Nicky Cash on creating an upcycled art deco cabinet

Q&A with designer and upcycler Nicky Cash

Established in 2017, Nicky Cash’s creative upcycling business, Done Up North, specialises in creating distinctive furniture with geometric surface patterns inspired by mid-century design. She has demonstrated her techniques at Grand Designs Live London and Birmingham, as well as exhibiting at Clerkenwell Design Week and Design London under the auspices of The House of Upcycling.

Here she talks through her upcycled art deco cabinet, as well as her go-to products.

How did you get into upcycling?

I was always pottering around charity shops and had bought second-hand furniture for years, but I never upcycled anything until 2016. I had to learn my craft from the ground up because there weren’t any workshops teaching the style of upcycling that I do. It was all very shabby chic and my passion is for mid-century furniture and geometric designs. When I started, I did a lot of Googling! I didn’t know much about paint or finishes, and it took me a while to learn how to style photographs and sell online. I started to sell on Facebook, Etsy and eBay, then put my pieces on Vinterior too. I went full time in 2017.

What do you enjoy most about being a professional upcycler?

I work daft hours and it’s hard, but when I’m in the groove working on a piece it’s a real joy. It’s such a privilege to create things that make people happy and the commission work really gives me a buzz. I also enjoy teaching workshops so that I can pass on my tried-and-tested techniques to others.

How did you transform this cabinet?

Stripping and sanding First, I used a paint stripper to remove the layers of old paint. It was labour intensive but a sander would have been too aggressive and might have damaged the wood – it’s always exciting to see the woodgrain emerge. I left it to dry out overnight, then sanded it gently by hand to refine and key the surface.

Creating the design I turned it upside down and painted the legs bronze first (so the top didn’t get bashed about later), then painted the carcass dark grey. Next I laid out the design with masking tape.

Protecting the surface Once the design was painted and dry, I applied a topcoat. This is especially important for a drinks cabinet which has to withstand spills.

Finishing touches I fitted out the inside with a mirror, metallic paint and an LED light. I cleaned the handles and primed them with Fusion Ultra-Grip, then painted them and added a protective topcoat.

What paints did you use?

Bronze from Fusion Mineral Paint’s Metallics range and Ash grey from the same brand. I’ve tried a lot of paints and I like Fusion best – it’s really robust. It dries quickly, too, so it saves me time and is resilient when I pull the tape off.

What’s your must-have upcycling product?

I’m a big fan of Frog Tape Delicate Surface masking tape which is much better for using on painted and stripped pieces. It’s always important to prep really well because masking tape finds you out if you haven’t cleaned, sanded and created a thoroughly good base before you put anything else on top of it.

Top tip

• Always design sympathetically for the piece. Let it speak to you – look at its shape and follow the symmetry. If it has lovely woodgrain, keep some on show – only paint to enhance.