Upcycling hacks by Brooke Styles
Talented photographer and DIY specialist, Brooke Styles, has an incredible eye to upcycle pre-loved items and create the most fantastic home décor. She loves all things creativity and DIY, and has flipped a number of items — from furniture to a van, to plant pots and garden beds. Her latest project was upcycling a wardrobe and adding a beautiful starburst door detail to it.
We asked Brooke for her secret to design masterpieces like those featured @brookestyless and she’s shared with us her top tips for upcycling and what is currently on her Gumtree wish list. Check them out and have a great time upcycling!
Brooke’s tips to upcycle:
- Materials: be aware of what material you are working with – some materials like MDF /chipboard need a little more attention when flipping.
- Use paint: Don’t be afraid of colour — it’s fun making statement pieces. If you are after a few different colours you can purchase a few tester pots of paints at your local hardware store.
- Prepare your furniture: Before you get stuck into painting, make sure you prepare your furniture by sanding and priming.
- Details: Sometimes it’s the little details that make a huge difference. Replacing hardware such as table legs, door handles or adding door front details can make a huge impact.
Brooke’s wish list with her most searched for items on Gumtree
- Antique Victorian styled dining sets
- Cube Style Bookshelves
- Vintage Armchairs
- Farmhouse Kitchen sink
- Cubby Houses to turn into Chook houses
- Lamp shades – wedding decor
- Vintage tea cups and dinnerware
Brooke’s top tips and tricks for searching for items on Gumtree:
- Keywords: Don’t be broad on the search bar. When searching for unique and antique pieces I like to use keywords such as, vintage, antique, French, Victorian, cottage or Queen Anne.
- Use the ‘Sort by’ filter: Sort from newest to oldest to ensure you don’t miss new listings or try the ‘Best Match’ filter with your specific keywords.
- Freebies section: My best ideas have come from browsing the freebies section for inspiration and one-off free finds. You’ll be amazed what hidden pre-loved treasures you find.
For more inspiration to help you on your next upcycling project, check out our first interiors line, Gumtree Collections with Josh & Matt.
