A handmade cottage: upcycling furniture

Wednesday 29 November 2017

Armchair makeover - before & after

Hello all. Well you may have noticed that it has been a little quiet on the AHC front. To be honest it has been a hectic year for me and I've been struggling to commit to all the things I have balanced in the air, which is why crafting and blogging have taken a back seat lately. So please don't think I've lost heart in this little blog of mine - blogging and interacting with you is something I really enjoy doing. I just have to accept I can't do everything. So while I may not post as often as I'd like too, I will keep it ticking over as best I can ... starting with this armchair makeover!

You may remember me sharing a piccie of this chair a couple of years ago. Suffice to say it is no ordinary armchair. It once belonged to hubby's lovely grandparents, who are no longer with us sadly. When they passed away we were asked if we'd like something of theirs to remember them by - and straight away we thought of this chair. Granny often sat in this chair and everything about it reminds us of them and their cosy, welcoming home.

Wednesday 26 April 2017

VIDEO - How to make a faded 'distressed' floral table top

So you may remember I posted a tutorial on how to create a faded 'distressed' floral table top using napkins and decoupage last year? well I also made a video for it as well and I have only just got around to uploading it! This has been one of my favourite projects to date, it's so pretty and affective ... I highly recommend giving it a go.

If you can't see the video above simply click here. Enjoy x

Thursday 14 January 2016

Quick and easy - sample pot makeovers

Christmas has been and gone, the decorations are down and everything looks bare and downright boring. Spring is just weeks away so I thought I’d do some brightening up in my little abode. When it comes to home makeovers we assume it’s going to take a lot of time and a lot of money, but this needn’t be the case. Picking just a couple of things to lighten and brighten can make a world of difference, and for small projects like these, all you need is one little sample pot of paint!

Monday 18 August 2014

Video tutorial - How to paint, distress and wallpaper furniture

Hi all, Well I recently showed you my latest upcycle project - 'How to create a distressed wallpaper cabinet' and in this new video, Ralphy and I show you the entire process in just a minute! Should you want to try this yourself you can CLICK HERE for a full list of products and a detailed step-by-step tutorial with pictures.

Enjoy the film!

JM x

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Wednesday 2 April 2014

How to disguise and makeover an ugly armchair (in 5 mins)

Now I love my armchair. It's comfy, cosy and sits snugly in my little nook under the stairs.

But while I love the shape of the chair, I detest the fabric. It may have had its plus points back in its day but today it's dark and a bit too shabby (not the chic variety.)

So until I can afford to upholster it - which I will learn to do (anyone care to teach me? skill for a skill?)

I need to find a way to live with it. I've tried all sorts, from disguising it with cushions to covering the whole thing in a big blanket. That didn't work - it just looked like an obese ghost.

Then I tried this: a simple tablecloth, pinned in place ... and it works perfectly! it brightens the whole room, took all of 5 minutes and required no effort whatsoever. Perfect : )

Before

After

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