Thinking second hand first is great in so many ways when it comes to interior design – for the environment, wallet, and adding a personal touch. There are countless beautiful pieces waiting to be transformed with some love and care.
We’ve had the privilege of chatting with an expert in the field, Linda, who runs Ateljé Gathes, where she renovates furniture from old and dull to incredibly beautiful pieces. In this post, she generously shares her experience and expertise on furniture renovation, tips and tricks, what furniture to avoid, and where to start.
Growing an Interest into a Business
Lets back up and bit and tell us more about the story and start of Ateljé Gathes.
– When I was 20 years old, I had my first child. From a life filled with parties and late nights, it turned into sleepless nights spent rocking a baby, and the music was replaced with a mix tape of baby cries and lullabies.
But being a new mother also meant more time at home alone with my daughter, and I soon realized how important it was for me to have a beautiful environment around me.
Financially, I couldn’t afford to go to big department stores to buy newly produced furnishings for either the apartment or my daughter’s room. That’s when I discovered them, the secondhand stores!
Here, I had the opportunity to buy old, broken furniture that I could then refurbish to fit our home with the colors and dimensions I desired. And since that day, my interest in this process keeps on growing.
"The worst thing in life is wasted talent."
– That’s the sentence I wrote in bold on a post-it note inside my self-awareness. I wrote it to myself about two years ago when I decided that through my interest in furniture, color, and form, I would dare to create a business where I could convey my passion, love, and joy in a unique piece of furniture for your unique home. And thus, Ateljé Gathes was born, my heart’s baby.
How do you see the potential and know what furniture to buy?
– When I see a piece of furniture, I see a personality. It may sound banal, but for me, it’s just something that’s there. I also don’t see the cabinet as it is, but as it will look when it’s finished.
What’s a common mistake many people do who wants to try out upcycling furniture?
"A common mistake many make, is only seeing the piece of furniture as it is here and now."
– Instead, I try to think, “who are you, and how can I bring you out even more?” Strange, perhaps? Or absolutely wonderful?
But is it really that simple? Is it just a matter of looking at a cabinet and dabbing a bit with a brush until it’s finished? Of course not! But unfortunately, a misconception that often leads to many furniture projects being half-finished at home… sound familiar?
The Expert's Best Tips
- Dare to let someone else do the job for you. If you know you don’t have the full interest to tinker and fix, paint and dab, hire someone. Then you’ll enjoy the furniture, and there won’t be any hard feelings between you and your new display cabinet.
- In your home, you spend by far the most time, so decorate accordingly. If you long to wake up in the morning and be greeted by a large colorful cabinet: Just do it!
- Dare to go for vibrant colors! I’ve had so many customers who started by considering soft, muted colors but then decided to go for a bold color and never regretted it for a second. Your home, your colors!
- Think about what you don’t want instead of what you do want; that journey is often much easier than the other way around.
- Create inspiring albums, Ateljé Gathes Instagram is full of inspiration.
- Last but not least, a beautiful cabinet brings warmth to the entire soul, don’t wait, go out and find your dream cabinet!
If you want a beautiful, personal sustainable cabinet or other piece of furniture created for your home – feel free to reach out to Ateljé Gathes for consultation and ordering. And follow her Instagram to know when new pieces are available!
Linda’s business is located in Sweden.
