Savvy DIYer Turns Landfill-Bound Furniture Into Gorgeous Leather Chair For £22
- Gillian McKnight, 52, got her hands on an old leather chair bound for landfill
- She rescued it using leather colourant and sanded the legs to make it look as good as new
- Gillian spent just £22 on her new project, with similar new chairs cost over £500
Leather armchairs and footstools can cost thousands of pounds online - but one savvy DIYer didn’t let that put her off getting the leather chair of her dreams.
Gillian McKnight, 52, a retail assistant from North Lanarkshire in Scotland, managed to get her hands on an old blue leather chair and footstool bound for landfill.
She rescued it using leather colourant and sanded the legs to make it look as good as new.
Gillian reckons she has saved herself a fortune, as she spent just £22 on her new project and similar new chairs cost over £500.
Gillian told money-saving Facebook group DIY On A Budget UK: “It all started with my partner Robert, who is a recycling operative.
“Someone brought an old blue leather chair into his place of work just to get destroyed, so instead of it going to landfill he brought it home, and he was going to put it in his garage.
"I actually liked the style of the chair and stool, I just wasn't very keen on the colour. So I had a thought about what it could look like if I upcycled it.
“First of all, I gave it a really good clean with hot soapy water. The chair was in quite a good condition.
"My partner stripped it all down and took all the bolts and the base off, so I could get better access.
"Then it was on with the gloves. I used Scratch Doctor all in one colourant and a simple sponge.
"I started to apply the paint using circular motions, and let it dry completely before applying the next coat.
"In total, it took four coats and nearly two weeks to complete as I work full time.
"I can't take the credit for the legs as it was my partner that did them. The original colour of the legs was mahogany, so I just asked my partner to sand them back to the original wood then I gave them two coats of clear varnish.
"The total cost of this project was only £22, for the leather colourant, and two weeks of my time.
“It saved this from going to landfill.
"I have always really enjoyed DIY and gardening and do all my own.
"I just love a project, and it feels great when you have a vision and bring it to life.
"I love the chair and stool so much now, that I have it in my sitting room - there was no way my partner was getting it for his garage!
"I have had some amazing feedback from friends and family, who keep telling me I should upcycle furniture for a living.
"I would tell anyone who wants to have a go at anything like this, then they need to try it.
"I am over the moon at how it turned out, and it wasn't that difficult.
“Yes, it was time-consuming but so worth it when you see your vision come to life.
"I would reckon to buy new it would be about £500 upwards.
"I am absolutely delighted that I managed to make a few hundred pounds in savings, and it looks as good as what you would get buying off the showroom floor.
“Every time I look at it, I think to myself I did that and it's a great feeling!”
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, comments: “Gillian’s new chair looks fantastic - it’s quite distressing to think it could have ended up in landfill rather than in prime place in her living room!
“Upcycling can breathe new life into old pieces, so if you fancy a challenge and a project, keep your eyes peeled on Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree for pieces you can pick up for free and transform."
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I love what you have done with the chair and stool. You have totally transformed them and now they look like shop-bought. I wonder if this will work on my leather car seat which looks worn. 