Just as there are countless items that you can find a new purpose for, so there is also an endless selection of colours to accompany your upcycling projects. But from rustic charm to shabby chic, how do you decide on a style that brings out the best in your DIY design? From using a single block colour, to complementing your furniture with a two tone effect, you’ve got a colour palette filled with a generous amount of shades to choose from. While colour is ultimately the key element in transforming any item, the beauty behind upcycling is that you can experiment all you want.
A whiter shade of pale
A fresh coat of bright white paint instantly evokes cleanliness and neatness – and with many upcycling projects centring on items being renovated into clever storage units, white is a viable and popular choice. But do you know the exact paint process that goes into upcycling reclaimed furnishings? Before you go rushing into buying a selection of coloured paints, first decide what type of paint you’ll need to use.
Repainting furniture can involve the application of primers, solvent-based paints, gloss paints and other topcoats and for the truly artsy projects, some special effect paints. Have you considered what paint techniques you’ll be going with? Will you be brushing or rolling the paint on? It’s best to practise your painting skills – you could attendan upcycling class or check out an online tutorial, you’ll get a good idea of paint applications as well as the colours chosen for their upcycling projects.
Break the ‘colour’ mould
As we previously mentioned, what’s great about upcycling is that you really can make your design your own. Taking a conventional-looking cabinet and fashioning it into a vivid purple makes it a centrepiece which in turn, can make a room stand out – serving as a décor accent.
So how do you choose the right colour for your furniture? If you’re adding the item to an existing colour scheme, simply use one of the accent colours from the room as your source of inspiration. From a candleholder to a rug, inspiration is everywhere – or alternatively, if you’ve already decided on a colour not currently featured in your room, just add accents to match it once the piece has been upcycled and takes pride of place!
Personalised painting techniques
But it’s not just paint that can change the appearance of an upcycled project – different brush strokes or adding some stencils can completely transform. Highlighting certain grooves or painting inside the back of shelves instantly lifts the appearance and can give the appearance of more space, while contrasting paint on the sides of the drawers can make a dresser stand out even more when the drawers are opened.
Looking to see what’s hot – or not – in colour right now? Explore our colour trends online – and bring out the best in your DIY projects today.