Hockey Stick Cowbells, Bookends, and other paraphernalia created by Upcycle Canada in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

Upcycled Destinations are a must-find-and-visit when travelling anywhere, be it locally or abroad – they’re environmentally friendly, budget-friendly, idea-inspiring and most of all, they allow us to support local artists and empower sustainable art! In this post, I’ve detailed my top five reasons why Upcycled Destinations are the best thing since sliced bread!

Reduces Waste

At an Upcycled Destination, you’ll find furniture that’s been creatively transformed and pieces that were never used beyond their intended purpose in the first place. Plus, there are many advantages to finding these gems instead of buying new. The furniture is often more durable because it’s been well-cared for and can last a lifetime. It also helps reduce waste by keeping furniture out of landfills and preserving the environment by reusing materials and recycling what can’t be reused. Finally, shopping at an Upcycled Destination often means a better deal than new furniture stores since prices reflect the pieces’ uniqueness rather than their origin. Plus, you get to discover hidden treasures, like unique wall clocks and shelves made from old drum sets and other funky rock and roll instruments or hockey stick cowbells and park benches made from broken and discarded hockey sticks!

Funky Upbeat Designs drums to a different beat and are doing things a little differently! They are a proudly Canadian husband and wife team, creating one-of-a-kind, upcycled and unique rock n roll furniture & home decor, inspired by the love of drums. Each design created is completely transformed and repurposed in their workshop in Markham, Ontario, Canada and is handcrafted, unique and one of a kind. They aim to use reclaimed, upcycled and eco-friendly, Canadian-made materials where possible in all of their designs. They are on Facebook as Funky Upbeat Designs, Instagram @funkyupbeatdesigns or you can check out their website at www.funkyupbeatdesigns.com

Support Local Businesses

Supporting local businesses is a great way to find hidden treasures and avoid big box stores. Supporting small mom-and-pop shops has the added bonus of supporting local families, as well as making your town a more charming place for visitors. Hidden gems like these are difficult to find at big box stores but are often present in smaller towns. Take my hometown, St. Catharines, Ontario. With the many quaint little villages surrounding our city, you’d think that I would be able to walk down any street and visit all of my favourite boutiques and restaurants easily within one day—but that’s not the case. From Niagara-on-the-Lake with its world-class theatre known as the Shaw Festival to quaint little surrounding towns which offer all kinds of home goods and antique markets with a vintage twist—there is always something new to see around every corner.  In order to make sure we don’t miss out on hidden treasures like these, we need to remember that it is worth taking time to explore what our own backyards have to offer. Visiting Upcycled Destinations can also be a fun pastime. What better way to spend an afternoon than wandering through flea markets? You never know what treasure you’ll find!

Support Sustainable Arts

A trend that has been popping up in the upcycling world, involves taking discarded pieces and transforming them into new products. This trend is often eco-friendly and sustainable. Flipping roadside finds is one of my favourite parts of upcycling furniture. And with an ever-growing selection of milk and mineral paints becoming available to furniture artists, our ability to promote sustainability grows wider.

A lot of people don’t realize how much damage we can do when we dispose of things improperly; some would argue that our landfills are already overflowing with trash – the last thing we need are more toxins seeping into our soil or water supply from items that should have been recycled properly in the first place.   If you’re looking for a way to be environmentally responsible without going over budget, give upcycling a try!

Paints containing lead, mercury, and other toxic chemicals, are hazardous not only for me but also for the environment I’m dumping them into. Nowadays there’s no excuse for not using paint made from eco-friendly ingredients like milk or minerals – because it’s just as affordable (if not cheaper) than traditional paint. Plus, it’s easier on your health (no fumes!), lasts longer (low sheen) and provides excellent coverage so it saves you time in the long run too! There are so many benefits to switching to eco-friendly and sustainable products, why wouldn’t you want to?

The Carlisle Antique Mall is an elegant four-story department store built in 1918 to be Montgomery Ward & Company. For most of its life, the structure has housed furniture stores, it was a Myers Furniture Store from 1935 to early 1957. It was Miller’s Furniture Store from 1957 to 1971, and an Andrews Furniture Store from 1971 to November 2004. A Consignment Gallery opened in early 2005 and occupied the building until 2010. The structure stood vacant for a decade until CAM purchased and restored it to its original roaring 1920s grandeur. The rear 20,000 sq. ft. warehouse which is attached to our antique department store was originally built in 1918 to be an indoor Hupmobile dealership by S. Ralph Eppley. A&P Grocery Store occupied the space during the 1930s and advertised indoor parking while purchasing wares. CAM is located in scenic Downtown Carlisle, Pennsylvania, USA and is an award-winning venue, with 50 passionate vendors who offer high-quality merchandise ranging from primitives, mid-century modern and retro, up-cyclists, and industrial just to name a few. Stop by and take a trip back in time with us today! We hope to see your smiling face soon.

Unique, One-of-a-Kind Conversation Pieces

Visiting Upcycled Destinations is a great way to discover one-of-a-kind, conversation pieces. These items not only look good but are also made with high-quality craftsmanship and well-built materials. They are perfect for the home, office, or even as gifts. You can find these upcycled goods at thrift stores, antique shops, flea markets, and more. I love how unique and varied each destination I visit is. It’s like opening a treasure chest full of hidden gems. As soon as you walk in you know it’s going to be an adventure! With so many different types of upcycled destinations, there is no shortage of new finds. Whether you’re looking for upcycled furniture, home decor, artwork, jewelry, unique vintage treasures or anything else; you’ll be sure to find something fun and memorable that will make your house feel like home.

This amazing conversation piece was completed by “Brushed by Design Creations”. Watch our Fall/Winter 2023 issue for more photos and a feature on how this gorgeous piece was done.

Side Income

One of the best things about upcycling is that it’s a great side hustle! You don’t need a lot of money or start-up capital, but you can make quite a bit of money by finding items on the side of the road and reselling them for a profit. If you’re tired of the corporate grind, you can supplement your income by doing something on the side and eventually turning it into a full business. You’re also your own boss, which means that if you want to take time off for vacation, there’s nobody telling you otherwise. It’s also an extremely environmentally friendly way to make money because you’re cutting down on waste, helping out our planet, and using items that would have been discarded anyway. With all those benefits combined, it’s no wonder I love upcycling so much!

Call to Action

Do you own an Upcycling location or event that is not yet on our Upcycled Destination radar? Have you recently attended or do you plan to attend an Upcycled Destination that you know is a must-visit for anyone that finds themselves in that area? If you answered a resounding “YES!” then we want you to become an Upcycled Destination Ambassador and share it with the world! You can sign up as an Upcycled Destination Ambassador and help us spread the word about these wonderful destinations sp that your fellow Readers can plan to visit there too. Upcycled events and venues make for a sustainable way to get out and enjoy nature while connecting with other people who love a good adventure. I’m grateful to be able to see so many amazing locations and events around the world through my work as Founder and CEO of UpcycledHOME Magazine and feel privileged when readers show me some of their favourite places in return!

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