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Furniture Upcycling


Unleash your creativity with 

an all-inclusive arts & crafts holiday

  • Activity: Join Rose in transforming discarded items into unique and functional pieces through upcycling, giving new life to old furniture and accessories.
  • All-inclusive package: Enjoy 3 meals per day and 5 nights accommodation at Gartmore House
  • Location: Gartmore House, Gartmore, Stirlingshire, FK8-3RS
  • Duration: 4 days tuition by an expert tutor
  • Tutor: Rose Hall
  • Price: From £879

Available Dates

DATES 2024
All of our craft or activity holidays run for 5-nights from Sunday to Friday and start from £879 per person.

The above is based on single occupancy. A £100 per person discount is applied for art, craft and activity guests on a shared occupancy basis.

“I didn’t know that there were residential upcycling furniture courses near me until I found Gartmore House.

About The Course

Do you have old pieces of furniture you want to spruce up? Are they mismatched or can you just not bear to part with them?


Then join Gartmore House for a 5-night residential upcycling furniture course! This is a fun and creative learning experience all about bringing new life to tired furniture and making it lovable again. You’re guaranteed to be amazed at what you’ll learn to do with a lick of paint. It feels really good, but be warned, it’s addictive!

You don’t have to worry about a thing during our upcycling furniture course, we have the very best tutor to teach you everything you need to know.
You’ll be expertly guided through the process of furniture upcycling. From choosing suitable second hand furniture, designing your piece, repairing and preparing your furniture for painting, to learning about the different types of paints you can use including mixing your own chalk paint, practicing decorative techniques, refining your brushwork skills and protecting your work! You’ll learn the techniques required to achieve a clean, flat finish for your furniture, including graduated colour. We will explore how to distress furniture for a shabby chic antique look, including paint layering, dry brushing, splattering, using broken colour, washon/wash-off, rubbing back, wax resists and crackle effect. For a funky or retro look, you’ll be shown how to use masking tape to create sharp linear designs. For added embellishment, you’ll practice using stencils, how to decoupage with napkins, maps and paper, where to use gilding wax or you may wish to try some hand painting. Finally you’ll learn how to finish and protect your furniture with a soft furniture wax or a varnish.

By the end of this upcycling furniture course you’ll leave with your finished piece, a couple of pieces of wall art and fully equipped with all the skills and knowledge needed to confidently use paints and waxes on your own.

Course Inclusions And Coverage

This course is an all-in-one package which includes the following:

Tuition

Booking for this course includes 4 days of specialist tuition from Rose Hall.

Equipment

All specialist equipment will be supplied but there will be a few essential items that you will need to bring. Please see our terms and detailed information section below.

Food & Accommodation

Full board catering and 5-nights accommodation are included when you book.

Transfers

Complimentary transfers are included when you book - subject to certain conditions.*

* Transfers from Stirling train station are available on the arrival and departure days (pick-up from the station at 15:30, departs Gartmore House at 9:15). Transfers from Glasgow or Edinburgh Airports are available at an additional cost.

Here's what a previous participant has to say about this course:

“Thanks Rose, you were great, making me feel really comfortable and putting my mind at ease when I thought I’d made a terrible mistake. As you said, “They’re no mistakes, only learning opportunities” – Anne Rogers, Edinburgh

Picture Gallery

tERMS & DETAILED INFORMATION
  • Terms of Booking

  • Workshop Themes

  • Example Programme

  • Kit List

If you’re coming on one of our holidays and would like to bring a friend, partner, or member of your family, then we have you (and them!) covered. Accompanying guests will enjoy full board catering and shared accommodation with you. We also have a full programme of day trips and activities on offer for them. Please add them and day trips at the checkout stage.

How to book
To book online, please click on your preferred date above.
For any questions or to book direct please call 01877 382 991 or email mail@gartmorehouse.com
If you have any questions, you may like to take a look at our FAQs but if you have any further queries, please contact our team directly.

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF BOOKING
To confirm your holiday:
A non-refundable 25% deposit is required to secure your booking.

Payment of your holiday:
The balance of your payment must be received no later than 3 months (90 days) prior to the commencement of your holiday. In the case of non-payment, we reserve the right to cancel your booking and any cancellation fees will apply.

If you cancel your booking:
All deposits are non-refundable. Should you need to cancel your booking up to 3 months (90 days) prior to the commencement date, we will refund any monies paid, less your deposit. If you cancel less than 3 months (90 days) prior to the commencement date, no refund will be given.
We do advise you to take out holiday insurance for this reason.

More Reviews...

What a wonderful way to spend time. Relaxed and creative. I love my table transformation. Totally recommend this class.

Previous Participant

S. Hommer

Rose’s extensive knowledge of her subject is evident with lots of helpful tips and quick methods. Delighted.

Previous Participant

Mary Charmers

What a wonderful class, I’m off home to get the paint brush out and carry on. Thank you for your patience and colour recommendations. The only thing I would change is, more time.

Previous Participant

Mrs Rachael Thomas, Peeles

Please note: The above reviews come from past workshops and courses run by the tutor out with Gartmore House.

Your Course Tutor: Rose Hall

Rose Hall is an artist, professional upcycler, entrepreneur and an enthusiastic facilitator. She trained at The Hampstead School of Decorative Art in Victorian & contemporary paint techniques, including marbling, wood graining, stencilling and broken colour effects.

She worked as a commercial decorative artist for over 10 years in Edinburgh, before her passion and concern for the environment brought her to co-found a not-for-profit, Upcycled World, where she taught upcycling and reuse skills to the local community. Currently she is CEO of a charity, EcoArt, that unites creativity and sustainability to raise awareness of environmental issues.

“Throughout, upcycling furniture has been a constant”. Rose explains, “Upcycling has always been a part of my life. Initially from necessity; poverty is a great creative driver, where at home, painting brought cohesion to mismatched gifted furniture and later to studies, employment and teaching furniture decorative techniques. It brings me great joy to engage with the creative journey, mine and others”.

Find out more about Rose at EcoArtCharity and UpcycledWorld.
Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Faq

  • The Course

  • Bedrooms

  • TRansport & location

  • FOOD & DRINK

  • OTHER

Where can I find out more about the course? 

If you need any further information about your course that is not on our website, please get in contact with us and we can provide you with the tutor’s contact details who can assist with your query.


What do I need to bring on my art, craft and activity break?

Your required kit list for your specific break is shown on each course’s webpage.  Your tutor will also be in contact with you, prior to your course to confirm kit lists and questions you have.

Should you have any queries, then please feel free to contact us.

What is the art, craft and activity holiday booking terms and conditions?

To confirm your holiday a non-refundable 25% deposit is required to secure your booking.

The balance of your payment must be received no later than 3 months (90 days) prior to the commencement of your holiday. In the case of non-payment, we reserve the right to cancel your booking and any cancellation fees will apply.

All deposits are non-refundable. Should you need to cancel your booking up to 3 months (90 days) prior to the commencement date, we will refund any monies paid, less your deposit. If you cancel less than 3 months (90 days) prior to the commencement date, no refund will be given.

Holidays are subject to availability and subject to change. There is a minimum number of guests required to run each course. If a course is cancelled due to low numbers, you may transfer any monies paid to an alternative date or a full refund will be issued. We do advise you to take out holiday insurance for this reason.

What time do your transfer services for the art, craft & activity holidays operate?

We offer a complimentary transfer services to and from Stirling train station. Collection is at 3:30pm from the station on the day of arrival, and our drop-off service departs from Gartmore House at 9:15 am on day of departure.

The closest airports to us are Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. If you require a transfer to and/or from either airport, please select this option at the time of booking. Transfers to/from Glasgow and Edinburgh airports are available at an additional cost. After booking your flights, please update your Customer Portal with the time you wish to be collected from the airport on the day of arrival and the time of collection at Gartmore House, returning to the airport, on the day of departure. Please allow 60 minutes for your transfer between Gartmore House and Glasgow Airport, or 90 minutes for your transfer between Gartmore House and Edinburgh Airport.

Can I bring a partner/friend to stay with me while I am on an art, craft or activity break?

If you’re coming on one of our art, craft or activity holidays and would like to bring a friend, partner, or member of your family, then we have you (and them!) covered. Accompanying guests will enjoy full board catering and shared accommodation with you. Please add them at the checkout stage.



Spots on this course are limited!

Book your spot now and join us at Gartmore House. We are confident it will deepen your understanding of upcycling furniture.

Need help? Don't hesitate to contact us.

  • Gartmore Estate, Stirling, FK8 3RS, Scotland
  • mail@gartmorehouse.com
  • 01877 382 991