Modern Style Furniture Upcycling Weekend Workshop at The Piece Hall

Description

Learn to restore, design and upcycle vintage furniture on this unique in-depth two day furniture upcycling experience at this unique location. Over two days, I'll share with you all the essential skills you need, plus my personal tips and tricks built up over the years as a professional furniture upcycler, to stylishly upcycle a piece of furniture to take home at the end and leave feeling confident to fly solo on more projects afterwards. We'll go right from the very start, assessing the pieces and work needed, planning the designs and choosing colours together.  This workshop style gives you the chance to gain insights from other projects as we go along - invaluable experience if you plan to tackle future projects as no two upcycling projects are ever alike! Plus it creates a lovely supportive environment with everyone discovering things together. Next you'll get a really good understanding of the core techniques required to prepare and repair furniture, ready to re-finish it.  That includes all the different ways to strip back old finishes in order to restore the wood and which to use when as well as getting it ready to paint, depending on your design.  You'll get to use all the tried-and-tested products I use myself on the workshop, so you will be able to move much more quickly into enjoying the transformation process, with far less heartache, less stress and much less wasted time and money!. However, I am keen to encourage you to use what products you have and to not feel you have to buy only certain products - upcycling doesn't have to cost a lot!  We'll go through all the different paint and finishing products together to help you make sense if them and that you are able to select the right product for the job, wherever you are choosing to get them. You'll then discover the best ways to apply them to ensure you get a really smooth and durable finish as you start to work on giving your project its new look. Finally you can explore different techniques to add elements of design to your project to really add your own style to it. I can share with you the secrets of great geometric designs created with tape which I feature in my own work.  Or, if you prefer, you can work with stencils in a variety of styles, learn how to add accents with metallic paint and gilding or how to add design by decoupaging with paper. WORKSHOP OUTLINE This workshop combines all of the elements of the one day Workshops 1 & 2, but the processes will be tackled in the order that to best fits for your project over the two days. - Assessing your piece to understand the condition and work needed. - Planning your design & choosing colour schemes, including colour theory. - Carrying out repairs and alterations. - Preparation techniques (Stripping methods & hand / electric sanding). - Understanding the different types of paints and primers. - Painting techniques for a super smooth hand painted finish. - Modern style furniture design techniques & application (Such as Tape Design, Stencil work, Metallic accents, Decoupage, Re-upholstery). - Understanding different finishes and how to apply them well to enhance and protect. - Installing new fittings (e.g. handles, legs).

What's included in the price?

- All paint, materials, tools, and protective wear (aprons, masks, gloves etc). - You'll get the opportunity to pre-select a specific paint colour/s for your project if you know what you are planning to do, otherwise, you can choose with help if you need it on the workshop itself. - A buffet lunch, with snacks & refreshments each day. - Access to a dedicated private online resource area with a downloadable Upcycling guide, handy process infographics, detailed supply list and other useful links. - Getting all your burning upcycling questions asked as we'll have plenty of chance to chat as we work! Whether it's about restoring vintage or running a furniture upcycling business yourself or help with how to tackle other upcycling projects etc.

Cancellation policy

Medium - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 4 weeks before the course starts

Maker

Done up North

with Craft Courses since 2018

Message the tutor

Hello, I'm Nicky Cash and through Done up North I share my love of Upcycling and ways to bring more creativity your life. I'm an award-winning Furniture Upcycler and Designer - and Northerner! - who has featured in interiors magazines like Reclaim and Real Homes, demonstrated at events such as Grand Designs Live, Living North Live, Leeds International Festival of Ideas and exhibited at leading design shows like Clerkenwell Design Week and Decorex.  I am one of the designers who have featured on BBC1's Money for Nothing which showcases amazing upcycling projects creating from items rescued from refuse centres.   I have been upcycling professionally for over 9 years having left behind the 9-5 life in the City in search of a more creative life back home 'Up North'!  I've been teaching other aspiring furniture upcyclers online and in person for over 5 of those years and I absolutely love getting to be part of your creative adventures and sharing in your enjoyment of what you can achieve - especially those of you who say you are not creative.  (Spoiler alert - you are too!) My main goal is to inspire everyone to have a go at repairing, restyling and repurposing and enjoy the many benefits it brings to your home, your life and your well-being - as well as of course being a much more planet and purse friendly option that can help you live a less consumerist, less stressful, more meaningful life.  I'm happy to personalise private workshops, talks and demos if you are looking for something specific for a group or your organisation, please get in touch for a chat.  Email me nicky@doneupnorth.com You can read more about my own Upcycling journey at https://www.doneupnorth.com/pages/nickys-story Here is what people on past workshops have said: "Just completed the upcycling workshop with Nicky at Done up North. It was a very relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Lots of useful tips and help along the way. Nicky makes the day very enjoyable and meeting other like minded 'upcyclers' from those of us who are novices to those already giving it a go. I would highly recommend her workshops. I especially enjoyed giving the geometric designs a go (with Nicky's help) and I am pleased with my finished result." "Nicky was brilliant!!!! A mine of information on all aspects, learning different techniques, with masking tape blows your mind with the outcome. It was a real fun experience and the time just whizzed by. It was great to see other people’s vision for their pieces and the results. Book on to a workshop you will not be disappointed. A great big thumbs up 👍 from me 😁" "Before I started working with Nicky, I was struggling to know where to start with masking tape design and what order you did the different steps. But I’m so glad I joined her workshop as I learnt all the skills I needed. Nicky really helped me get clear on the process, the tools required, how to avoid mistakes and importantly, when mistakes do happen, how to correct them!" "I was not feeling confident about my skills and I was worried about making basic mistakes. Now, I feel so much more prepared to take on work and challenges in my journey with upcycling! Nicky provided awesome resources and guidance that I can keep with me forever." "Nicky's tutorials are so informative. Her work is inspirational. Highly recommended." "I really loved doing the furniture painting course with Nicky. She’s so patient and kind, very knowledgeable and incredibly generous with her time. I was so pleased with the end result. The course is great value for money in amazing surroundings and I feel empowered to get on with some projects solo now. Highly recommended."