Follow each step and you will build on your creativity and style whilst learning the techniques and skills to bring it all together. You will end up with one marvelous, sustainable piece of upcycled furniture.
You can do this fun course on your own or with a fellow would-be upcycler, where you can share ideas, and gain confidence in expressing these ideas through your creative work. By the end of the course, you will feel a sense of accomplishment knowing you are on the right path to sustainable living.
By the end of this course you will:
- Know where to find a great piece of furniture to upcycle.
- Know when and how to prepare the furniture.
- Get to know Annie Sloan Chalk Paints™
- Master essential painting skills to bring your creative designs to life.
- Protect your furniture to ensure its durability and long life.
- Learn how to preserve wonderful pieces of furniture. By giving them new life, they will prevent them from ending up in landfill. Reuse, repurpose, recycle; living a little more sustainably and helping our planet.
Rave Review from Sue
"Thank you for a really enjoyable day. I learned lots of skills I can use on other projects as well as finishing my upcycling project for the day. Kirsty was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic and I highly recommend the course. "
Repeat Attendee Lesley
"This is my second upcycling workshop with Kirsty which was truly inspirational. The day as always was full of good ideas with lots of great advice from Kirsty. I invited my daughter along for the day as an early birthday and a fab way to spend some quality time together. I can’t wait for the next one."
Inspired Customer Nikki
"Kirsty had upcycled a piece of furniture for me, and I expressed an interest in knowing more. Attending one of her upcycling workshops was the perfect boost of confidence I needed to have a go by myself. Kirsty helped develop our design ideas and I left feeling full of confidence to do something with some tired pieces of furniture in my own home, which are far too good to go to the tip, but just need a new lease of life."
This is an opportunity to bring a fresh new décor into your home; one upcycled piece at a time.
These online workshops will make a personal, different and highly creative gift, or a worthwhile project. They may even create an entrepreneurial spark within you! The course and the accompanying downloadable workbook has that part covered too.
Who is this furniture upcycling course for?
Our online furniture upcycling workshops are suitable for anyone who wants to learn how to bring new life to old furniture and who appreciates just a little more detail.
How much experience do I need to do this course?
Absolutely none! All the skills and techniques will be taught in easy step-by-step videos, supported by some downloadable guides and checklists. Absolute beginners can do this course.
Do I need to be creative to do this course?
Not at all. Of course it helps, but the course offers inspiration at a level you are comfortable with. This may be a single colour or a range of colours, block colour or stencilled designs. We even discuss knobs and hardware during the course.
What do you need to take part?
You will need a piece of furniture such as a bedside table or small unit. If you don’t already have one, the course will guide you through where best to get one from and at a reasonable price.
There will be a full shopping list as well as links to my favourite stockists included within the course.
Alternatively, boxes containing paints, waxes brushes and accessories are now available from the Upcycle Arcade store. These complete boxes of products contains the materials needed to complete the Furniture Upcyclers online course and are delivered direct to your UK door.
How long will the course be available online?
Once you have enrolled, you can work through the course at your own speed. There is no time limit, and the tutorials will remain accessible indefinitely.
How much is this course?
The regular price is £45 for all the tutorials. You can spread the cost over two months for £25 each month.
The boxes of top quality products, specially selected for you to enable you to complete the course are available from the Upcycle Arcade store: £90 for the Premium Box and £70 for the Standard Box.
Just think: you could have the skills and confidence to start transforming your home plus you get to keep all the tools ready for the next projects. There will be more as furniture upcycling is addictive!
How can I pay for the course?
All major credit and debit cards are accepted.
There is also a payment plan available so you can pay in two easy to manage installments.
Why learn from me?
It’s been around six years since I first picked up a paintbrush and since then I have perfected many techniques using many different products. By selling upcycled furniture as well as working on people's own furniture, I have prevented hundreds of pieces of furniture from heading to landfill forever.
I have hosted many furniture upcycling workshops in person to upcyclers ranging from age 10 to well into retirement - upcycling really is for everyone.
Support from the pioneering chalk paint creator, Annie Sloan
Upcycle Arcade also offer workshops and online courses to youngsters age 10-18. A supporter of the Young Upcycler initiative is Oxford based Annie Sloan whose chalk paints have revolutionised furniture painting around the globe. “We’re in awe of Kirsty and her noble mission to bring upcycling to the environmentally conscious youth of today. Her workshops will inspire confidence, as well as teaching participants important, useful and FUN life skills so that they can enjoy a life of self-sufficiency, sustainability and independence. I look forward to seeing the projects these young eco warriors create!”
Paperback Book: Learn to Upcycle Furniture and Live Sustainably: The Ultimate Guide to Upcycling Furniture and Reducing Waste
By Kirsty Tomlinson
Available from Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/fuARjrp
This book is a perfect compliment to the online course. It guides you through the process of upcycling your furniture step by step, from choosing the right piece at the right price, to preparing it, then applying different techniques and finishes. Perhaps you have entrepreneurial desires and would like to make some money from your new skills. This book covers that. Or do you fancy a home makeover on a budget? This book covers that too.
Whether you want to give your furniture a modern makeover, a vintage vibe, or a whimsical touch, you will find plenty of inspiration and tips in this book. As with the online course, throughout this book, there is an undercurrent of how upcycling furniture can help preserve our planet. In a nutshell, it prevents unwanted furniture from ending up in landfill and limits unnecessary felling of trees. Simple really.