When Helen Leppert, 34, from Birkdale, went on maternity leave last year she knew she'd have to stretch her budget, but didn't realise she would find a hobby that would change her home into something truly unique.
Initially seeking "some creative projects" to keep herself occupied, Helen found herself transforming weathered old furniture into colourful and fun pieces that really make a statement.
She told the ECHO: "Buying new furniture was immediately out of the question. I thought upcycling would be a fun way to create unique pieces of furniture that nobody else would have without spending lots of money."
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"I had seen a few accounts on social media that had posted pictures of items they had totally transformed and I thought 'I could do that'. A lot of furniture you can buy brand new is neutral or bland and lacks character.
"With upcycling, the possibilities are endless. I once revived a plain wooden bistro set I had been given for free by hand painting a giant sunflower on the top."
Helen is most proud of the transformation of an "old and battered" IKEA shoe cabinet which now takes centre stage in her hallway.
"I was ready to throw it on the tip as it was tired and tatty after seven years of daily use and a house move," she said. "It was unsightly and didn’t go with the décor in the hallway. I decided I would try to revive it using décor transfers that I had found on eBay for about £20 and a tin of chalk paint that I bought from a local shop for £15."
"The transformation was remarkable and it only took a few hours. It is now a colourful work of art with a beautiful floral pattern adorning the front of the drawers. It is the piece of furniture that receives the most compliments from visitors."
Helen has always had a creative streak and also runs Helen Leppert Designs, where she sells her drawings and illustrations, but upcycling has "empowered" her to be bolder.
However, the pieces aren't always to everyone else's taste: "My mum says my house looks like an explosion in a paint factory, but I wouldn't have it any other way."
Upcycling has allowed Helen to see the potential in "almost everything" when she would previously spend house looking online or in department stores for furniture that fitted a specific 'look'.
"The great thing about old furniture is it is built to last a long time. We are all feeling the effects of the soaring cost of living and upcycling is a cost-effective way to completely transform your living space on a tight budget."
"I think we are also now becoming increasingly conscious of the impact our actions have on the environment and attitudes are changing and shifting towards being more eco-friendly."
Helen finds her best bits in charity shops, which she hailed as "an upcycler's paradise": "You can find some really spectacular and unique pieces of furniture if you’re lucky.
"A lot of the big charities also have eBay accounts where you can get bigger and bulkier or even antique items. Another great option is Facebook Market Place. I once bought a really fancy ornate mirror worth £400 on there for £65 second hand. It was in great condition so I sprayed the frame gold with some paint from the DIY shop and hung it in my front room."
She also gets a lot of stuff for free: "I was once given five pieces of beautiful furniture by a random man in the street I saw clearing out a house he had just purchased. I asked him what his plans were for the furniture and he said I would be doing him a favour if I took it all off his hands."
All five pieces have since been transformed to add pops of colour to Helen's home. "I would say always keep your eyes peeled because you never know what people might be about to chuck out."
You can follow Helen on Instagram for more tips and tricks at @home_with_hel
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