Rejuvenating second-hand furniture is an incredibly satisfying and sustainable way to decorate your home. With a little vision and some creative flair, you can reimagine tired trash into trendy treasure over a weekend.
For this MasterStroke Flip, Gretchen Lowe transforms an old birdbath into a stylish side table with the help of some Resene products. You’ll recognise Gretchen from The Do Up, where she and husband Blair are undertaking an inspired renovation on their Kingsland bungalow. With her clever ideas and bold execution, Gretchen confidently shows that you don’t need to be afraid of colour and texture when creating beautiful spaces.
Gretchen is an avid upcycler and sources her vintage items from all over the place.
“I love to visit small town op shops, also Trade Me, the Salvation Army and Cordy’s auctions,” says Gretchen. “I enjoy the challenge of creating something beautiful out of something old and giving it a new life.”
The birdbath recently caught her eye at Cordy’s. “I loved the form of the birdbath and thought it was too pretty to sit outside, so I wanted to turn it into an indoor piece of furniture. A table seemed perfect.” Cordy’s is a premier antique, art and collectables auction house. They conduct monthly antique and art auctions, with three estate and collectable auctions in between. There’s always a vast range of unique and one-of-a-kind items to discover and be inspired by.
As always, Gretchen has her arsenal of trusty Resene products on hand throughout the process. “There are so many colour options, and Resene sealer is the best product on the market for upcycling, as it negates the need for sanding or other prep – other than a good wipe down!”
The process of upcycling old furniture is more sustainable and adds character that modern mass-produced pieces just can’t compete with. Plus, more often than not, older furniture is made with quality materials and really just needs a spruce up to look good as new.
Follow these step-by-step instructions to create your own stylish side table.
