I'm a furniture flipper – I've made £100k from upcycling strangers' junk that was headed for the skip, I only invest £10
11/17/2024 04:28 AM
A FULL-TIME furniture flipper has told how spends as little as £10 upcycling strangers’ unwanted junk – and has made over £100K by re-selling them.
Lottie Naylor, 24, learned her trade at age 13 when she “started painting furniture for herself” and making money.
And over the last six months, people have sought her out on social media, asking for “tips and tricks” on how she nabs deals online – and other freebies on Facebook Marketplace.
By repairing and polishing the items, she then sells them as decorative vintage homeware pieces, pricing them from £100 to £350 each.
She is always on the hunt, travelling around looking for “the next best bargain” – and rarely spends more than £15 making over each piece.
Lottie, from Cornwall, said “It’s the most fulfilling job I’ve ever had.
“I used to work for a charity and some time as an electrician.
“But nothing made me happier than painting furniture.
“It’s sustainable and higher quality.
“It was all I ever thought about.”
Lottie was just 13 when she started flipping furniture, by painting what she could find.
It was during this time in 2014, that alongside her mum, she started a business in Cornwall called Vintage Living Home to showcase and sell her upcycled creations.
“The shop opened every weekend when painting furniture was the craze,” Lottie said.
“I would sell around five or six upcycled tables or chairs a week that I would find from auctions – and they would go instantly.
“At the start, the items sold on my Facebook page for around £80 to £100, but I eventually managed to bump them up to well over £200 after a few years.”
“But, besides the money, the business was also a great outlet for my family to be together.
“My Grandpa was a carpenter, and my Grandma would help do up the cushions for our chairs – so we were a creative family who loved the business.”
Realising its potential, when Lottie moved to West Sussex seven months ago, she “took on the business full time”.
When she arrived, Lottie noticed that “people weren’t as interested in tables and chairs as they were in Cornwall” and decided to “take on more extreme upcycling projects”.
How to upcycle garden furniture in 3 steps
There's really no need to spend a fortune on new garden furniture.
Rebecca Miller, Fabulous’ Associate Editor and gardening enthusiast has shared her tips to transforming grotty second-hand furniture into pieces that look brand new.
“Recycling centres, dump shops, charity shops and Facebook Marketplace are brilliant places to pick up second hand items for cheap.
And all you need to do is have a spare afternoon to spruce them up – and it's something you can get your kids involved in!
Clean
Everything looks better after a good scrub.
If in doubt, opt for a simple washing-up liquid and warm water solution, and get to work removing all the grime and dirt.
If the piece of furniture can withstand some pressure, why not pressure wash it?
Leave it to dry, then you can see what you're dealing with.
Fix-up
If the item of furniture is a little wonky, or you're unsure how sturdy it is, take a moment to check all the fixtures and either replace them or tighten them up.
Colour
The quickest way to transform a piece of furniture is with a lick of paint.
When choosing a new colour, base it on shades that will fit with your existing garden design and plants – but most importantly, pick a colour that will bring a smile to your face.”
“I spend most of my time surfing the internet looking for the next best thing to upcycle,” Lottie said.
“Local auctions, car boot sales and Facebook Marketplace are my go-to places to visit.
“I wouldn’t pay a lot for furniture – maybe around £20 for a chest of drawers,” she added.
“But £40 is my limit.
Lottie focussed on buying furniture made from pine wood as it was “the most popular and would come up pale when sanded, which was what people wanted”.
She also tended to “avoid furniture with major breaks and opt for ones that need minor repairs”.
When upcycling, Lottie said how she leaned towards “French chic style paint” – a furniture paint that “can be used outside and gives a nice clean finish”.
She has also tried doing stencil designs known as bone and lace.
“Over the years, I perfected the paint style which has allowed me to charge a premium for my pieces,” Lottie said.
“My most popular design is bone in lace stencil which reflects similar patterns found in Morocco.
“The first time I attempted my first bone and lace was on a chest of drawers – and that took me three and a half days.
“When painting a normal chest of drawers can take me a day or even just half a day.”
“However, my biggest sale was two years ago when I found an antique oak bench on Facebook Marketplace for £20.
“All I did was cover the bench in dark wax whilst filling in the repairs which only cost me £10.
“I later sold the piece on Facebook Marketplace for £350.”
From then, Lottie has been “constantly searching for better bargains” – and has even admitted to travelling from West Sussex to the Midlands in a three-and-a-half hour drive for a single piece of furniture.
I’ve been doing this for over 10 years and I still learn something every day
Lottie Naylor
In this case, it was a chest of drawers made from solid oak.
“If it’s a vintage homeware or antique piece – I will travel further for that as I know I can sell it for more,” Lottie added.
“I focus on antiques and pine wood as I know they are going to last.
“And a lot of people are now liking the more old and distressed look of furniture again.
“When I first started flipping furniture, I would go to the Antique and Vintage Waybridge Showground, hosted in Cornwall every year.
“You find some great stuff, but people knowing that I was a tradesman helped me out a lot, so I used these events mainly for networking.
“But for those who are looking to start, especially in auctions, look at the cost, as some charge 20 per cent on top of what you buy.
“I’ve been doing this for over 10 years and I still learn something every day.
“If anyone is looking at flipping furniture as a hobby, pick up a brush and start painting.
“I promised myself I would only do this job.
“And I don’t think that will ever change as people will always be into antiques.”
