Upcycle!: Turn Everyday Objects Into Home Decor

Have a bunch of mason jars in your cupboard but not sure what to do with them? Have some fruit crates laying around? Upcycle is a fun, contemporary project book that will show you how to take a range of common objects, many available cheap or free, and craft them into stylish home furnishings and décor. 

The projects are practical and attractive, with full-color photography and easy-to-follow instructions. Turn an old wooden pallet into a stylish coffee table or a charming, rustic headboard, a leftover jam jar into an accent light or a hanging plant holder, and dozens more simple home crafts. The lovely “farmhouse chic” esthetic brings a rustic yet modern flare to any home. Each project has a complete list of tools and materials needed, and handy illustrations that even the beginner to DIY projects can follow with ease.

The book focuses on 8 everyday items you may find at a flea market or even free—perhaps in your own home, and shows how each can yield a wide range of projects. Bonus section includes ideas for stencils to trace, or be inspired by to create your own.

Wooden Pallets: Coffee table, Floor lamp, Headboard, Shelves, Fun wall hangings, End table, Key rack, Building blocks, Candle holders

Fruit Crates: Firewood box, Banquette, Book shelves, Shadow boxes, Planters

Cotton Sheets: Round tablecloth with festive matching napkins, Embroidered wall hangings, Stencilled table runners, Dip-dyed curtains, Tote bag, Throw pillow, Light shade

Glass Jars: Accent light, Wall lamp, Suspended vases, Indoor garden, Terrarium, Christmas lights

Wine Bottles: Vases, Planters, Hanging lamps, Mood lighting

Tin Cans: Cozy planters, Stencilled candle holder, Desktop organizer, Hanging silverware holders, Hanging lights

Old Lampshades: Dreamcatcher, Mobile, Revsamped hanging light

Dishes: Candle holders, Wall décor, Working clock, Serving tray

SONIA LUCANO is a designer, crafter, and author. She has worked in both fashion and design since studying at France’s National School of Decorative Arts. She lives in Paris. Her English-language books have been published by Thames and Hudson, Random Penguin, Murdoch, and others.