Upcycling: putting the cycle into bicycle – literally. In recent years, the upcycling community has pushed the boundaries when it comes to repurposing items. Taking fixed household furnishings is one thing, but now DIY enthusiasts are upping the ante and getting inspired while on the move – with bicycles in particular proving a popular upcycling project.
Whether it’s taking a bike as a whole or recycling bicycle parts, get ready to enjoy the repurposing ride – so without further ado, on your bike!
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Bicycle-based bathroom sink and storage. Grab yourself an old, vintage bicycle then taking a wooden counter, glue on top and finish with a vessel-like sink to be fixed to the top of the counter. If the bike comes with a basket, position the bike by the wall and ensure the front of the bike is faced away from any corners – as its bike basket serves as a genius way of storing towels and other bathroom accessories.
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Bicycle pot and pan rack. No additional storage? Not to worry – take a bicycle wheel, a chain ring, as many s-hooks as you do pans, then taking some strong wire, a ceiling hook and a couple of metal hangers, affix to the ceiling. So the next time you’re looking for cooking inspiration, look up!
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Bicycle potted plants. Bring your bicycle into nature, by painting it in your favourite pastel. Fix a basket to the front to hold your flowers, and there you have it – a gorgeous floral display that you can move around the garden as you please.
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Bicycle mobile. Do your own take of a conventional baby mobile with a repurposed bicycle part – make paper airplanes out of comic book pages, hang from the bicycle wheel, fix to the ceiling then prepare to be amused/amazed!
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Bicycle wheel collage. Step one – take a bicycle wheel. Step two – take clothes pegs and attach photos, notes, letters and reminders to your bicycle wheel. Organised and aesthetically-pleasing!
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Bicycle tyre mirror. Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the most creative of them all? With your repurposed bicycle tyre, you’ll be the envy of all your DIY enthusiasts with this clever design hack. With the rim of most bicycle tyres supported by steel wires for rigidity purposes, these will need to be cut through individually before you can separate the rest of the tyre. Hammer the steel eyelets along each side of the join, weave a thick cord through them in order to hold the mirror in place then paint the tyre your chosen colour.
Itching to get crafty? Then pedal your way to Johnstone’s – packed full of innovative ideas with a variety of speciality products to boot. For helpful
tips and advice, put forward your paint questions to our paint advice team today.