Finding treasures and giving them a new life & look!
Upcycling enthusiast
Furniture refinisher
Home DIY Inspirations
Home Decor
Shop
Refurbished Furnitures
All pieces I restore and refinish have been previously owned and loved and may have some signs of wear, knocks and bumps which just adds character.
This refurbished vintage Dressing Table has it all, straight lines, stylish, neutral colours mixed with matt black refinished original Hardware to give it a modern and contemporary look. The paint colour is called 'Putty' by Fusion Mineral Paint, a sophisticated neutral that blends beige and grey and grounds any colour scheme. Fusion Mineral Paint has a matt finish and it cures so hard that it self seals, so the finish can be wiped clean with a damp cloth... go to store
This piece of Furniture is a beautifully made solid wood 1940's Chest of Drawers and had a lovely makeover in no other paint than 'Goddess Ashwaghanda' - a grounding neutral. This shade was inspired by the nourishing root of the ashwagandha herb and its full spectrum of ancient healing qualities.
For me this warm and airy colour is perfect for this gorgeous and feminin piece and for the finest wood, which I am convinced is 'Cherry' wood... go to store
This unique Hallway Table or Sidetable is solid wood, I have never seen such a piece before. The small little shelf just makes it really special and the lovely Queen Ann style legs make it very elegant and stylish too. This piece has been beautifully refurbished, cleaned and stripped back to it's bare wood and painted in the happy colour, a soft yellow called ,Prairie Sunset' by Fusion Mineral Paint. The Finish is matt and cures so hard that it is self sealing, VOC free and very... go to store
This unique Sidetable is solid wood, Oak and has been beautifully refurbished. Cleaned and stripped back to it's bare wood and painted in the happy colour, a soft yellow called ,Prairie Sunset' by Fusion Mineral Paint. The Finish is matt and cures so hard that it is self sealing, VOC free and very durable... go to store
Gosh I am so in love with these two. They look fabulous together. Both pieces have been painted in this earthy colour 'Algonquin' Fusion Mineral Paint. It tends to change the tone depending on the lighting situation. You might spot it on the pictures that it changes from a beige to a brownish-grey tone. I am definitely a big fan of this neutral colour. The interior of the Art Deco Wardrobe has been rearranged to give more useful space... go to store
This modern Arm Chair is one of two old Dining Chairs which were worn and tired. I have used this stylish denim fabric, shortened the legs and varnished them with dark walnut by Rustoleum. To finish the whole modern look I have used vintage brass studs. All the worn cushions have been replaced with new upholstery foam to make it very comfortable again. I also love the straight lines and very modern shape of the chair and the navy blue denim makes the look complete... go to store
This tall gorgeous 1940's Chest of Drawers had a lovely makeover the neutral tone 'Goddess Ashwaghanda'. For the first time I have tried the 'white wash technique' to enable the amazing wood pattern to come through and to tone it with just a shade of the paint colour. The wood looks like a soft rainbow of different colours. It all came together beautifully. To protect the finish I have used the finest 'white' wax made in England by 'Mylands', manufactured from the... go to store
Well what can I say, this vintage piece is stunning!!!
What a colour 'Peony' is! A very soft pink, so sweet & stylish. As soon as I saw this stunning Dressing Table the colour 'Peony' pink immediately crossed my mind and Fusion Mineral Paint certainly delivered. All the Draws are painted inside in clean & crisp white also Fusion Mineral Paint called 'Picket Fence'. L O V E the contrast between them two. And not only the new dress is stunning the brand new Brass Gold Cylinder... go to store
Meet the completely refurbished original 1950/60s ‚Beeanese‘ Cabinet! I love everything about it, the shape, the size, the style and that it is an original retro piece. A tall chest with drawers and a cabinet unit by the british maker ‘Beeanese’. The original label is still in the door. For this piece I decided to use the gorgeous colour 'Duckeggblue', a chalk paint by 'Annie Sloan' and the hardware I have replaced with the beautiful white ceramic handles from Pushkahome... go to store
This modern Arm Chair is one of two old Dining Chairs which were worn and tired. I have used this stylish denim fabric, shortened the legs and varnished them with dark walnut by Rustoleum. To finish the whole modern look I have used vintage brass studs. All the worn cushions have been replaced with new upholstery foam to make it very comfortable again. I also love the straight lines and very modern shape of the chair and the navy blue denim makes the look complete... go to store
My gorgeous two mirroring retro pine wood Bedside Cabinets have been lovingly refurbished. The cabinets were built in 1998 and are still in outstanding condition as they are solid wood. The pine wood has been cleaned, sanded down smoothley and cleaned again before they got their new look of the gorgeous warm soft aubergine - lilac colour 'Emile' by Annie Sloan... go to store
This beauty has been my skill piece, my proud addition to what was a bad repair. I had to replace the desk shelf and the back of the bureau as the old repair wasn't up to standard. Now it's all restored to a sturdy vintage writing bureau which will hopefully be used for a lot of years to come. The interior has also been painted in the modern neutral Fusion Mineral Paint Damask... got to store
This piece of furniture deserved to be brought back to life. What do you think? The cabinet has been lovingly refinished in white smooth chalk paint. Before it has had a deep clean and then sanded and cleaned again. The feet have been left bare to give it a modern look. The lovely details in the door and either side of the cabinet have been given a distressed look and also some of the corners... go to store
The Vintage Stool is completely refurbished from head to toe. Cleaned and stripped. The wood has been varnished in the colour Beech and the old worn fabric has been replaced with this lovely fluffy faux... go to store
Decors
All pieces I restore and refinish have been previously owned and loved and may have some signs of wear, knocks and bumps which just adds character.
These two stunning looking vintage metal Oil Drum Lanterns will brighten up every home or garden with their industrial & rustic look. The inside of both lanterns have been spray painted with the vibrant orange colour to give them an illuminating contrast... go to store
How cool is this retro drinks trolley/tea cart from the mid century. This vintage gold coloured aluminium 'CareFree' trolley was made in Manchester somewhere around the 1950's-60's. A timeless design and a great thing to have. There is a company called Kaymet London Ltd who still produces trays just like these. The trolley is very light and easy to move around and it has three tiers, the bottom two are fixed and the top one is removable to serve the drinks to your lovely guests... go to store
More information to each individual item you can find on my Etsy Shop 'CCDesigns79' with an easy click on the desired item.
Shop local & support small Businesses
NEW online on Etsy my own Shop 'CCDesigns79'
I am so pleased to let you know that all my refinished and upcycled furnitures and decors are from now on available online on my Etsy Shop 'CCDesigns 79'. Please follow the link below, start shopping and don't forget to 'favourite' our shop for updates on new stock!
Or just feel free to contact me directly via the Contact Form below or via Facebook and Instagram if you are interested in one of my pieces. Thank you.
Worsley Creative - SMALL BUSINESS SHOWCASE
Support Small Indipendent Small local Business - This has been put beautifully put together by the super talented Marketing expert Pamela from Worsley Creative where I am member since over a year now. These wonderful small businesses produce a variety of fabulous products and provide amazing services. From stylish wedding suppliers, through to luxury artisan food and drink producers, these small businesses all put the customer at the heart of their businesses.
Present Trend, Boothstown
I am delighted to let you know that some of my handmade concrete pieces are also available at the 'Present Trend' shop in Boothstown. It's such a lovely gift & homeware shop full of beautiful things. To have a look inside please click on the link below
Flowers by Siobhan, Urmston and Davyhulme
Some of my handmade concrete pieces are displayed and available to purchase at the lovely Flower Shop 'Flowers by Siobhan' on Church Road in Urmston.
To find out more about Flowers by Siobhan please click on the link below.
Hurricane, Beech Road in Chorlton
My jewellery bowls & ringholder sets in all different colours are NOW available at this gorgeous gift shop HURRICANE on my favourite road 'Beech Rd' in Chorlton, a MUST to check it out!
About Me
About me
My work & passion
My work & passion
My name is Cornelia, but everyone calls me Conny or Connie. I was born in 1979 in beautiful tiny Switzerland and grew up in the gorgeous village called Schmerikon directly at the lake of Zurich with my parents and my two older sisters. I feel myself very lucky to have had a very sheltered upbringing and a very protected youth. And to have
My name is Cornelia, but everyone calls me Conny or Connie. I was born in 1979 in beautiful tiny Switzerland and grew up in the gorgeous village called Schmerikon directly at the lake of Zurich with my parents and my two older sisters. I feel myself very lucky to have had a very sheltered upbringing and a very protected youth. And to have grown up in this country between mountains, lakes and chocolates was just amazing. I absolutely adore my Home country.
In 2012 I met my now husband and moved to Manchester England in 2013 to be with him, my step son and my little hairy cocker spaniel daughter Belle. We live in the picturesque suburb called 'Worsley' right next to the Bridgewater canal and the Worsley Woods, which I call 'my home' now. England has so many things to explore, so much history and traditions to learn about and beautiful sceneries to discover. I feel again blessed to be able to experience life in a different country and to expand my horizon.
After 23 years of working in different companies as an Office Administrator and our unfullfilled dream of having children together I got to a point where I struggled a lot and realised that I am not happy in what I was doing professionally.
And this was the beginning of my own little business... I have to say that without my husbands continuous encouragment, kick and support 'Cornelia Contemporay Designs' wouldn't have been created in May 2018. He has planted the idea in my head and brought my passion to awakening, to finally do what I am good at and what will make me happy, to use my creative talent and visions and to start something new...
"Thank you my darling for everything especially for kicking my butt!"
My work & passion
My work & passion
My work & passion
I am constantly looking out for old unique furnitures, decors or even things out in nature to bring back home and use it as decoration. I can spend hours in a antique, vintage, charity shop or at a flea market. There are so many treasures out there which are not wanted anymore or just forgotten which are waiting for people like me giving
I am constantly looking out for old unique furnitures, decors or even things out in nature to bring back home and use it as decoration. I can spend hours in a antique, vintage, charity shop or at a flea market. There are so many treasures out there which are not wanted anymore or just forgotten which are waiting for people like me giving them some love again. Everything and everyone deserves a second chance right? Older furintures are often solid wood and built very sturdy better then furnitures you buy today. I normally aim for simplicity, contemporary, retro and rustic styles but with every piece or project it’s different and manifests in its own individual design. Therefore all my pieces are unique. I am definitely immediately drawn to all my pieces and have a vision of what to do with them, it's 'Love & vision at the first sight'!
"Finding old treasures and giving them a new life & look!"
Since we established Cornelia Contemporary Designs I am so excited every day to work on my projects, I love refinishing and restoring furnitures, caravans or homes, to see them transform and see them changing from something old and dull into something new and bright and the fact to visually see the outcome of my work. I also did an upholstery course at the 'Ministery of Upholstery' school in Manchester to get a basic knowledge for this lovely work and to keep learning new skills to widen my service. Please read my blog above on my website 'Upholstery Workshop'. The next course is already in planning...
Also in my blogs you can find some Home DIY inspirations. I am always tweaking something or have a DIY project on the go at home, I just love to create a cosy, warm and loved home. And most of the time it's all in the 'little things', sometimes it's just a layout, or a little bit of paint to improve and change your home big style.
I love working with the things you already have before spending a lot of money...
"It's the little things"
My Inspiration
My work & passion
My Inspiration
I always had a passion and an eye for home accessoires & designs and love for harmony and a cozy home. I think this is something I grew up with as my mum is probably the one who inspired me the most. Everything at my parents home is decorated with love, from the entrance, hall, livingroom up to the loft and into the garden. She is definit
I always had a passion and an eye for home accessoires & designs and love for harmony and a cozy home. I think this is something I grew up with as my mum is probably the one who inspired me the most. Everything at my parents home is decorated with love, from the entrance, hall, livingroom up to the loft and into the garden. She is definitely super creative and I have learned a lot from her. But not to forget my dad, he is always full on with his own DIY projects which all turned out beautifully and his garden he designed. And my husband has a flair and eye for design too, we designed everything together in our newly extended home and I appreciate his inputs as he has a different eye. He also helps me with all the tools I am using to use them correctly a lot of which we inherited of my lovely father in law. He was very 'handy', knew a lot and helped me so much with DIY projects and decoratings around the house and also had such a beautifully kept garden. I always felt I was a bit like him. And my dear mother in law is super with sewing and knitting, and thanks to her I have a sewing machine to use anytime...
And daily life, nature, my surroundings and people inspire me every day. In my spare time I spend a lot of time outdoors exploring, hiking, swimming, walking with our lovely dog Belle, my Family and Friends. Nature and Family are giving you so much if not everything we need.
Big thanks to all of you for the support and believing in me!
"Find beauty in everything"
"There is beauty in everything
just not everybody sees it"