10 Minutes with … Shedhomewares_e17
We’ve got a really exciting blog for you this week! We are discussing the topic of up-cycling with Carla Rossiter aka @shedhomewares_e17 - the Queen of up-cycling - in our opinion!
Carla Rossiter aka @shedhomewares_e17
This subject is a funny one for us, predominantly working in the commercial sector, up-cycling rarely gets a mention. Clients may want an authentic, rustic looking item, but in reality, a new product with a rustic looking finish will be specified. This being said, we are speaking to more and more clients who trust our design ideas and are coming around to the idea of including reclaimed furniture within their projects as the subject of sustainability is becoming ever more prevalent.
We, as commercial interior designers, simply can’t afford to ignore what is going on in the world around us, so we actively source products from suppliers who put sustainable practices into place and whose products can be recycled after their lifespan.
Jess is very thrifty and her home is filled with lots of wonderful pieces that have a story and are unique, very similar to Carla. I, on the other hand, have a really eclectic interior and am always in the process decorating!
Carla’s page really illustrates what is possible to achieve and she puts a very positive spin on up-cycling. Her house reminds us of a beautiful French chateau with every image telling a different story. Jess and I try and envisage where each piece has been and where next they might end up! Carla’s lovely home has just recently been featured in Home For The Soul, so go check it out!
We live in a world with a ‘throw away’ culture, where flat pack furniture is king, because it is cheap, but up-cycling is even more affordable! Of course it may take time and patience to get the right pieces to fit your design ethos, but that’s all part of the fun! Up-cycling may not even be your thing, but I think that you will appreciate, admire and have a new found respect for reclaimed furniture after you see Carla’s beautiful home, so let’s hear a little more about it….
NL: Where do you find inspiration for your upcycling projects?
CR: I love being inspired by others and am always on the lookout for things that catch my eye. Everywhere and anywhere can trigger an idea. It’s a bit of a melting pot of sources ranging from other homes in books and magazines to markets, travelling, independent cafes and hotels, creative shop displays, other creatives, junk shops, Instagram, Pinterest, friends and family - all can sow a seed of an idea which will evolve into something else, often years later. My ten-year-old daughter once turned a fly tipped decanter stopper upside down and put wild flowers in it and hey presto, it was a micro vase. I was impressed, I hadn’t thought of that! As Jim Jarmusch said ‘Nothing is original, steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination’.
NL: Where has your passion for upcycling come from?
CR: My father was a big influence. He was very handy and made lots of our furniture growing up. I remember watching with fascination the time he took up crazy paving and recycled it into a garden wall that doubled as a raised bed. He also made a huge waney edged coffee table in the 1970’s from a slice of raw wood - he was ahead of his time on that one.
When we first moved into our house I noticed a lot of skips and fly tipped furniture in the area, which I would cart home to do up. I’ve always been a maker. It was a great way to save money, do something creative and find a home for unwanted items. It became addictive and now it has become a way of life to opt for secondhand first. It also helps reduce fly tipping and things going to landfill in my community. Win win.
NL: What is your favourite upcycled item and why?
CR: That’s a difficult one, all of them have a story.
The projects that took the longest and made me work hard to achieve them have often turned out to be the most satisfying to complete, like the ‘bricks from skips’ exposed brick wall in my kitchen which took years to collect. I lugged them all home six at a time in a wheely trolley. Then it took me a good few months after it was built to take the plunge and paint them, which I did with layered DIY chalk paint to get an aged look. Sometimes you have to sit with things for a while and try different ideas till you’re completely happy with them.
One of my most meaningful makes are the all-white floor to ceiling patchwork curtains in my bedroom. They’re made with my kids’ baby clothes, my husband’s old shirts and thrifted vintage buttons, linens and doilies. They took two years to make and were a complete labour of love, full of many happy memories. They always make me smile.
NL: What is your favourite room in your house and why?
CR: Wherever the sun is shining in. I’m drawn to the light, warmth and lounging. I’m a big lounger! On the bed, in the bath, cuddled on the sofa or at the kitchen table looking out at the garden - usually with a mug of tea dreaming up ideas for my next project.
NL: What advice do you have for upcycling newbies?
CR: Don’t be afraid to have a go and try not to seek perfection. When you’re using low cost reclaimed materials it’s low risk so you can afford to play and experiment until it starts to speak to you. If it goes wrong it’s not the end of the world, you can always try something else to get the effect you like.
Also, try to stay true to your own style instead of following trends. My best projects have been the ones where I have gone with my gut feeling even though it might not be the popular choice. You are the one who will live with it after all so please yourself. Get stuck in, enjoy the process and have fun with it!
We have thoroughly enjoyed writing this one and hope it has given you a new found love of up cycling after seeing Carla’s beautiful home, because it certainly has us!
Over and out x