Thoughtful Living: giving chattels a second chance

One man’s trash is another’s treasure – but what about your own? Historically, ‘make do and mend’ didn’t have the magic it does now, but happily, times – and tastes – have changed. As we all look towards a more regenerative future and work out how we can play a positive part in it, breathing new life into forgotten furnishings scores more points than ever – especially with Inigo, which has always sought to champion the storied and the second-hand.

But beyond our personal appetite, the need to limit landfill is acute. “We are probably all now aware of the environmental impact of fast fashion,” says Sue Corbett, who mends many of the antique rugs sold by Yarn (you might remember our interview last year). “But home furnishings make a significant contribution too.” According to WRAP’s Textiles 2030 initiative, they account for eight per cent of greenhouse-gas emissions. “We won’t solve the climate crisis without addressing excessive consumption. Repair and reuse is the way to go.”

In 2019, the North London Waste Authority (NWLA) estimated that nearly 22 million pieces of damaged furniture are thrown away each year. Given that only 17 per cent of furniture is recycled – involving processes that themselves have their own carbon impact – this is a major problem. We know, of course, that not everything is always fixable, but when it is – or when something just needs a little love – we should all be doing our bit, not least as the results can be both rewarding and beautiful too.

Those stats might seem gloomy, but don’t be disheartened. While the crisis continues to mount – quite literally, in the case of landfill – the news isn’t all bad. According to a 2022 survey conducted by Aviva, 35 per cent of people expect to upcycle more in the future, and nine out of 10 UK adults now attempt to fix their belongings when damaged. While it’s not strictly comparable, this data suggests a vast improvement from that revealed by the 2019 NLWA study, which stated that just one in 10 people considered doing repairs to their furnishings to avoid throwing them away. While there’s work to do, that looks like progress to us.

It’s worth remembering that this doesn’t mean you have to stop shopping altogether. Shabbier, preloved items make prime pickings if you’re looking to try out any newfound skills. If you’re one of the hopeful, we suggest you read on. We’ve been rifling through our little black book to find pros and practitioners willing to share their tips on making the most of what’s already here.

Reupholster

“Reupholstering breathes new life into old friends,” says Chloe Jonason, an interior designer passionate about the potential of recovering furniture. While you can ask a expert, giving it a crack yourself is also an option. Why not start with a trip to one of the furniture shops run by the British Heart Foundation, which save 103,000 sofas from going to waste each year? Together with the clothes they save, this prevents 130,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere. When choosing what to work on, Chloe advises you start small and invest in good tools and a good teacher. Enter Micaela Sharp, whose Create Academy course starts with a headboard and builds up from there – and is perfect for first-timers.

Chloe also recommends scoping out your local antiques fairs and auctions, as well as Facebook Marketplace and eBay. When doing so, Micaela says to keep age in mind when shopping. Modern high-street furniture “is often made with much cheaper materials, including chipboard and cardboard”, which deteriorate over time, making them unsuitable for reupholstery. “Learning how your furniture is made will change how you shop forever.”

It’s also important to consider your materials, says Tara Craig of Ensemblier London, whose own furniture is filled with natural materials, including wool, horsehair and hessian – the type of things you might come across when reupholstering an older piece yourself. (Her sofas are designed to last 20-30 years before needing any reupholstery.) Foam, meanwhile, which is in many newer pieces, is made of toxic chemicals that migrate into the air. It’s neither reusable (it compresses over time and goes out of shape), biodegradable nor recyclable, whereas natural fillers can be used again and again.

Repair

Micaela says she only comes across furniture that’s beyond repair very rarely. “The quality of vintage and antique pieces is usually high enough to always warrant repairs, as they’re made out of hard wood.” If you need to outsource a specialist job, we’d recommend making use of the British Antique Furniture Restorers’ Association’s . Its list of accredited craftsman is searchable by postcode, while manifold filters should cover every base.

As long as the task isn’t too tricky, mending at home is often a good place to start. When we visited Yarn HQ in 2022, we were vastly impressed by the mending done to some of its stock by Sue. “We are committed to the circular economy,” she says of their UK-sourced pieces. “I really want every one to go out as the very best version of itself – and that is where restoration comes in.”

Sue says she learned most of the patch and darn techniques she uses as she went along. “The great thing is that those skills are within the reach of every rug owner,” she explains. “Because of the intricate patterning of many rugs, you can get away with quite a lot of experimentation and you will find it blends into the whole when viewed from head height, as rugs usually are.” However, it’s important to use the right wool, Sue says, adding that four-ply, doubled and threaded into a darning needle with a long eye, is her choice.

Edges and ends rarely need more than oversewing, “although you may need to supply some new lateral threads if there is a real gap”. Use twill tape and a rubber glue to mend a hole in the body of a rug – just make sure “to get the positioning dead right because once it is on, it is not coming off again!” You can then essentially embroider the tape to simulate the rug’s pattern. “Once you have the hang of it, it is actually a soothing, even a meditative experience.”

Rejuvenate

Paint is one of the quickest and easiest ways to revamp your furniture. If our interview with lampshade luminary Alvaro Picardo didn’t leave you rummaging for leftover sample pots, you soon will be.

A source of endless inspiration to us is artist and illustrator Camilla Perkins. She knows all about the wonders one can work on an old stool or sideboard. “The thing I really love about it is that you can pick up a discarded wooden table from a charity shop and turn it into a family heirloom,” she says. “I’m not even particularly careful with my finished pieces,” she admits. “It doesn’t matter; I can just touch them up or eventually repaint them.” You can read all her tips from our interview with her here.

Camilla recommends sticking to wood and avoiding veneers. Unless, that is, you’re using Annie Sloan’s revolutionary Chalk Paint – a non-toxic product she developed in the 1990s that can be used on just about anything, without having to strip or sand. “My aim has always been to empower more people to feel creative,” she explains. Search #anniesloan on Instagram and you’ll see she’s had the desired effect.

Meg Boscawen, a decorative painter, is similarly passionate about ‘zhuzhing up’ at home. Often working with established interior designers, she has noticed an increase in commissions asking her to paint old pieces of furniture. “They’ve cottoned on to the idea that they something worn and torn can be pepped up really easily and relatively cheaply,” she says, citing a recent job for Jane Churchill, “whether that’s with a simple pattern or some woodgrain effect.” As with every industry, she notes, it’s reflective of a widespread and cross-discipline move towards regenerative practices.

Image credits: 2,3 Ensemblier London/Tara Craig; 4 Create Academy