Recycling Ideas

minniemaus1970

Please be kind, this is my first attempt........
I had this huge lovely terracotta coloured dippy oversized settee.
I managed to obtain a nice leather one of neighbours so mine had to go, I hate waste, so the 2 seater ( in good nick) went to a friends flat, the 3-4 ( about 2m) seater was a problem getting into the house so to avoid the damage again other half cut the frame into pieces. It didn't look very nice anymore!!
Anyhow, I was now left with huge seats and backcushions which had been cleaned recently.
The seat pads I took to my daughters, cut them down ( with sharp breadknife)to fit her settee ( which was saggy and shapeless) and she she now has lovly fat bouncy seat pads (mine were a lot thicker)
I was now left with 2 thick huge back cushions , so I unzipped them, opened up the inner layer which was again covered, finally found white fluffy springy wooly stuffing.
I got all my pillows(10) and scattercushions (17) opened them up and started filling them. My kids said we now have cushions on 'steriods' :rotfl:
I also took the feet of which I will put on a unit at some point.
my youngest misses the old floppy settee so from the covers I made two little cushions (20"x14") that sit in the middle of the 2 new settees, which meant I could keep the colour scheme too ( cream, terracotta and now brown leather sofas).
I think I truly recycled my old settee, saved money on new pillows ( mine look brand new now), My daughters settee will live a bit longer too, and a unit will be recycled soon with modern beech feet.
Does anyone else do this and what do you do to help recycle old furniture?
I am also looking for inspiration, I will put a picture on once I figure out how :T
MM

blossomhill_2

Sounds like you got your money's worth and helped the environment - I make mini greenhouses and rabbit runs out of divan bed bases

minniemaus1970

how do you that?

[Deleted User]

Well done thats brilliant I bought a book from a charity shop ages ago called 'Doing up old junk' and found it brilliant for giving you ideas on how to re-do old furniture to make it look a lot better I am in the process of rubbing down and repainting an old odd dining room chair that was a left over spare chair that sat in the cupboard under my stairs for about 15 years It has a mink coloured velvet seat which matches my bedroom colour scheme a treat but the old brown varnish on it looked horrible, so I have rubbed it down with a bit of wire wool and then smoothed it with my little sander and its undercoated in white twice and I only have to top coat it in white and I'll have a bright chair for the bedroom which cost me very little only a bit of elbow grease and a splash of under coat and top coat.I also have an old bedside cabinet which is going to be repainted and some Ben 10 pictures that I googled stuck on the top of it,I laminated the pictures before I will stick them down then I'll clear varnish over the whole of the top of the cupboard and it will go to my DGS Mikey's bedroom as his bedroom is themed in Ben 10 characters.
I love doing this and hate to throw things away.I have a small conservatory at the back of my house and in there is my work table covered in old newspapers which I can put the stuff to be renovated on.Once painted I can leave for several days for each coat to dry .As I live alone no one goes into my little work room only me so its a great way of using it for my hobby.I also use the table when not painting to make my Christmas and Birthday cards on as I love card making.its nice and bright out there so I have natural light and my little wireless for company .

blossomhill_2

minniemaus1970 wrote: »

how do you that?

"Just"

• strip the materials off the base, remaining wood frame is v strong and clean
• coat with wood preserver suited to animals.
• staple gun chicken wire for run, or screw on plastic greenhouse glass (or thick clear plastic but doesn't last as long)
• Leave one top/side open so it can be the opening
• either make lids for run or door for greenhouse by making a simple wood frame to fit and staple on wire or plastic
• For run, making a plywood top is handy for rain and sun protection

Takes about half a day

minniemaus1970

I love doing chairs up too, I done a round table for my daughter when she moved out, I undercoated the legs of the table 3 times, and loved the matt look so never glossed it, got for chairs of a friend and re covered with cream suedette material I had from an old project. when I found out she was pregnant I managed to get hold of a rocking chair (black!!:eek:) varnished it white matt and made a seat and back cushion out of cream fleece with pastel coloured dots. looks really smart now, and is sooo comfy
I would love to re cover an old armchair - the high back ones....

cjez_2

Very cool ideas. I am trying to do more up/recycling but more with fabrics as I have lots of old clothes n stuff. Recently I made hankies and reusable sanitary towels out of old fleece and an old shower curtain and old duvet sheet. The wadding in the duvet I'm going to use for making draft excluders in the winter. I'm not sure what else...
I love your ideas about furniture though coz its much better than taking stuff to the tip.

cjez_2

minniemaus1970 wrote: »

I love doing chairs up too, I done a round table for my daughter when she moved out, I undercoated the legs of the table 3 times, and loved the matt look so never glossed it, got for chairs of a friend and re covered with cream suedette material I had from an old project. when I found out she was pregnant I managed to get hold of a rocking chair (black!!:eek:) varnished it white matt and made a seat and back cushion out of cream fleece with pastel coloured dots. looks really smart now, and is sooo comfy
I would love to re cover an old armchair - the high back ones....

Do you have any pictures?

minniemaus1970

how do I post pictures on here??

minniemaus1970

my next project is to make a 'hoody' for our recycling box from my old shower curtain and some elastic band, getting sick of all the bad weather and rubbish all over the place, it will look a bit like a shower-cap

minniemaus1970

http://s1067.photobucket.com/albums/u430/minniemaus1970/?action=view&current=chair.jpg

I need to get a better phone sorry for the poor quality
MM