Creative Furniture Upcycling for Beginners
A course by Joanne CondonFurniture Artist and Upcycler
A course by Joanne Condon, Furniture Artist and Upcycler
Breathe new life into old furniture and design unique pieces that reflect your personal style using innovative upcycling techniques
Upcycling is an opportunity to give a piece of furniture a second chance and live more sustainably. Furniture artist and upcycler Joanne Condon believes you can create art from forgotten furniture. That’s what she does via her furniture business, which has led her to win multiple awards and publish her own book about upcycling.
In this course, Joanne takes you step-by-step through the process of restoring a pre-loved piece of furniture through DIY techniques, from choosing the right piece to using color, texture, and pattern to breathe new life into it. Are you ready to design and create unique pieces of furniture that reflect your personality?
What will you learn in this online course?
15 lessons & 18 downloads
Tools and Materials
5 minutes, 26 seconds
Experimenting Techniques
19 minutes, 23 seconds
Sketching Process
6 minutes, 8 seconds
How to Choose the Furniture
5 minutes, 0 seconds
Preparing the Piece
18 minutes, 25 seconds
Priming
7 minutes, 34 seconds
What's included in this course?
Find out more about Joanne and her journey to becoming an award-winning furniture artist. She shares her experience growing up in a creative household, more about her current career, and the influences which have inspired her approach to color.
Delve into what upcycling is and take a look at the materials for this course. Explore experimental DIY techniques and how they can be used to create different patterns and finishes. Collect images for a mood board, then learn how to identify color combinations that work well together. Visualize your upcycled piece by sketching your idea on paper and playing with different patterns and colors to refine it.
Joanne shares her advice for choosing a piece of furniture and the difference between new and used items. Prepare your piece for a professional end result by cleaning, sanding, and priming it before learning how to paint it professionally, starting with its most challenging parts. Once dry, sketch your design from earlier in the course onto your piece and paint it. Put the finishing touches to your project, from refreshing hinges to adding new handles.
To finish the course, Joanne talks you through everything you need to know about selling your piece. Learn how to take professional-looking photos on your phone, promote your work on social media and reach out to blogs and magazines to increase your exposure as an artist.
What is this course's project?
Upcycle a piece of furniture and decorate it using color palettes and patterns that express your personality.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone who is interested in learning how to upcycle furniture using DIY techniques.
Requirements and materials
No previous experience is necessary for this course.
In terms of materials, you will need a paintbrush, mini paint roller and handle, sandpaper, primer, and other materials specified by the teacher in this course.
Reviews
- 1 year ago
Interessantissimo! Questo corso ha stimolato la mia creatività e mi ha dato molti spunti. L'insegnante è chiara nelle sue spiegazioni. Ho apprezzato molto anche la parte dei consigli su come pubblicare le foto dei propri lavori.
- 2 years ago
E' il primo corso che seguo e mi sembra che fornisca buoni spunti di tipo creativo. Sicuramente l'insegnante ha una predilezione per i mobili colorati e insegna tecniche pertinenti alla sua vocazione. Non consigliato per chi cerca un approccio più classico. Le lezioni in ogni caso sono chiare e piacevoli
- 2 years ago
Joanne is the best! One of the best courses I attend. Every lesson is perfectly clear.
- 2 years ago
I started with a few test pieces lying around the house to save some money on updating my decor, so far so good! A really easy to follow and practical course!
- 2 years ago
Great course, love the idea of using paiting techniques on furniture. Her ideas are unique and makes the piece look one of a kind. Can't wait to complete my project.
Joanne teaches the upcycling techniques she has learned both in-person and online at classes around Ireland. She was the upcycling expert for RTE’s Today Show for a number of years and has won several awards including Best Workshop and Best DIY and Upcycling Account. Joanne has also published her own book, Furniture Crush, in which she shares her expertise in paper form.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Basic Materials
- Tools and Materials
- Experimenting Techniques
- Mood Boards
- Colour Combinations
- Sketching Process
- U3
Preparing Your Piece of Furniture
- How to Choose the Furniture
- Preparing the Piece
- Priming
- Painting
- Painting Your Final Designs
- Final Touches 1
- Final Touches 2
- U4
Selling Your Furniture
- How to Promote and Sell Your Work
- FP
Final project
- Furniture Upcycling/Hacking
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for beginners with no prior experience in upcycling or furniture painting. Step-by-step instructions and foundational techniques are covered throughout.
You'll need basic tools like sandpaper, brushes, rollers, sugar soap cleaner, primer, paints, wallpaper, adhesives, and new hardware. A full materials list is provided in the course.
You’ll learn how to clean, repair, paint, decorate, and customize old furniture. Techniques include color mixing, wallpapering, gold leaf application, creating mood boards, and more.
No artistic background is required. The course starts with basics and guides you through each decorative process, making it accessible for everyone.
The course teaches you to gather color inspiration from everyday life, nature, travel, online platforms like Pinterest, and by creating mood boards and swatches.
Yes, you’ll learn to assess, clean, sand, fill imperfections, and prepare surfaces to ensure a professional, long-lasting finish.
Yes, the course covers not only creative techniques but also tips on branding, pricing, photography, and selling your upcycled pieces.