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Francesca founded her upcycle business during the start of the pandemic. Read below as she gives us a special insight her new Brackley based business, Upcycle Studio.
Tell us a little about yourself and how Upcycle Studio originated?
Hi, I’m Francesca. I’m from Brackley and have lived here all my life, minus the four years I spent at The University of Manchester. Textiles were always my ‘thing’ throughout school and university, but I naturally pursued a career in marketing before starting up my own business in May 2020. Like many others, Upcycle Studio is a proud, Brackley based, lockdown founded business.
We are ever-evolving and have spent the past year finding our feet. But we are now ready to define our path ahead, knowing that we are creative, flexible and full of ideas!
What does your business offer?
Just as you could’ve expected from the name, Upcycle Studio offers upcycled furniture and textiles to suit a contemporary home. We can create this from our own stock (which we are currently expanding) or can upcycle existing pieces of your own furniture through private commission work.
What inspired you to start your business?
I am a firm believer in that second-hand is almost always best. There are three main reasons for this – affordability, quality and sustainability. I currently live in a Victorian terrace which is filled with second-hand pieces and upcycled items. So, when I was put on furlough it allowed me to put my creative thoughts into action, allowing my new business to blossom.
Where do you get the inspiration for your designs?
Current trends is where I get my main inspiration, definitely, and also through assessing what would suit each piece of furniture as they are all unique. My style can be a little eclectic so I’m going to be experimenting with some accent colours in the new range which I’m really looking forward to trying out. But if things don’t quite go to plan, we can always strip it back and go again – so we also learn from quite a bit of trial and error!
Goals for 2021?
I’m currently working on an Interior Design diploma which is something that I have wanted to do for SO LONG. So, I’m very excited to start incorporating this into Upcycle Studio, using it to elevate the services that I offer. I’ve also recently started working with a local photographer and designer to enhance the look and feel of the business. With our first furniture and homeware range launching later this year, there is plenty of exciting things on the horizon to stay tuned for.
How has the Brackley community received your products?
Really well! Our community is so supportive and it’s been great seeing local faces enquiring about our services – and it’s even better when they return!
