Upcycled Furniture

[kodydog]

This question was presented on Quora.

"How likely are people to buy upcycled furniture rather than new?"

I thought the answer would be simple but then I realized I'm not exactly sure what upcycled furniture is.

[sofadoc]

"Up-cycled" is easier to define when you're talking about tables, dressers, and such.
Just slap a coat of paint, add a few adornments, and presto!

But I would think that a true "up-cycle" job on a sofa or chair would have to involve reupholstering it. At which point I'm not sure it still falls into pro-typical up-cycle category.

On FB groups, we see a lot of newbies that are all excited about buying older, more solidly built furniture and recovering it. They think they're going to make a fortune flipping furniture bought from a thrift store. Saving an old sofa from the landfill gives everyone a warm, fuzzy feeling. But in reality, most of America would rather toss their cheap sofa to the curb every few years and buy another cheap one.

I think up-cycling is just for the artsy-fartsy crowd that watch all those HGTV shows. They soon find out that TV makes it all LOOK a lot easier than it really is.

[65Buick]

What sofadoc said.

[brmax]

UpCycle
Not a word in my mind, I tend to agree with the term starting in certain crowds.  
I have had way to much experience in the past with friends, family and my own young finding items and thinking I will work miracles rebuilding these masterpieces in their mind. For the pleasure ( not! )
So in respect I "know" this word needs professional work, if not discarded!

Good day everyone
Floyd

[SteveA]

I never heard the word up cycled.  A goggle loose translation is re-purpose.  We all re-purpose items - I think of artists who make sculpture out of items thrown away.
SA

[65Buick]

You wouldn't believe some of the words young people dream up.
Because 'recycled' is not good enough, right?
It's pretty ludicrous. But, if that makes them happy.

[kodydog]

"Up-cycled" is easier to define when you're talking about tables, dressers, and such.
Just slap a coat of paint, add a few adornments, and presto!

You see, when ever I go to a sight like Quora or any number of different pages and members ask furniture questions I automatically think they are referring to upholstered furniture. When in reality they may be talking about any variety of other types of furniture. Yes it is difficult to "upcycle" upholstered furniture.

I personally like a nice patina on vintage furniture. What I don't like is mid-century dressers or tables in so many antique stores. Slap a coat of paint on, sand the edges a little and call it distressed.

[65Buick]

I really don't like it when people paint beautiful teak, rosewood etc.

[byhammerandhand]

SofaDoc nailed it.

Here's a whole portfolio of "upcycled" http://designs.generalfinishes.com/color-category/kitchen-bath-upcycled?page=1

It's usually old furniture painted with (faux) milk paint, chalk paint, sometimes glazed, decorative fru-fru paint, distressed, bejeweled, etc.   If it's not properly repaired and prepped, it will look old and abused in a few years.

Personally, I think it will turn out to be a fad just like the rustic (faux aged, unfinished) furniture, "decomposed" furniture (no outside panels, just see the burlap lining for the inside panels, complete with a few holes designed to look like nail holes, with an occasional tack holding a tuft of cotton batting for effect -- yes, this is true)

[brmax]

Long ago I use work in the back of the Upholstery shop helping the wood master.  I easily remember the pieces or furniture parts having any paint were held to last of the stripper fluid change.  With all the eyeglasses, mask and gloves so adding paint particles in the fluid was Lotsa grief. When set the pieces off to dry that crap stuck well enough to be a real pita.
I remember much of the oh so artsi method was to use 2 and 3 colors to do the 60's version of faux

Floyd

[MinUph]

Keith,
  The missing outsides is a trend I must have slept through. I'm glad I missed that one.

[65Buick]

Paul you're lucky then. This whole 'rustic' thing has gone on too long. Grey, beige, greige, brown. Rustic, reclaimed bla bla bla.
Can we get back to actually superior furniture already?

[MinUph]

I've seen the outsides finished with what look like exposed #4 tacks but that is it on this front.

[byhammerandhand]

Keith,
  The missing outsides is a trend I must have slept through. I'm glad I missed that one.

Yes, and those are fake tack holes and fake aging on the wood
http://media.restorationhardware.com/is/image/rhis/030512_furniture_deconstructed-slide-6?wid=1000&fmt=jpeg&qlt=80,0&op_sharpen=0&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.3,1.0,5,0&iccEmbed=0

https://media.restorationhardware.com/is/image/rhis/prod2110880_av3?$l-pd1$&wid=650

[gene]

It used to be that only the rich suffered from obesity, gout, diabetes. Today our nation's poor have these ailments.

It used to be that only our nation's poor had upholstered furniture where fabric was missing and the insides could be seen...

gene