unseen, neglected and forgotten and creating something truly iconic.

What makes you stand out from the crowd?

I guess we’re quite quirky you could say, we love colour and pattern and want to encourage others to be braver in their homes by surrounding themselves with things they love rather than what’s on trend.

What part of the process of making your items do you enjoy the most?

Taking something old, battered and unloved and making it beautiful once more.

When did you realise you were a creative soul?

I’ve always loved making things, my mum was great at making things like Christmas decorations or fancy dress costumers and could also sew really well so I guess I got it from her although when I was younger I never wanted to learn to sew.  As I grew up I had various ventures making things like fairy wings and tutus and selling them at festivals and online.

5. Whats the best feedback you’ve received about your brand or products?

When someone sees our cinema seats and it stops them in their tracks!  Making that wow impression and for people to see how much creativity, passion and handwork has gone in to the finished product.

6. Why is sustainability so important to you personally and how you build your brand identity?

I can’t bear waste and the thought of things that could still have a purpose ending up in landfill is just crazy!  When comes to vintage items this is even more important as once they’re gone, they’re gone for good.  Our whole brand has been built around taking the forgotten and unloved and making it beautiful once more.

7. When looking at your journey so far would you do differently?

Ooh this is a tricky one because I guess its a tough call to say whether I did the right thing choosing to niche down into vintage cinema seats.  I trained in traditional and modern upholstery and originally launched my business with the idea of bringing vintage chairs and sofas back to life but after a couple of years I fell in love with the old cinema seats and built a niche around these.  In some ways this has been fantastic, we have been continuously improving our techniques and I like to think when people think of vintage cinema seats they think of us.  The down side has been that perhaps people don’t realise we are also upholsterers and can reimagine and restore their chairs and sofas leading to less work at times.  Did I do the right thing? who knows, but I’m still loving the cinema seats and live to show them to a wider audience.

What’s next for your brand? What newness should we keep a look out for?

Collaborations are the life blood to a small brand like ours and we have some fantastic ones in the planning stages.  We are going to be working with the lovely Siobhan (@interiorcurve) from Design Masters using her eclectic designs on our cinema seats and then we have a striped collection launching with Colours of Arley

9. How can we find you?

We have a studio in Writtle, Essex

Instagram @unseenicons

www.unseenicons.com

Any upcoming markets:  Goodwood Revival in September

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Outdoor rooms are growing in popularity and, as someone who’s ridden this trend with fairy lights on her heels, I can let you in on the downside of it – the rain! This year, though, I’m on it. I’m going to be weather-ready. Firstly, no outdoor oasis is complete without a daybed and I know from experience that I’m useless at treating wood every year, so it needs to be metal. Secondly, the mattress must be waterproof. This led me down an Amazon and Facebook Marketplace rabbit hole and by the end I had purchased an IKEA metal daybed for £30, found a free single mattress, bought a rubber covering to encase the mattress (£8 from Amazon) and purchased a bottle of Polyvine Heavy Duty Extreme Varnish which is waterproof and has UV protection. This will be used to waterproof my cover and stop it fading. Not a bad hour’s work. Now just to create that fitted cover…

1 Take the measurements of your mattress, including the depth of the sides, and add about 4cm to each side for seam allowance, then cut your fabric to size (A).

2 On each of the four corners, measure and mark out a square to the depth of your mattress, plus the 4cm seam allowance – in my case this was 19cm (B). This is to create your fitted corners. With right sides facing, bring the two marked lines of the square together to create a diagonal crease. Stitch down from the top corner of the square, following your marked lines, then trim the excess fabric (C and D). Repeat for all corners.

3 To create the casing for the elastic, just fold over enough of an allowance that you could fit a pen easily through. Stitch all the way around the sides, but leave an opening to slide the elastic in (E).

4 Using about 3 metres of elastic (I ended up having to join some), attach the end to something that can be threaded through the casing. For instance, knitting needles, empty biros, safety pins or a small screwdriver (F).

5 Start threading your elastic through the casing, pushing the gathers back as you go. Make sure the end of the elastic is secure and doesn’t disappear, as it will mean starting all over again. Either pin it or use a safety pin. Once it’s threaded all the way around, knot the ends (G) and stitch the opening closed. For added protection, stitch a line either side of the knotted elastic, just in case it breaks (H).

6 Slip the cover onto the mattress and balance it on something you can get good access to all the way around. Pour some of the varnish into a spray bottle and add some water to make it easier to use (image I). Spray all over the cover, using a brush to work it in (J and K). Give the seams on the corners extra attention. Repeat two or three times, letting each coat dry in between.

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Chintz: what a wonderful word. For me it invokes memories of bedrooms from the 1980s that were kitted out from top to toe in Laura Ashley and frills. For others the word implies something that’s a bit cheap or tacky. However, the contemporary version is anything but cheap. Brands such as House of Hackney lead the charge with their strong patterns and sumptuous floral designs. My favourite is the Artemis range, inspired by Diana Vreeland’s ‘garden in hell’ room in her famous New York apartment. This luxury comes at a price though, with lampshades costing anywhere from £375 upwards. Which, if you can afford that, go for it. But if, like me, your purse strings pull tight at the mere thought, read on – and I will show you how to make one at a fraction of the price.

What you’re looking for is a hard shade. It will feel like cardboard, when in fact it’s a sticky-backed PVC fire-retardant lining with fabric stuck to it. It’s great to find one with scalloped edges as this lends itself to the overall look. That said, fringes and trims make everything look amazing, so if a straight edge is all you’ve got, so be it. I find the best places to unearth these shades are charity shops and car-boot sales; eBay tends to be too expensive.

Once your shade has been sourced it’s time to figure out what you’ll cover it with. Think outside the box; this time I’ve used leftover Liberty fabric but in the past wallpaper, old dresses, wrapping paper and scraps of vintage fabric have worked well.

Step 1

Start by pulling off the trim (Image x). If by chance it doesn’t want to play, use a hairdryer to warm the glue up slightly. Next, carefully ease off the panels so they remain the same shape, but don’t worry about frayed edges, as these will get covered. You’re now left with a frame and eight panels. Now give the frame a scrub.

Step 2

To avoid waste, we’re going to reuse the old panels. The outside of the panels is now going to become the inside, so I decided to zhuzh up the floral design on mine by colouring over the design with a set of Sharpies, reminiscent of the Artemis range I adore (Image x).

Step 3

Turn the panels over and spray them with an adhesive (Image x). Arrange the panels sticky-side down on your chosen fabric and cut around each one (Image x).

Step 4

The next stage is to rebuild the shade, with the original outside on the inside. You’ll need some thin double-sided sticky tape and a glue gun. All the outside edges of your frame will need to be taped (Image x).

Step 5

Once completely covered, start positioning the panels around your shade, making sure you press them down firmly (Image x). For any edges not sticking down properly just add more tape, as these seams will be covered in trim.

Step 5

Heat up the glue gun and start gluing trim along the vertical seams (eBay is a good place to buy trims and fringes). Next glue the top edge, and then your fringe along the bottom. Finally, glue the last bit of trim over your exposed fringe edge, to create a neat and professional finish (Image x).

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Vintage fabric has a unique appeal. Aged French linen, 1960s bold graphics or faded floral chintz, they speak of fashion and trends of former times, as well as often having a special soft laundered feel. Many old textiles – such as tablecloths – were decorated to show off the beautiful embroidery or lace-making skills of the homemaker, which has now become a thing of the past. Whether you have metres of fabric or a few treasured remnants that you want to use, here are a few projects to show off these finds around your home.

Curtains

Often expensive in terms of making as well as fabric, learning how to create your own curtains can be a worthwhile investment (check out soft furnishing expert Gemma Moulton’s online course at Create Academy). If you’ve sourced a few metres of fabric that run short for your intended window, consider adding a contrasting trim along the bottom edge to extend the length. Vintage lace-trimmed linen tablecloths make beautiful net-style curtains, providing a bit of privacy while letting in suffused light. Attach with clip rings, as here, to avoid damaging the delicate lace.

Chair cover

Making a loose cover is a great option if you don’t have the skills or budget to reupholster an old chair. It also allows you to remove the cover for washing – ideal if you have pets and young children (or are perhaps partial to red wine or chocolate…). It also offers the opportunity to refresh your decor with a seasonal swap, re-dressing your chair: perhaps light-colour textured linen for a cool summer vibe (think vintage grain sack), swapping to a warmer tweed or rich velvet come the autumn. The less-fitted style of loose covers is perfect for informal settings, creating a casual chic – and is more forgiving than upholstery when it comes to a little less-than perfect handiwork!

Tablecloth

Any cotton or linen can be simply hemmed and used as a tablecloth, but make sure it is washable. Avoid using anything too precious where you’d worry about spillages leaving stains. As with curtains, a shorter length of fabric can be extended with a border around the edges or by adding delicate lace. Alternatively, it could be placed on top of a larger tablecloth for a contrasting layered look, where one is a solid colour and the other a pattern, or decorated wtih lace or embroidery.

Cushions

The ideal project for a small piece of fabric, a silk scarf, retro tea towel or perhaps material from a garment that’s not wearable, cushions are a great way to show off a special find. If you only have enough material to cover one side of your cushion, use another plain-coloured fabric – picking a colour to complement – for the ‘back’ of the cushion. Don’t forget to embellish with smart piping, chunky buttons, pretty lace, or go for on-trend ruffles around the edges. If you’re new to cushion-cover making, opt for an easy envelope style (see this tutorial from Hobbycraft) which avoids having to worry about fitting a zip.

Sink skirt

You may remember your granny (or great-granny) having one of these in her kitchen. Once considered old-fashioned (and not in a good way), the trend for cottagecore interiors has prompted the revival of the sink skirt, bringing it back to kitchens, bathrooms and elsewhere. While once it was used for practical reasons to hide unsightly plumbing under the sink, it’s now becoming a style feature in its own right, with cupboard doors being removed to accommodate one – and not just in rustic-style kitchens either. It’s still a great way to hide appliances for renters or if you’re in need of a thrifty kitchen makeover.

Pantry doors

Another look borrowed from farmhouse cottages of yesteryear. Pantry cupboards often had cotton fabric over individual doors, covered by chicken wire. The fabric allowed air to circulate, while the wire kept the food safe from pesky rodents. For a more contemporary look, attach your fabric behind the doors of a glass-panelled cupboard. You can go for a gathered style and hang from curtain wire top and bottom, or for a simple hack just attach a section of material with a staple gun, as above. When you’re tired of the look you can give your cupboard (and kitchen) a refresh with a different fabric.

Bunting

And don’t forget to stash away all those ‘waste’ fabric scraps left over from your other projects, as they just might make the perfect bunting! These fabric garlands bring a sense of festival fun to any space – strung alongside festoon lighting in the garden, hanging from shelving in a child’s room, or under the mantelpiece at Christmas. Depending on how polished you want your bunting to look, you can sew classic pennants (see Debbie Shore’s tutorial on YouTube) or just go minimal as here, with a mix of remnants simply cut to size and stitched to bias binding.

The post Ideas for using vintage textiles around the home appeared first on Reclaim Magazine.

Utter the phrase ‘shabby chic’ and the reaction often garners the same response as ‘curtain pelmet’ or ‘avocado bathroom’. Strange really, when not 10 years ago old-looking, cream furniture was de rigueur. Maybe we’ve seen too many painted ‘Live Love Laugh’ wooden signs, but creating that distressed chippy look was the beginning of something new – furniture upcycling.

However, even now just the term ‘upcycling’ can conjure up more shock than chic. Carrie Webb, sustainable furniture designer, agrees: ‘The word “upcycling” has always been problematic. It’s a perfectly good term in itself and very accurate as it describes how we are elevating the piece from what it was previously, as opposed to just fixing or even restoring it. However, it has always had a bit of a stigma attached to it within the interiors industry. There are historical reasons for this – furniture upcycling as we know it really took off from the shabby-chic look which was much imitated, often with poor-quality results. In the minds of the general public this image of upcycling stuck.’

But with our increasing awareness of waste and the need to look after the planet, plus the trend for nostalgia, buying consciously and honouring the past, the design and interiors industries have caught on to the benefits of upcycling, which is spilling over into the mainstream. Upcycling has become a movement, promoted by big brands including IKEA (whose products are ripe for reimagining), paint companies old and new, and designers themselves, as well as emerging professionals who have turned an artistic talent or sustainable lifestyle into a career.

‘I think we’re now starting to see the back of this stigma, with the focus on sustainability meaning that upcycling is being recognised as a skilled craft that has an important role to play in reducing the environmental impact of the interior-design industry,’ Carrie points out. ‘Upcycled furniture can now be seen at international design shows and in leading interiors publications. People are finally beginning to understand!’

Chris Billinghurst, founder of The House of Upcycling which supports professional upcyclers and champions the benefits of buying and commissioning designer upcycling, has seen both her organisation and the industry grow. ‘Interestingly, there are now high street and online stores selling items which emulate the furniture upcycling style, particularly with regard to flat-painted furniture and decoupage, so the professional upcycling industry is becoming a trend-setter in its own right,’ she says. ‘And although upcycling will always be associated with the shabby chic of chalk paint and distressed surfaces, it’s now just a small part of the upcycling landscape as trends continue to evolve.’

Indeed, there’s no single upcycling style; individuality and artistry are key. ‘If anyone can call themselves an artist, I think it’s the same with upcycling – it’s such a personal choice,’ says Marcie K, furniture designer and Reclaim columnist. And with the huge and growing selection of paints and products, the possibilities for creativity are endless, meaning anyone can – and should – have a go at upcycling.

‘It’s becoming a way of life, something we should be doing just as a matter of course, questioning what we send to landfill,’ says Lynne Lambourne, an interior designer with a focus on sustainability and upcycling. ‘Could we make use of an item in another way – stopping ourselves buying new?’ In this way, even if we’re not painting furniture, we can all upcycle, reuse or reimagine older pieces, or items that we already have. It’s really a process that results in reducing waste by creating a new and original item. ‘Upcycling is just creative reuse,’ Lynne continues, ‘taking something you weren’t using in its current form and giving it a new purpose.’

As Chris points out, ‘after a decade of education and discussion and with the increased interest in sustainability, particularly among the interior-design fraternity, upcycling has lost its less-appealing associations and is being awarded the status it deserves.’ Just as we can choose to buy a designer dress, a vintage frock or high-street clothing, so we can decide to commission an upcycled chest of drawers from a skilled artisan, buy a reimagined piece off-the-shelf, or pick up an old table and paint it ourselves.

So what’s next? ‘Art deco, particularly using gold leaf or paint on walnut, remains popular, particularly for drinks cabinets, as do dark colours for painted furniture together with heavily patterned decoupage papers,’ says Chris. ‘We’re also now seeing more artisans turning their hand to other types of upcycling, such as creating lighting, art and home accessories.’ Both Carrie and Marcie agree that we’ll see more bare wood on upcycled pieces rather than covering everything with paint.

Upcycling is no fad and is open to everyone from the professional designer and artist to have-a-go hobbyists. Furniture can become self-expression and, in the midst of both a cost-of-living and climate crisis, reusing existing items is the logical and budget-friendly way to go. Now that’s not too shabby.

The post How furniture upcycling has come of age appeared first on Reclaim Magazine.

If you’re planning to declutter your shed or garage, it can be tricky to know what to do with unwanted DIY materials and other detritus. It’s tempting to load up the car and head to the tip, but some items can be reused or recycled, rather than ending up in landfill. Plus, you may find some treasure in among the trash too.

Instead of emptying out the whole garage or shed at once, try tackling one type of item at a time. Yes, it’s a slower process, but it’s a more mindful one, helping you find a more eco-friendly solution for disposing of each item, with a feelgood factor that makes a job well done even more satisfying.

Bicycles

There’s a thriving market for second-hand bikes, so list unwanted cycles for sale on eBay or a local site, as even bicycles in poor condition can be refurbished. If beyond repair, most recycling centres with a mixed-metals facility can take the metal parts – type your postcode into the Recycle Now locator search tool to find your nearest site.

Another option is to donate to a charity that upcycles bikes. Resurrection Bikes is a volunteer-run organisation that refurbishes donated bikes in any condition – or uses them for parts – and sells them on in full working order, with the proceeds going to charity. You can also donate bikes to Recycle Your Cycle through Sue Ryder charity shops. The programme works in prisons and with other disadvantaged groups to help people learn new skills, and the refurbished bikes are sold to raise money for various charities, including many hospices.

Paint

Around 50 million litres of paint go to waste every year (of the 320 million litres we buy), much of it either thrown away or stashed in the garage. You can pass on unwanted paint by using sites such as Freecycle or donate it to Community RePaint, which collects leftover paint from drop-off points at household recycling centres, providing it to families, community projects and charities at an affordable cost. If you’re in Leeds, you can donate leftover paint to Seagulls, also through drop-off points at household recycling centres, which is then reprocessed and sold on at a budget-friendly price.

If you only have a small quantity of paint or it has gone hard, be aware that you can’t throw the cans in your household rubbish, and paint should not be poured down the drain as it may harden and cause a blockage. For a small amount of paint, B&Q recommends brushing it on to a large piece of paper or cardboard, letting it dry, then disposing of it in your household bin. If there’s a larger quantity of paint, add soil, sand or sawdust to the tin and leave the lid off to allow it to harden, then tins can be taken to the recycling centre. Recycle Now says that solvent-based paint should be disposed of as hazardous waste – check with your council to see what they accept.

Inflatables

The price may be low, but the environmental cost of plastic inflatables and paddling pools can be high. Inflatables are often made from PVC which is used for durability, but this means they are rarely recyclable and end up in landfill (or worse, in the sea). If they’re punctured and beyond repair, consider sending them to We Are IA an innovative sustainable business that recycles salvaged bouncy castles, inflatables and deckchairs and turns them into bags, including backpacks, washbags, pencil cases and totes. They run an ‘inflatable amnesty’ for people to send them their inflatables (you pay the postage) – and you have the option to have a bag made for yourself.

Plant pots

It’s amazing how these stack up in the shed – not surprisingly, as we use 500 million plastic pots and seed trays every year in the UK. Perhaps you can find another use for these pots? Give them a decorative makeover by painting them, using paints left over from other projects, or you can use metal patina-effect paints to achieve a stylish vintage look. Wrapping pots in hessian fabric or brown paper and tying with twine makes for a beautiful gift potted up with a plant.

It’s worth offering unwanted pots on local sites, as gardeners, nurseries or community projects may be able to use them if you have a large quantity.
For any pots you can’t reuse, Recycle Now tells you where to recycle them locally, or check with your local garden centre as some (Dobbies, for example) offer a recycling service for plastic pots and trays.

Electricals

Buying things that were built to last has been replaced by built-in obsolescence, with electrical items usually only sold with a one-year warranty because manufacturers and retailers make it easier and cheaper to buy a new appliance rather than get an old one fixed.

Firstly, consider if the item can be salvaged. Repair Cafés are popping up all over the UK now, where volunteers fix all kinds of gadgets, diverting them from landfill. If your item really is beyond repair, then the good news is that electricals are highly recyclable and often contain valuable resources such as precious metals, so they shouldn’t go into your household waste. Find your local electrical recycling point at Recycle Your Electricals or ask at your local recycling centre.

Garden furniture

Aim to prolong the life of wooden or plastic garden furniture for as long as possible. A wooden set can easily be freshened up with a scrub and a coat of wood oil or a stain for a natural look, or use an exterior wood paint from an eco-friendly brand. A plastic set can be transformed with a proprietary spray paint. Keep hold of your rusty metal or cast-iron bistro set as this will last for many years with a little sanding and regular applications of metal paint to deter rust – and a certain amount of wear adds to the charm.

Outdoor furniture that looks dated to you could be an upcycling project for someone else, so it’s always worth listing it for sale or free on a local site, even in poor condition. Alternatively, some charities will take garden furniture – try organisations such as Reuse Network or Reviive, or your local charity shop.

Tools

There are charities that take unwanted tools – organisations such as TWAM and WorkAid accept all kinds of gardening and hand tools and pass them on to people and projects both in the UK and overseas. Or try Tools Shed, a recycling project run by The Conservation Foundation, which collects tools from recycling and garden centres, takes them to prisons to be refurbished by inmates, then distributes them to schools and community gardens.

If you have vintage tools, perhaps inherited from your grandad’s shed, these can be refurbished and either used, displayed or sold on. Try Tooltique, which can assess, refurbish, and sell vintage and antique tools.

If you find you often end up buying tools for one job that are never used again, in future try using a ‘Library of Things’ or a tool library to borrow them instead – a great way of reducing waste and saving money too. Some tool libraries also accept donations of good quality unwanted tools and offer other services, such as tool sharpening.

Garden chemicals

With many of us going organic in our gardens, you may find you’ve got a few unwanted, half-finished bottles of weedkiller or pesticide in your shed. Never dispose of them down the drain, in water courses or on bare soil, as they may contaminate ground water. It’s best to use them up even if you don’t like the idea – perhaps just give your driveway or garden path a last blast of weedkiller, or apply to a weedy patch of your garden away from any edible plants.

The RHS recommends that empty pesticide and weedkiller containers that held concentrated solutions (ones needing to be diluted before use) should be rinsed out three times (add the rinsing water to your final spray solution or apply to weeds/plants), then the containers can be disposed of in your household waste. Containers that held ready-to-use products can now be recycled along with other plastics.

If you find unlabelled chemicals in the shed and you can’t identify them, or if you have a substantial number of containers of chemicals, go to Safe Disposal to find your closest site to dispose of them safely.

Seeds

Seed packets usually have use-by dates on them, so if you have seeds going back a decade, then the chances are they won’t germinate now. The best thing to do is to add them to your compost heap and recycle the paper packet. But newer seeds may still be worth using – most will be viable for at least two years, but some varieties like beans, peas, tomatoes and carrots can last for four years, and cucumber and lettuce could germinate after six.

If you have in-date seeds you know you won’t get around to growing, pass them on via a seed swap organisation or event. There are lots of these events taking place around the country – often in February before growing season gets underway. Seedy Sunday in the Brighton and Hove area is the UK’s biggest and longest-running community seed swap event, or check out Bristol Seed Swap.

Materials and more

Odds and ends of wood can also be repurposed – leftover decking planks are perfect for making raised beds for the garden, while the wood from pallets can be used to build a new planter, a wall-hung garden bar, an outdoor coffee table or seating. A stash of leftover bricks or stones can become a stylish herb spiral, a fire pit, or used to edge a path or flower beds. A combination of wood and bricks could become a bug hotel in your garden.

All kinds of odd bits and bobs can be repurposed. Old kitchen pots and pans, wellies and galvanised buckets can be used as planters, a vintage ladder can become a pergola or trellis, and an old chest of drawers can be painted and used in the garden to display potted plants in the open drawers.

WORDS: LINDSEY HARRAD

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As domestic dwellings have evolved over time, each era is notable by its own particular style, from the graceful high ceilings of Georgian homes to the Edwardian penchant for parquet. Many of these period features remain in homes up and down the country, in varying states of repair. Some are hiding under layers of paint and ad-hoc boxing in, many are taken for granted, while others have sadly been ripped out altogether. But whether you live in a Victorian terrace or a modern new-build, period features can be brought to life or installed to give maximum impact and depth to a space. Here are some of the most favoured features to refine your home.

Fireplaces

There’s no beating a fireplace and surround in a main living room – it gives the space a focal point and anchor. The Victorians had a fireplace in every room, which were first made from marble or slate, but later cast iron, with colourful tiles inset on either side. So if you live in a home from this era it’s likely that a fireplace will remain at least in the sitting room, hiding behind plasterboard in the bedrooms, or sometimes in a hallway too. Homes from other periods would also have had a fireplace – you may be lucky and discover a large inglenook or an art deco piece. If you live in a period home and the fireplaces are missing, very carefully check behind an existing modern fireplace or boarded up chimney breast. You could reveal a gem.

But don’t take a sledgehammer to the wall without first checking that there’s likely to be a fireplace behind it. Do this by either knocking on the wall (a hollow sound suggests there is space behind it, which could indicate a fireplace), checking your survey, which may indicate where fireplaces once were, or if the chimney remains in place count the number of flues, which will correspond with the number of fireplaces.

If the fireplace has been removed, or you’re in a modern home and want to add a focal point to a room, consider installing a period fire surround. Received wisdom has it that you should match the piece to the home’s era, but if you find something that you love, and it fits the proportions of the room and the rest of your scheme, then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have, say, a Georgian fireplace in a mid-century home.

If this is purely for decoration, then a competent DIYer could do the job. But if it’s a working fireplace you’re after, then it’s vital to consult an expert to ensure that the chimney is clean and unblocked. Poorly maintained old chimneys and fireplaces can produce carbon monoxide, so don’t be tempted to light a fire without being given the all-clear. Also check that you’re permitted to burn solid fuel in your area; eco, smokeless fuel is best.

Top tips

• Once you uncover a fireplace it’s quite likely to be messy, so keep in mind that you’ll need to clean it out, repoint brickwork or install a chimney balloon (if you’re not going to light a fire) to eliminate draughts
• Ensure that a working fireplace is kept clean and the chimney regularly swept
• For a decorative period fireplace, add fireside tools, lights in the grate and a seasonal mantel display for a year-round focal point

Ceiling treatments

Cornicing and ceiling roses add elegance to a room and can turn any space from bland to beautiful. Plaster mouldings have been used throughout ancient history and classical architecture, and many pre-Victorian mouldings in domestic homes were copied from historical examples, with decorative plasterwork used to indicate social hierarchy.

Most period homes will retain their original cornicing – used to disguise where the walls and ceiling meet – although layers of paint could mean it’s not looking the best. If this is the case, a paint-stripping job (always check paint stripper on a small area first) may be in order to reveal the finer details. If the ceiling treatments are damaged – or the ceiling rose is missing – they’re well worth replacing. In this case, it’s better to choose pieces to match the era of your home: so a Victorian terrace will need a simpler, less ornate treatment than a large Georgian property. Also, try to ensure that both the cornice and the rose are from the same period, otherwise they could jar against each other.

You can put up a ceiling rose by drilling into the ceiling with plaster screws and securing it with cornice glue, but rewiring the light back in should be done by a qualified electrician. Adding cornicing to a modern home, or replacing old plasterwork, is a much larger job and will require an experienced builder.

Traditionally ceilings, including plaster mouldings, were painted white. Now, though, everything from inky blue to pink can add impact to a space. Painting the wall a dark colour and the cornice and ceiling a pale hue creates a dramatic effect and makes the ceiling look higher. Or, choose your wall and ceiling colour and pick out the cornicing in a tone in-between for a graduating effect.

Top tips

• Ceiling roses come in a huge number of styles, from pared-back and diminutive to large and ornate. Generally speaking, the higher the ceiling, the more elaborate you can go with
  the rose
• If your roses have been removed, it’s worth asking a neighbour with a similar-era home to see their ceiling treatments, to give you an idea of what was originally installed

Dado and picture rails

These simple additions really enhance a room and instantly add character. Picture rails first became common around the early 1800s and were mounted either about 40cm below the ceiling cornice, or at the same height as the top of the windows or doors. Dado rails originally came about in the Georgian era, when dining chairs were put away from the table when not in use. The wooden dado rail, fixed at around 120cm from the floor, was to protect the wall from being knocked by furniture. Today, while we tend not to use picture rails for our wall art and dado rails serve no practical purpose, both are good ways to make a decorative statement and provide opportunities to use bold colour, wallpaper or panelling either above or below them.

Consider fixing dado rails slightly lower than they would have been originally, as this makes the ceiling look higher. Take your guide from the ceiling height – there’s no set rule, but if you live in a period property and the dado has been removed, then look for bumps in the plasterwork.

Picture and dado rails are simple to glue on with something like No More Nails, but bear in mind that it’s a very precise job that’s hard to rectify if you find your lines aren’t straight.

Pick out your dado or picture rail in white or an accent colour to draw a line between, say, paint and wallpaper, or paint the rails in the same colour as the wall for a contemporary look.

Top tips

• A room with a dado rail requires a lower skirting board
• Choose between a picture or dado rail for a lower-ceilinged room; having both can make it look cluttered

The post The essential guide to period features appeared first on Reclaim Magazine.

An achievable makeover gives a real sense of accomplishment and can make a big impact to the look of your home in just a weekend. The advantage of a small-scale, specific project is that you can have your paint and tools packed away before the working week rolls around again – and you may even have time to fit in a Parkrun or pub lunch while you’re waiting for the paint to dry.

For instant gratification, choose a project that makes a real difference to your quality of life, whether that’s creating a more attractive home office, giving yourself a warmer welcome with a front door refresh, or adding a decorative feature to your living space that will lift your spirits every day.

Give the front door a makeover

Adding instant kerb appeal, painting your front door is such a simple way to transform the look of your property, and give you a boost every time you arrive home. You don’t even have to take the door off its hinges – just make sure you pick a fine, dry day when you won’t need to leave the house, as the door will need to be left open until it’s dry.

First, take off all the door hardware and keep the fittings gathered safely with each item. If you’re planning to replace old fittings with new pieces, you may need to fill the old holes too.

Wash the door thoroughly with diluted washing-up liquid, rinse then dry. Any patches of algae or mould may need a proprietary cleaner to remove them. Next, scrape away any old flaking paint, fill any cracks or holes with wood filler, then sand down the whole door surface to make sure it’s nice and smooth. Wipe the door down with methylated spirits to clean away the dust, and leave to dry.

Use decorator’s tape to cover the hinges and tape newspaper over any glass panels – then you’re ready for the fun part. These days, almost anything goes for front doors so don’t be afraid to express your personal taste – from baby pink to heritage green or sassy scarlet – but just ensure you choose an exterior paint. If you have patches of bare wood, you’ll need to apply a primer first, but if the existing paintwork is in good condition you may be able to progress straight to a topcoat. If you’re going from a dark colour to light, it’s best to apply an undercoat first or you may need several layers. When you’re happy with the finished look, remove any tape while the paint is still wet, and prop the door open to dry.

Put your door hardware back on, or update it with new fittings. Check out the large range of quality door furniture at Broughtons ironmongers, from knockers to letter plates, or for originals reclaimed from period homes go to English Salvage. Finally, add a pretty planter to your doorstep – from spring bulbs to an evergreen bay tree – for a lovely finishing touch.

Add character to your office space

With remote or hybrid working a reality for many of us, the home office has become a permanent fixture. Workspaces range in scale from a purpose-built garden room to a tiny desk squeezed on to the landing, but regardless of how spacious your office is, one of the many joys of working from home is that you can personalise it in a way that inspires and motivates you. Even if you are tucked into a corner of a spare bedroom, with a bit of creativity you can define your workspace with wallpaper or paint, some well-chosen accessories, an elegant desk and chair, and a rug. And even if it’s not a room with a view, you can still ensure you have something lovely to look at, whether it’s a wall mural or hanging plants.

Space-saving accessories such as a slimline desk or folding bureau and wall-mounted shelves are great for a smaller space or an office ‘corner’, and ideal for displaying unique pieces that bring you joy.

Adding feature wallpaper or using a bold shade of paint can add character to your office or nook, and help create a visual transition between business and pleasure each day, something that can often be missing without a commute to create. Painting a feature wall can be simply accomplished in a day, leaving you time to upcycle your wooden desk and chair with paint too. While wallpaper can be a little more time-consuming to hang, the new paste-the-wall varieties make it so much easier to apply. Try Mind the Gap for maximalist patterns with a vintage vibe, or prints designed by contemporary artists at Feathr.

For a few original touches, take a break from DIY and pop out to an antiques market or car-boot sale to pick up some quirky vintage accessories to personalise your revamped workspace.

Transform a window

While replacing a window can be a big, expensive job, giving a neglected frame a spruce up is achievable within a weekend and can make such a difference to the look of your home, inside and out.

If the paintwork is looking tatty, a fresh lick of paint will work wonders. Following the same method as for painting a front door, you’ll need to remove hardware such as latches (if possible), wash your frame, fill any cracks or holes in the wood, and replace any loose or missing putty. Next, prepare for painting by sanding the surfaces and wiping down with methylated spirits, then use decorator’s tape and newspaper to cover the panes of glass before you start to paint. Painting window frames can be fiddly but don’t be tempted to rush it, and don’t forget to give the windowsill and any stone surrounds a fresh coat too.

Adding a seasonal window box elevates your home’s exterior and ensures your views are framed by flowers and foliage. Decorative Garden Antiques has vintage window boxes, or find beautifully handcrafted planters in a range of vintage styles at Garden Requisites. If you’re in London, consider a membership with Living Windows, which will plan, design and maintain seasonal window boxes for your home.

Dressing with plants inside can also help bring the outdoors in – interior windowsills are the perfect place to gather a collection of sun-loving houseplants. A new window treatment can also make a substantial difference. Adding a roller or roman blind in simple linen, a beautiful print or a zingy colour adds instant style while keeping the window – and the room – uncluttered, while curtains are more traditional and create a luxe or cosy feel. For vintage-inspired fabrics for window treatments, F&P Interiors has an extensive collection, or try Jane Clayton.

Create a reading nook

If a room of one’s own for reading and dreaming is an unachievable ideal, perhaps space for a reading nook could be carved out somewhere in your home instead? Sometimes, just finding the right chair can give you the impetus to create the perfect space to relax and enjoy some screen-free time, while an underused corner in the house could be cleared this weekend for your new me-zone.

You don’t need much space for a comfy chair and small side table, so consider the landing, a corner of a rarely used spare bedroom, the space under the stairs, the garden shed, or perhaps think about installing and painting a simple window seat in the living room or kitchen. In an ideal world, a reading nook would be in a room with a view too, but if a space by a window is not possible, think about creating a cosy hideaway in a neglected corner instead, and illuminate the nook with carefully considered task lighting.

Antiques fairs are a great hunting ground for your essential furniture and fittings. Start with a beautiful antique chair (which could be reupholstered) – Vinterior is your go-to for vintage chairs of all styles and eras. Then a little side table with scope for upcycling with paint or decoupage, and accessories such as a footstool and storage for books and magazines, including wall shelving and a rack or basket. Add a beautiful cushion and throw for cosying up, and a pretty coaster for your cuppa too.

Make a hanging branch display

Gathering beautiful finds from nature and making a display is a lovely way to connect with the seasons at any time of year. Lately there’s been a growing trend for creating stylish hanging decorations, using characterful branches as a base. These can vary from extravagant, almost chandelier-like hanging displays, to more discreet wall hangings.

An effective ceiling display can be created with two securely positioned hooks, some thick twine or strong wire, and a beautifully shaped branch – this could be one log or multiple branches. Check you have sufficient clearance height to avoid bumped heads, and then decorate. Fairy lights that run from a battery pack are ideal – look for elegant sets on copper wire or try contemporary bulb or lantern-style lights. Lights4Fun offers lovely decorative lighting options, including some faux branches and foliage with lights attached. You can also add some hanging decorations such as white or silver baubles or glass globes (a simple, neutral colour palette avoids an overly festive effect) and hanging LED candleholders, and entwine with natural materials such as feathers and real – or low maintenance faux – foliage or flowers. Try Sophie Allport for faux foliage, or Cox & Cox for the prettiest dried flower baubles along with faux flowers and stylish vases for displaying foliage.

For a less obtrusive look, or in a room without the space or height to carry off a large hanging display, a simple branch hung horizontally from a pretty hook on the wall with dangling jam jars attached with thick brown twine at varying heights can look so simple and effective, and the jars can then be filled with cut flowers and foliage.

If you don’t want to attach branches to the wall or ceiling, try a simple arrangement of interesting-shaped twigs and small branches – possibly with blossom or buds attached – in a large vase, from which you could also hang decorations or entwine with fairy lights. Remember that simple looks are often more effective, so sticking to one decorative addition may appear more striking.

The post Easy weekend projects to refresh your home appeared first on Reclaim Magazine.

Stools with a drop-in seat are one of the easiest upholstery projects you can tackle and also create a high-impact change, especially if you use a matching paint as well. For this upcycle, I used leftover paint and just one fabric sheet from a Manuel Canovas sample book. Paints can be mixed at B&Q and Leyland to match your fabric for the perfect coordinated look.

Step 1

Tap out your drop-in seat and put to one side. Clean the stool with sugar soap, then sand all areas to give it a good key for the paint to adhere to. Starting with your stool upside down, paint the surface and allow it to dry, then turn the stool the right way up for the second coat (A).
Leave to dry again.

Step 2

Remove the old fabric from the seat pad by using a staple/tack remover or pliers to pull out the staples or tacks (B). If there are any you can’t remove, just hammer them in flush to the wood and cut away the fabric. Replace the webbing and wadding, if needed. I added some extra doubled-over wadding to pad out the old stuffing on my stool (C).

Step 3

Lay your fabric right-side down and position the seat frame upside down on top of it, ensuring it is centralised before you start stapling. Put three staples (or use a hammer and tacks) down one long side, in the middle of your piece of fabric (F). Repeat on the opposite side, making sure you smooth and stretch the fabric. Do the same at both ends.

Step 4

Create neat corners with a butterfly pleat, by pulling the middle point of your fabric diagonally across the frame corners. Staple in the middle, then fold the sides to meet and staple in place (G and H).

Step 5

Cut some muslin, calico or scrap fabric to cover the underside. Tuck the fabric edges under to create a neat finish and staple in place, covering your previous staples (I). Pop the seat back in the frame and admire your stool (J).

The post Beginner’s reupholstery footstool project appeared first on Reclaim Magazine.