Recycled chic: cane sofa

The dark stained woodwork of the sofa has been sanded and polished and its tired cushion covers replaced.

Remove the varnish from the woodwork, rubbing a piece of medium-grade sandpaper in the direction of the grain. Take care to avoid the canework on either side. Sand down again with a fine-grade paper until you have a smooth finish. Vacuum away dust, then moisten a soft cloth or kitchen roll with white spirit and wipe over to remove any residue. Allow to dry. With a soft cloth, buff the frame with a beeswax polish in a circular motion. Use a staple gun to attach fabric to the base and re-cover the seat and back cushions

Look out for

Elegant upholstered pieces simply in need of new covers.

Walls in Clunch modern emulsion, £28/2.5 litres, Farrow & Ball. Sofa, £40, The Stoke Newington Second-Hand Shop. Sofa cushions covered in Paysanne Indigo linen, £55.50/m, Lewis & Wood. Base panel in Makeda Plains linen Ocean, £26/m, Harlequin. Caio blanket, £95, Toast. Cushions covered in (left to right): Mirande blue linen mix, £29/m Sanderson; Paisley Ground linen union in Hay/Charcoal/Clay, £38/m, Vanessa Arbuthnott; Josselin yellow cotton, £29/m, Sanderson; Stripe & Dash linen union in Straw/Duckegg, £38/m, Vanessa Arbuthnott. Terracotta mug, £25, Toast. Notebook, £19.95, The Conran Shop. Vintage nest of tables, £14 for a set of three, Past Caring; in Blue Blood water-based eggshell, £39/2.5 litres, The Paint & Paper Library; covered in gift wrap, £2.99/sheet, Stanfords. Jug, £30, Nicola Fasano at Few & Far.

Styling and words: Caroline Reeves, assisted by Celia Stuart-Menteth. Photos: Simon Bevan  

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