Sooooo you paint...

This could come off as more of an opinion, but I want to define it as it pops up everywhere and you hear it all the time. Also people always ask what it actually means or assume what it means.


Upcycle

[uhp-sahy-kuh l] 

verb (used with object), upcycled, upcycling.

1.

to process (used goods or waste material) so as to produce something that is often better than the original:

ex: I upcycled a stained tablecloth into curtains.

So in definition, upcycling is turning something that was on its way to the trash because it's no longer of use, into something better than it was before. ex: tablecloth into curtains, feed sacks into pillows or purses, buckets into lights, and so on and so forth.

With that said, think about how much creativity this takes to think up the idea, the logistics to wire it, adhere it, proper measurements and cuts, the amount of time and money it takes to weld something together, or the plasma cutter to cut a design or even the skills for graphics... So so sooooo much! This is what separates a lot of pieces and a lot of people in this 'field.'

I feel as if when people ask what I do they assume I don't do really any of the above and I just crack open some chalk paint and send that coffee table out the door with a $75 price tag. When I tell someone what I do I actually say I am first, an educated beauty with a Bachelors in Interior Design, then explain what that actually means because HGTV doesn't portray us in the best examples and second, a redesigner and upcycler, then explain that I go to the wits end of the actual redesign of a new product than just the paint color, which is usually my last thought. It all starts as a concept idea or something I dream about nightly, then carries to how I can make it work, what the other options can be, and then I put it all from mind to paper, then paper to product, then maybe paint it for a little more wow factor or work better for the client.

As said in the past blogs, we pride ourselves on being 100% homemade ideas. We pride ourselves on making something that not everyone else can do in their basement over a long weekend. We pride ourselves on knowing that we made something for someone that isn't just going to sit in the corner of the room, but be a focal point and conversation piece, not just something someone sees and says, 'Oh, I can do that," because we all know we see those things and say that to ourselves to save some money. We want to give you more than what you pay for and make sure you are absolutely satisfied with what you get. We don't want you to go home, grab a bucket of paint in 5 years and repaint it. We want this to be a staple piece and maybe a piece to pass down to the ole' grandkids. As most know me, I try to make sure I set myself a part from the normal and try to make sure I am on top of latest of something before I immerse myself into it. Probably the best advice I got from my favorite boss in the world, Patri of AcV2 architecture, when I told her the paper was going to interview me that I wasn't only going to do great, but to make sure I explain what separates me as a designer from the rest. I am always trying my best to do just that.

Next time someone says they are a upcycler don't just assume that they paint pieces of furniture, though they may only do that, in which I personally think repainters go into another category than upcycling, but they may be building something new and exciting from something old and washed up. The options for things are endless you just have to be willing to have the courage and creativity to push that bad boy to its potential.


Here is an example of one of our upcycle projects and one that is just a little paint, not necessarily upcycled just a new coat of love:

Upcycled wind turbines into pendant lights. These were already in the trash pile because they didn't work, so we picked them out, cleaned them up, undaunted them (that even a word?), drilled the hole, wired it up, and light it up :) And now we've made them multiple times and sold them to multiple people. Why? Because they are not the usual, most people don't know how to wire them or have the tools to make that hole, or have the time to figure any of it out. 

Not really considered upcycled. Those pillows are, but that dresser...not really upcycled. It was fully functional before, but it was white...borrrinnnggggg. So I repainted it and that was it, took me about 10 minutes to sand and 15 minutes to paint. You could go home and do that, so why would that make me any cooler as a business owner? Now if I really spiced it up and used the drawers as shelves, engraved on the top, did a killer, intricate design and installed some hardware than we might have something. Now this just sits in my guest room or as used as a display.