Australia’s best interior designers create furniture for Feast Watson Re-Love Project to help Salvos

Unique furniture pieces created by some of Australia’s best designers will be sold to the highest bidder, raising funds for the Salvos.

Designer auction helps Salvos

UNIQUE furniture pieces created by some of Australia’s best designers will be sold to the highest bidder, raising funds for the Salvos.

The Feast Watson Re-Love Project challenges designers to transform old timber furniture into unique designer pieces.

Buyers have a chance to secure a piece from Mark Tuckey, Tara Dennis, Olivia Shead, Steve Cordony, Kristine Franklin, Helen Edwards, Deb Bibby, David Moses and, Queenslander Simone Barter.

It is the third year design blogger Barter has participated in the upcycling project.

“The creative side of me gets going. I just love getting old pieces and re-loving them and then with the beautiful end project being auctioned off, it’s win-win,” she said.

“Every year we get excited about the auction, and this year, I think it’s going to be fabulous.”

When she saw the “classic shabby chic” white dresser, Barter wanted to put a modern twist on the piece.

“Underneath it had a beautiful natural ply grain,” she said.

Keeping the top natural, Barter used an on-trend charcoal and modern triangular handles to create her charity item.

Barter said that while her home is filled with re-loved items, it’s an achievable task for anyone to take on. But it’s important to start with a solid piece of furniture and use quality renovation materials.

“A piece where the drawers are not warped, things open and shut properly and they’re solid in their foundations,” she said.

“There’s no point going to all that trouble and having whites turn to yellow or paint to start peeling.

“A little bit of elbow grease also doesn’t hurt.”

The eight pieces of furniture in the Re-Love project will be auctioned on eBay from July 8 to 17 with all proceeds going to the Salvos Stores.

Originally published as Australia’s best interior designers create furniture for Feast Watson Re-Love Project to help Salvos