Buying an older house often means accepting that you’ll need to do some design and building work to turn it into your dream home. Whether you look to do a full remodel before you move in, or just change things up every few years, there are plenty of ways that you can give the items you’re taking out a new lease of life. If they’re not useful for your home, why not offer them out to others so that they still get used?

Not only is using reclaimed materials a good way to reduce costs on your building projects, it’s also much less wasteful. Using existing materials is a key part of sustainable housing design, which can be better for the environment. By using items that are already made, rather than manufacturing new ones, it reduces the overall carbon footprint of your project. 

Here, we take a look at some of the ways that you can use reclaimed materials, whatever your home design style.

Furniture

High quality furniture will still be good to use for many years, so it’s well worth the investment. Choosing classic pieces will allow you to keep hold of them and just update the colour and style to match the new aesthetic that you’re aiming for. Items like wardrobes can easily be sanded down and painted with a different colour, or you can use a simple wood stain to breathe new life into tired looking furniture.

Not only can you use furniture that you already have, but you can also buy second-hand furniture online for a fraction of the price. The upcycling movement is growing in popularity, and there are plenty of videos and tutorials online that show you how to do simple fixes or changes. 

For soft furnishings, go to an expert and get them reupholstered with a fabric of your choice. If the frame is sound, replacing the fabric elements can be a good way to get a quality piece for less money. Think outside the box and consider painting the wooden elements a different colour to really make the item pop in the room. 

Reclaimed bricks and flooring

Using reclaimed bricks in your property can really help you match the old section of your home with the new. Especially on period properties, the bricks may have been made by hand, so the new machine-made bricks you’d buy today will stand out from the rest until they have weathered. 

Reclaimed bricks also have a lot more character than plain-cut modern bricks, so they can be perfect for an exposed wall. Some even have patterns printed into them, which can be pretty when used in garden wall borders. 

Alternatively, if you have modern bricks in your home and you’re moving a wall from one location to another, getting your builders to carefully deconstruct the existing wall and rebuild it can be a good way to save money. Just make sure to make this clear before you start so that they take care, and be aware that there may still be some breakage, which means you’ll have to buy new bricks to cover the gaps. 

Reclaimed wood is very popular for flooring, and can be a beautiful addition to any property. It can be cut and sanded to get the size and finish that you want, or speak to a flooring company to see if they can use the wood to create custom flooring for you in a different style. 

Repurposing 

Whilst these won’t suit everyone’s design aesthetic, repurposing broken or old items in your home can be a fun way to add personality and extend the life of the item. For example, if you’re changing up your kitchen for a totally new one, and don't want to keep the sink, why not use it outside as a plant pot? Take the plug out so that the water can drain, fill with soil, and fill with beautiful blooms. 

This works best for rectangular or square enamel sinks if you’re going for a classic look, but any sink will work. If you don’t like the existing shape, why not fit it onto a chunk of wood or make a feature piece by standing it on a piece of stone? Don’t limit yourself to the garden, either – houseplants add vibrancy to a space as well as improving the air quality. 
Feeling inspired? Head to CADdetails to find out how to make the most of the items you already have in your home.

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