The Vinterior Upcycled Weekend

Here at Vinterior, we value furniture. We never devalue it. That’s why we’re shunning Black Friday to showcase the importance of giving pre-owned furniture a new lease of life. Not only does heavy discounting lead to terrible waste, but it also discounts the hard work and ingenuity of the human beings who create furniture pieces and the raw materials used to make them.

That’s why, as part of our Upcycled Weekend campaign, we’re highlighting Vinterior sellers committed to re-loving and re-homing exceptionally upcycled furniture. From restoring Scandinavian and mid-century furniture in East London to a female-led upcycling business in Reading, we got chatting with three Vinterior sellers about why it’s important to give pre-owned furniture a new home and some much-needed love. 

Out with the new, and in with the upcycled!

Vinterior sellers creating exceptionally upcycled furniture

No Repro

Founded in 2007, Norepro specialises in the sourcing and restoration of Scandinavian seating. With a keen eye for beauty, rarity, and bold design, founder Dom takes pride in his collection of mid-century furniture, lighting, and art, while offering sensitive and considered restoration and reupholstery services too.

Rediscovering “forgotten, obscured beauty from a worn, tired object” is one of the things Dom loves most about restoring vintage pieces. “It’s like finding a hidden treasure,” he said. Although his pieces demonstrate restoration as opposed to upcycling in its strictest definition, he still believes in the value of giving pre-owned furniture a new lease of life. “Often the furniture has survived this long because it is very well made, so is generally worth preserving.”

Dom’s top tip for buying restored furniture is, “If buying expensive designer furniture make sure it’s the real thing, as there is some fakery emerging these days. Otherwise, buy what you like.”

“The rediscovery of forgotten, obscured beauty from a worn, tired object, [is] like finding buried treasure.” – No Repro

Shop No Repro at Vinterior.

Belton & Butler

Co-founders and best friends Sallie and Jo founded Belton & Butler because of their love of painting, restoring and upcycling furniture. For this female-led business, it’s the thrill of reimagining a piece that motivates them. “We always get a wave of excitement when we look at before and after photos,” they said, “Some pieces are literally unrecognisable, but seeing them reincarnated and ready for a completely new chapter is hugely satisfying.”

Working with antique and early-mid-century pieces, Sallie and Jo find the character of each piece enthralling. “It’s only when you work closely with these furniture pieces that you appreciate the skill and workmanship that went into creating them. They simply have good bones.” Also offering outsourced upholstery services, Belton & Butler take pride in every restoration that has its name on it. Thriving on the “ingenuity and creativity” that every project fosters.

Belton & Butler’s top tip for buying upcycled furniture is to, “…buy from a reputable and experienced seller through a recognised platform/outlet.” they said, “…professional sellers know the long-term importance and have the tools and products to carry it out to a high standard.” Which is a great benefit to the buyer.

“We enjoy the creative journey. A lot goes into deciding the design for a piece, which products will create the most striking effects and – most importantly – give it durability for the next years of its life.” – Belton & Butler

Shop Belton & Butler at Vinterior.

House of Twenty

Based in East London, House of Twenty is a female-run restoration workshop and furniture store specialising in Scandinavian modern design. Founders Natalie and Stacey started their business with an appreciation of high-quality furniture design and materials. “[We] think that the provenance and history behind a piece of restored furniture has a certain allure that can’t be matched by a brand new piece of furniture”, they said. Their passion and experience are clear in their collection that spans seating, storage, dining, homewares, and lighting.

Preserving craftsmanship is one of the things that drives Natalie and Stacey. “Midcentury furniture is generally made using quality materials with fine craftsmanship,” they said, “…it would be such a shame for these pieces to be discarded.” Also offering a bespoke restoration and upholstery service, this all-female team is dedicated to reducing waste and helping people shop in a sustainable way.

House of Twenty’s top tip for buying upcycled furniture? Simply “Buy a piece you love, it not only holds a beautiful history, but it also reduces our impact on the environment.”

“[We] think that the provenance and history behind a piece of restored furniture has a certain allure that can’t be matched by a brand new piece of furniture” – House of Twenty

Shop House of Twenty at Vinterior.

Our upcycled edit

Along with our featured sellers, we’ve partnered with restoration experts and upcycling specialists across the UK and Europe to offer you a huge upcycled furniture collection. Whether you’re looking for a characterful piece or you want to shop a little more sustainably, upcycled furniture gives you the opportunity to express your style and do a little better for the planet.

Do you have any upcycling tips and tricks you want to share? Are you longing to share your upcycled furniture with the world? Or need some help choosing the perfect upcycled piece? Reach out in the comment section below and connect with our community of upcycled furniture lovers.