Gayle transforms an ugly table into a thing of beauty during an upcycling workshop with Perthshire-based Sarah Peterson.
Many of us hoard a selection of grim, grotty old furniture or household items that we don’t quite know what to do with.
For some reason, they’ve not made it to a charity shop and they sit, forlornly, gathering dust in our sheds and attics.
But Twixmas – the twilight zone between Christmas and Hogmanay – is the perfect time to get stuck into an upcycling project, or at least, to start thinking about one.
See that horrible, cobweb-ridden table you’ve got stashed away? The one with the dated, sticky varnish?
It’s an ugly vision right now but, with a bit of work, it could be gorgeous.
All you need is a bit of upcycling know-how and if, like me, you have none, check out Perthshire’s Sarah Peterson, a regular contributor on the BBC’s Money for Nothing.
Sarah and her husband Alfie Ianetta opened Tayside Upcycling and Craft Centre (TUCC) in August and it’s a fantastic place where once-loved objects, mouldering away in folks’ homes, are given a new lease of life.
The centre, which sits off the A90 at the Inchmichael garage near Errol, showcases the creations of resident furniture upcyclers and artists (including Sarah) and a group of craftspeople.
It also offers advice and the materials – paint, stencils, brushes and so on – required for the general public to crack on and do their own upcycling.
Sarah plans to run dedicated upcycling workshops in 2021, but I was lucky enough to join her for a special, socially-distanced, early-December session.
The plan was to turn two shabby coffee tables into items of beauty and Sarah reassures me it’ll be relatively simple.
The first job is to sand down the wood, removing old varnish so that new paint will better adhere to the surface.
This creates dust so we wear masks and wipe down our tables with white spirit.
Once they’re dry, we choose paints. I opt for metallic blue while Sarah goes for black.
A word of advice – don’t wear a new yellow top to do this!
Then it’s time to stamp our individuality on our masterpieces by creating patterns with masking tape and gold metallic paint.
“It’s hard to know what the final result will look like but be bold and go for it,” beams Sarah, as I nervously attach strips of tape and then paint some “gaps” with bling gold.
The grand finale is gently peeling off the tape to reveal a snazzy geometric pattern.
It looks ace! A wee bit retro, and very, very cool. It’ll look great in my lounge.
While upcycling can be as complex as you want it to be, my simple table project is a great introduction.
Sarah, of course, has worked wonders on thousands of items over the years – there are no limits to what she can upcycle.
“It’s a shame when items are discarded because they’re deemed to be the wrong colour or dated designs,” she reflects.
“With a lick of paint or the addition of some fabric or wallpaper, you can transform any piece.
“I love the process of creating something new, of seeing the potential in a tattered piece of furniture. It’s about having the ability to look past dishevelled woodwork and fabric and visualise the finished piece.”
Sarah was headhunted for Money for Nothing in 2016 – a show themed around saving items from being dumped and transforming them into valuable pieces. It’s about cash for trash, in essence.
“More than 22 million items of furniture are thrown away annually in the UK and much of that goes into landfill,” she muses.
“This has a huge environmental impact so anything we can do to promote recycling and upcycling will help future generations.”
With a first-class degree in glass and ceramic design, Sarah enjoyed a career as a glass designer and maker, hosting exhibitions of her work across the world, including in swanky department stores Harrods and Bloomingdale’s.
But she’s been indulging her creative side since she was a wee girl – she was never far from a pencil or paintbrush.
Even at primary school, she impressed her classmates – and the local newspaper – when she crafted a Christmas nativity scene out of plasticine.
Alfie’s background is in retail and sales and he was chief executive of the Black Watch Museum Trusts.
Since leaving that role, he’s supported Sarah in developing her business from its humble beginnings in their shed and attic to its dedicated space at TUCC.
“We were being offered lots of decent furniture that people didn’t want and items from house clearances that charity shops couldn’t take and would be destined for landfill,” says Alfie.
“Our biggest challenge has been finding room to store these donations. It would be fantastic if there was anyone who could give us some secure, wind and watertight storage so we could save more furniture.”
Sarah’s top tip for upcycling is to plan, prep and be brave.
“And”, she says, “Pop along to TUCC for inspiration, advice and all the materials you need for your next upcycling project.”
Info
When Covid-19 restrictions lift, TUCC plans to run upcycling workshops teaching everything from basic prep work to painting, stencilling and staining.
Check out the TUCC Facebook page for updates, email info@tucc.co.uk, call 07368 860581 or see @thetuccshop on Instagram.
