Oddball Homes

By Mark McConville

LOOK INSIDE this series of the quirkiest homes that have been renovated using reclaimed materials and upcycled furniture.

The incredible images show the exterior of a spectacular treehouse as well as a chapel on a hill in a small reclaimed grey brick building.

Other shots show inside some of the unique homes where a quirky and unusual style has been achieved by completely redesigning otherwise mundane furniture.

The amazing homes are showcased in a new book, Renovate Innovate: Reclaimed and upcycled homes, by Antonia Edwards and published by Prestel Publishing.

“The important thing with anything repurposed or upcycled is ensuring you end up with a desirable result – upcycling isn’t sustainable unless it results in something that’s built to last,” she said.

“There is an art to creating that beautiful, high quality feel that’s perfect for a particular space.

“Not only do you need an eye for something that’s ‘in keeping’, it also needs to be combined with impeccable craftsmanship.”

Antonia’s book is her latest in a line of work documenting design and interiors of reclaimed materials since she started up her blog, Upcyclist, in 2011.

“Being creative with what you’ve already got is a fundamental part of interior design, especially as for most of us, our homes are constantly evolving, we inherit pieces,” she said.

“There is a natural feel good factor that comes with restoration or reusing something that might otherwise be knocked down or end up in landfill, but those things also offer infinite aesthetic possibilities with home design.

“Blending the old with the new can result in living spaces that are really experimental and unique – works of art.”

Antonia hopes her book can help people see how something beautiful can be made on a budget.

“There is a real art to reconfiguring things in order to make us perceive them differently,” she said.

“We have respect for things that have a history, we are more conscious of waste and the future of the planet, but we also want to live in spaces that are modern and beautiful.

“There are people all over the world showing us how this can be done without draining resources. It’s a very natural and logical thing to source material from our immediate surroundings.

“It’s exciting to think what else these can be done with all this unwanted manmade material that’s readily available to us.”

Renovate Innovate: Reclaimed and Upcycled Homes is available to buy on Amazon for RRP £35.