0:00:03 > 0:00:04What are you throwing away?
0:00:07 > 0:00:09How do you make money for nothing?
0:00:09 > 0:00:11I like the look of that.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14The answer could be hiding in over 20 million tonnes
0:00:14 > 0:00:18of household waste, thrown out by us every year.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22Mm, what else are you throwing away? Anything exciting?
0:00:22 > 0:00:25That's why entrepreneur Sarah Moore wants to get her hands
0:00:25 > 0:00:27on things before they hit the skip.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32Finding, transforming and selling stuff we throw away
0:00:32 > 0:00:35is an obsession, and it's that obsession that I turned
0:00:35 > 0:00:36into a money-making business.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40I make new stuff out of the old stuff and I sell it for a profit.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46And with some of the country's elite designers and makers...
0:00:46 > 0:00:48You've got a bucket of fun for me.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50- It's a big one.- Is it?
0:00:50 > 0:00:53..she can transform her finds into desirable...
0:00:53 > 0:00:55They are amazing.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57..valuable...
0:00:57 > 0:00:59I've never seen anything like them.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01..and hopefully, saleable items.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03That's a lovely job, thank you.
0:01:03 > 0:01:04Thank you.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08If Sarah is successful then she can hand the profits back
0:01:08 > 0:01:11to the very people who had no idea
0:01:11 > 0:01:13there was cash to be made from their trash.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16- £165 here. - No!
0:01:31 > 0:01:36Today, Sarah's travelled to the busy Witley recycling centre in Surrey,
0:01:36 > 0:01:38where she's seeking to salvage, um...
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Oh, I'll let her tell you.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44I'm seeking to salvage something special and turn today's tip finds
0:01:44 > 0:01:46into top designer treasure.
0:01:46 > 0:01:47Yeah, that.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Sarah's on the lookout for three items that can be transformed,
0:01:52 > 0:01:54turned around and sold on for a profit.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Barbecue recycling.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01And just in case you at home were thinking of doing the same
0:02:01 > 0:02:04at your local recycling centre, don't try it.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06Sarah had to get special permission,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09and, anyway, the tip is like a second home to her.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12I'm here all day - thought I might make it a little bit more homely.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17That's nice, isn't it? I just need a sofa now.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19Or, you could get back to work.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23And if you're quick, your first item
0:02:23 > 0:02:27could be falling out the back of that car.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Perhaps David and his partner Vanessa
0:02:29 > 0:02:32will let you have a look at their battered old table.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34- Hello.- Hi.
0:02:34 > 0:02:35Make my day.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39Tell me that I can have what you are about to throw in the tip.
0:02:39 > 0:02:40Well, it's extremely heavy,
0:02:40 > 0:02:43so if somebody was going to let us not throw it in the tip,
0:02:43 > 0:02:44that would be good.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46In my experience weight often shouts quality,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49so I'm thinking this must have been a beautiful table.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51Yeah, it is. The legs are absolutely stunning.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Shall we try and get it on its feet?
0:02:53 > 0:02:55In its heyday, this Victorian dining table
0:02:55 > 0:02:58would've been able to extend in the middle
0:02:58 > 0:03:01to fit a dozen people round it at dinner parties,
0:03:01 > 0:03:03but as it's missing the connecting table leaves,
0:03:03 > 0:03:06it's only good now for very small dinner parties.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08Isn't that right, David?
0:03:09 > 0:03:10Oh, he doesn't say much.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13You hung on to it because you thought you might restore it one day
0:03:13 > 0:03:14or is it just...?
0:03:14 > 0:03:17It's just in the way, we don't want it, we don't need it.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21It would make a sort of oversized card table, as it is.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24I think this has got such great bone structure,
0:03:24 > 0:03:26it's going to be beautiful when it's...
0:03:26 > 0:03:28Well, as you say, heavy is good.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30- Excellent, on that note... - Except when you are carrying it.
0:03:30 > 0:03:31What a find!
0:03:31 > 0:03:35Sarah's got herself an extending table that doesn't extend.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38What do you think Sarah will do with it, David?
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Oh, yeah. Vanessa?
0:03:40 > 0:03:42I'm sure she'll make the best of it.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44If you start off with a ritzy product,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47sometimes you land up with an even ritzier one.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54You don't often find one of these rocking up at the tip.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56I'm so pleased it turned up today.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00It's a big, substantial, heavy mahogany dining table.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03It would stretch right out and have probably three or four leaves
0:04:03 > 0:04:05in the middle so you could seat 12 of your friends round it.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08I'm really going to need somebody very creative
0:04:08 > 0:04:09to make some money out of this.
0:04:09 > 0:04:10It's got huge potential,
0:04:10 > 0:04:13but it's got some massive problems at the moment.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17If it's creativity you're after, there's only one man to call.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27Rupert Blanchard is a furniture maker and self-confessed hoarder
0:04:27 > 0:04:29of anything old he can turn into gold.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35I work mostly with salvaged and found reclaimed materials.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37So I basically work with other people's waste.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40I reassemble it as modern furniture.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Rupert has carved out a name for himself
0:04:43 > 0:04:46as one of the most imaginative designers
0:04:46 > 0:04:48working with undervalued materials.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52His furniture is modern, fun and always tells a story.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55I love making something from nothing,
0:04:55 > 0:04:57something that everyone's given up on.
0:04:57 > 0:04:58Something with a good history.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01Something with a story and something that I want to preserve
0:05:01 > 0:05:03and share that story with others.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05It's an incredibly satisfying job.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08Well, Rupert, you might be in luck.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10If it's a story you are after,
0:05:10 > 0:05:11then this table...
0:05:11 > 0:05:14well, could be a long story.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23That's one item down, two to go.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25And Sarah's back on the prowl.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28But people round here have got wise to Sarah
0:05:28 > 0:05:30poking her head in their boot,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33so they've started bringing guard dogs.
0:05:33 > 0:05:34Oh, no, you jumped out.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Quick, Sarah, run.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39Oh, tickles! Are you being a good puppy? Oh, yes.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41What a brute.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43In you go, back in.
0:05:43 > 0:05:44In you go, in.
0:05:45 > 0:05:46Master of dogs.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49He just ripped my sleeve. See that?
0:05:50 > 0:05:51Good dog.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55If you're quite all right to continue, Sarah,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58you might be familiar with what Janice has in her boot.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01Hello, hello.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03I'm thinking that's an Ercol, is it?
0:06:03 > 0:06:04It is Ercol. Yes.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08I do know a bit about it, and that is that the blonde stuff like this
0:06:08 > 0:06:10is the more commercial stuff that people like.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12So I'd love to see it out.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14- Can I help you get it out?- Yes.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18This old sofa frame was made by famous British manufacturers Ercol,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21and pieces like this from the '60s and '70s
0:06:21 > 0:06:24are considered classics of modern British design.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28Nothing classic about those cushions, though.
0:06:28 > 0:06:29How long have you had it?
0:06:29 > 0:06:33I've had it since my kids were small. The youngest is now 16.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35As you see, it's fallen through.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39I meant to repair it. It hasn't happened. It went in the shed.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41So now I'm thinking I'll just get rid of it.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43I'm really pleased that you brought it in,
0:06:43 > 0:06:45because any furniture that you can instantly recognise,
0:06:45 > 0:06:47even upside down in the tip,
0:06:47 > 0:06:48is a really good thing,
0:06:48 > 0:06:50because it means other people are following it,
0:06:50 > 0:06:51they like it and it's got that real,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54what, 1970s slouchy look to it, hasn't it?
0:06:54 > 0:06:55It certainly has.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57If it's all right I'm going to pile the cushions on it
0:06:57 > 0:07:00and take it away and see if one of my fantastic restorers
0:07:00 > 0:07:03can get it back into its former glory.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05It would be lovely, actually,
0:07:05 > 0:07:07if somebody could do something with it, which was what I intended.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10You don't have to feel guilty at all about dropping it off,
0:07:10 > 0:07:12it's come into safe hands. I'm so pleased I was here.
0:07:12 > 0:07:17Sarah's got herself a retro stunner to renovate.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19But how would Janice do it up?
0:07:19 > 0:07:22I would like to see it in a classic restoration,
0:07:22 > 0:07:24but Sarah's the boss.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27She's doing it, so I guess it might be something quite wacky.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31Oh, I love this sofa, it's got three things -
0:07:31 > 0:07:34it's vintage, it's Ercol and it's blonde,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36and that makes it commercial.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38I'm definitely going to re-use it,
0:07:38 > 0:07:40and I think I'm going to be sitting on a profit.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Janice would like a sympathetic restoration,
0:07:43 > 0:07:47but that might not be the plan with the person Sarah's lined up
0:07:47 > 0:07:48to take it to.
0:07:51 > 0:07:56Anthony Devine, the upholsterer with the mosterer.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00Anthony takes his two decades of design experience
0:08:00 > 0:08:02and passes it on to the younger generation
0:08:02 > 0:08:05at his school of upholstery.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09Anthony's work is loud, exciting and experimental.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14I've been an upholsterer now for 21 years.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16I started straight from school.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18That's me ever since, really.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Now I teach people who want to become upholsterers,
0:08:23 > 0:08:28and through that I get my self-satisfaction.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31I still enjoy the passion of it,
0:08:31 > 0:08:36but now I pass that knowledge and passion on to all our students.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41When it comes to sofas, Anthony has seen them all.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44So what new ideas is he going to bring to this one?
0:08:51 > 0:08:53We're nearly there.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56Sarah now needs to find something to work on herself
0:08:56 > 0:08:57and she'll be done.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02But, with the day drawing to a close, she's getting a bit bored.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04Just don't fall off and break your leg.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07I know, that's what I'm thinking, it's a bit of a liability, isn't it?
0:09:07 > 0:09:09This is a good look, isn't it?
0:09:09 > 0:09:13How would you make these at home? A couple of baked bean tins?
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Great, find some tins of beans and you're finished.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18Oh, my word, I'm loving everything that's in here.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20You can't throw this lot out.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24Or will she see potential in what Diane has in her boot?
0:09:24 > 0:09:27You know we've got to get rid of it, this is the problem.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30You're very welcome to take what you want.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32Diane's been clearing out her childhood home
0:09:32 > 0:09:34with the help of her cousin, David.
0:09:34 > 0:09:35Oh, no, and whose is that?
0:09:35 > 0:09:37Oh, that was mine, yeah.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40And there's something in there I think Sarah has her eye on.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43Hands off.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46- When was the last time you played with that?- Oh, crumbs.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49I'm not giving my age away. That was Noddy's car.
0:09:49 > 0:09:50It is Noddy's car, isn't it?
0:09:50 > 0:09:52I don't know whether Noddy is in there, still.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54That's fantastic. Would it be OK...?
0:09:54 > 0:09:56I know you are in a desperate hurry,
0:09:56 > 0:09:57but if it's all right to take it away,
0:09:57 > 0:10:01I think it would be a crying shame if that ended up in the wood skip.
0:10:01 > 0:10:02It does seem a shame.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06You know, you're not allowed to keep that for yourself, Sarah.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09All your dollies are too big for it anyway.
0:10:09 > 0:10:10Lovely, well, thank you very much.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12I'm going to take that away first, keep it out of the rain.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Have a good day, thank you.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Do you think the doll's house will scrub up well, Sarah?
0:10:17 > 0:10:19Sarah?
0:10:19 > 0:10:20Sarah?!
0:10:20 > 0:10:22I may be some time.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24Diane?
0:10:24 > 0:10:25Well, I don't know.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27I hope she can make it look a lot better than it looks at the moment
0:10:27 > 0:10:32and that somebody will be able to make use of it,
0:10:32 > 0:10:37because it is a shame to put all that in the tip, I must admit.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40I think this might be a Triang doll's house,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43and that company manufactured loads of different styles of doll's house.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46It's got that classic red roof and some great detail.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48Everybody would've had one of these
0:10:48 > 0:10:51and it is like a snapshot of 1950s history.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53I mean, these things, they're just lovely -
0:10:53 > 0:10:55the detail and the quality is fantastic.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57I'm so pleased to have found it.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03And with that, Sarah's three items have all been found.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10Rupert will extend his talents to the mahogany table.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14Anthony will have a bash at the classic Ercol sofa,
0:11:14 > 0:11:16and, if she can stop playing with it for two minutes,
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Sarah will spruce up the doll's house.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22Well, what a cracking day!
0:11:22 > 0:11:24I've had my pick of the rubbish here.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26Now all I've got to do is get my thinking cap on
0:11:26 > 0:11:28and make some money out of it.
0:11:39 > 0:11:40Sarah has ditched the dump
0:11:40 > 0:11:43and headed to the seaside down of Margate,
0:11:43 > 0:11:46a place where thousands of Britons flock to every year
0:11:46 > 0:11:49to top up their sunburn.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Unfortunately, there's no time for fun in the sun
0:11:52 > 0:11:54for our wood-working whizz-kid Rupert.
0:11:55 > 0:12:00Sarah's about to surprise him with the extending mahogany masterpiece
0:12:00 > 0:12:03and see what ideas he brings to the table.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06I've brought my lovely tip-find table all the way to Margate
0:12:06 > 0:12:09and I'm hoping Rupert is going to transform it
0:12:09 > 0:12:11into something really amazing.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13Rupert.
0:12:17 > 0:12:18Wow. That's heavy.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20It is a beast, isn't it?
0:12:20 > 0:12:23It is. It was obviously a real thing of quality in its day.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27I always say that, heavy equals good, equals expensive.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30It's got a whole heap of stuff underneath it, though,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33from where it must originally have stretched out.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35- Yeah. - So have you got the extra flaps?
0:12:35 > 0:12:36We were lucky to get this.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39This turned up literally falling out the back of a car.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42Yeah. The legs are sort of coming off of the framework.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46They're really heavy-duty, almost like a massive old snooker table.
0:12:46 > 0:12:47Yeah, that's what I thought.
0:12:47 > 0:12:48What do you want done with this?
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Do you know something? Whenever I see something like this,
0:12:51 > 0:12:54I want to know what it looked like when it was that enormous thing.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58So I was wondering if you could make some new leaves
0:12:58 > 0:13:00or something to go in the middle of it?
0:13:00 > 0:13:03I want to cut this one up and almost like...
0:13:05 > 0:13:07..how people used to have crazy paving.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10Some people love it, some people hate it,
0:13:10 > 0:13:14but kind of crazy paving or the pattern on a giraffe's neck.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17So I'm going to reassemble the table as really a patchwork
0:13:17 > 0:13:19of lots of broken bits of table.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21It sounds a bit like the giraffe,
0:13:21 > 0:13:23you're going to stick your neck out on this one, aren't you?
0:13:23 > 0:13:28Very much like a giraffe, people are going to love this or hate this.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30What, who hates giraffes?
0:13:30 > 0:13:32So how big do you think it would've been?
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Shall we not just try and pull it apart and see how big it is?
0:13:35 > 0:13:36Yeah, go for it.
0:13:36 > 0:13:37From what I got there,
0:13:37 > 0:13:42it sounds like Rupert's going to make a giant patchwork table top.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45- If you can just try and pull that side.- Yeah.
0:13:45 > 0:13:50Crazy paving was how people did their gardens in the '70s and '80s.
0:13:50 > 0:13:51It was horrible.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Doesn't matter, keep going. Keep going.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58- I think it's stuck. - That's about it.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00So, crazy paving.
0:14:00 > 0:14:01Does that come at a crazy price?
0:14:01 > 0:14:05I think if you give me about £300 to play with on this,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08I can do something really fun with this
0:14:08 > 0:14:11and make you a very expensive table.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15I think that just sounds wonderful. Thank you so much.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17Sarah's bagged herself a bargain,
0:14:17 > 0:14:21with a crazy paving giraffe-neck table.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23I can't really picture it.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Well, I think that table has really captured Rupert's imagination,
0:14:27 > 0:14:29and with a £300 budget,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32I think I've going to make a really good profit on it too.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37It's going to cost £300 to transform the table,
0:14:37 > 0:14:41and if it's half as good as Rupert thinks it's going to be,
0:14:41 > 0:14:44we could have a real money-maker on our hands.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53For Sarah's next stop, she's travelled north to Manchester,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56and awaiting her arrival is Anthony Devine.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59Devine by name, divine by nature...
0:14:59 > 0:15:00most of the time.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06Sarah's brought along the beautiful blonde bombshell of a sofa.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Let's see what Anthony can make of it.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11So it's Ercol and you're either a lover or a hater.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13I'm hoping Anthony's a lover.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16Oh, steady on, Sarah, we've got work to do.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21I can't really tell if you like this kind of thing or not.
0:15:21 > 0:15:22I've never seen any here.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24Ah, students bring them in now and again.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27The thing with Ercol is it's been around for ages
0:15:27 > 0:15:29because it lasts for ages.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33I mean, there's a whole almost like an appreciation society,
0:15:33 > 0:15:35and the purists will probably say,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38"Don't do any more with it, keep it like this,
0:15:38 > 0:15:40"put new fabric on it, replace the webs,
0:15:40 > 0:15:42"touch up all the wood",
0:15:42 > 0:15:48but that's not entirely what I think we should do with it.
0:15:48 > 0:15:49What's your take on it?
0:15:49 > 0:15:51My instant thing would be get rid of these, right?
0:15:51 > 0:15:53I just knew you were going to do that.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57All of a sudden it looks completely different.
0:15:57 > 0:15:58Obviously we need comfort,
0:15:58 > 0:16:02so I would say replace with a few scatter cushions,
0:16:02 > 0:16:07potentially, as well, have one cushion, rather than two.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09Plus point for that is if anybody is sitting in the middle,
0:16:09 > 0:16:13it's more comfortable and you don't lose your remote control down there.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15Comfortable and functional,
0:16:15 > 0:16:19but what's your plan for tidying up the rather battered-looking wood.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22The one thing that is worrying is the damage to the frame,
0:16:22 > 0:16:24it's quite a lot. And one thing -
0:16:24 > 0:16:27we could carefully sand it all down,
0:16:27 > 0:16:29but that's going to cost in terms of labour.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Because we're going to try to do this for a price
0:16:31 > 0:16:32and I know you are always keen on price,
0:16:32 > 0:16:34then we have to look at alternatives,
0:16:34 > 0:16:40and one of those great ways of doing it would be just kind of spray it.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Oh, spray painting? That lovely blonde wood?
0:16:44 > 0:16:47That lovely, natural, blonde wood that's so commercial?
0:16:49 > 0:16:52OK, a nice natural light colour, perhaps.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54Yeah, we're not going to go too crazy.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Instantly, I'm thinking like a really dark, heavy blue.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00Right, what do I know?
0:17:00 > 0:17:04But, if it keeps costs down, I know Sarah will be happy.
0:17:04 > 0:17:05Sounds really simple.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09Simple paint job, simple cushion across the base, how much is it?
0:17:09 > 0:17:12I mean, you are looking about the £450 mark.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14£450.
0:17:14 > 0:17:15Go for your life.
0:17:15 > 0:17:16And it's a deal.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19Although painting that lovely natural wood,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22is it really worth it just to save a bit of money?
0:17:22 > 0:17:24It'll probably divide opinions,
0:17:24 > 0:17:25because we all know there's purists
0:17:25 > 0:17:28and then people will want to see something exciting.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31I'm certainly on the side of exciting.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Well, Anthony is going to have to nail the look of that sofa
0:17:34 > 0:17:38if we're going to make a profit. £450 is a big investment.
0:17:38 > 0:17:39But he's talking a good game.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44It'll be £450 to transform the sofa.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47There's a good chance of making a bit of profit.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Well, if someone wants to buy it, obviously.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03With our two makers put to work,
0:18:03 > 0:18:07it's time for Sarah to get back home to the Sussex countryside
0:18:07 > 0:18:09and get started on her own project.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15Sarah's been playing with the doll's house all morning.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Now she's ready to get to work.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23Well, this is a very sweet little doll's house
0:18:23 > 0:18:25and the contents of it are fantastic.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27And I know that it's a Triang doll's house,
0:18:27 > 0:18:29and I can say that with complete certainty
0:18:29 > 0:18:30because it says it here on the back.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32This house is in lovely condition
0:18:32 > 0:18:34and I really don't want to change that.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37I'm not going to paint it because if somebody takes this on as a project,
0:18:37 > 0:18:38I want them to be able to choose
0:18:38 > 0:18:40whether they want the original interior
0:18:40 > 0:18:42or if they want to make it more of their own.
0:18:46 > 0:18:51The Triang Company started making doll's houses in the 1920s.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54By the 1930s, the company was so successful,
0:18:54 > 0:18:59they bought the famous London toy store Hamleys.
0:18:59 > 0:19:00TV. You've got to love a TV.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02They were big in those days, weren't they?
0:19:02 > 0:19:05However, they stopped production during World War II
0:19:05 > 0:19:07when they joined the war effort.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10They stopped making doll's houses, and made weapons instead.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15This is just the most wonderful little world in here.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18There's a whole history of somebody's childhood
0:19:18 > 0:19:20and what they played with.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24I think it's just a case of cleaning it all up and making the best of it.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27It is in really dirty condition.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29In fact, the last people who played with it, I think, were probably mice
0:19:29 > 0:19:31cos there's lots of mouse poo inside it.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33That really isn't going to make any difference.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35I'm going to give it a really good clean up,
0:19:35 > 0:19:37polish up all the pieces, things like this -
0:19:37 > 0:19:41they're collectible and they're definitely saleable.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43As mice have been using the house as a loo,
0:19:43 > 0:19:47Sarah's using some simple antibacterial spray,
0:19:47 > 0:19:49which will get rid of all the nasties
0:19:49 > 0:19:51and remove the surface grime.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54I need to be careful not to damage any of the lovely delicate wood
0:19:54 > 0:19:59and paint that's on the surface, but it should clean up really nicely.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03Triang doll's houses were of the highest quality and built to last.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Look at that tiny spoon.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10They even had specially-printed wallpapers
0:20:10 > 0:20:13that were miniatures of contemporary designs of the day.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15That's just about it, I reckon.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22These little bits have cleaned up really nicely.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24What I want to do is pop them all into the house,
0:20:24 > 0:20:27style them up so it looks stunning, and then get it sold.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29I've got my interior design helper to help me.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31Come on, this is your size.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37Sarah's enlisted the help of daughter Libby to help decorate.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39So, which one's the master bedroom, this one?
0:20:39 > 0:20:40That one.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42Sarah plans to sell the house online,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45so a nice arrangement will help greatly
0:20:45 > 0:20:47when it comes to bagging a buyer.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49I see what you've done there, I like it.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51Looks good. Cosy.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58So far Sarah hasn't spent a penny renovating the doll's house,
0:20:58 > 0:21:01so if she can get it sold, it'll be all profit.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08We're leaving leafy Sussex and heading back to Margate...
0:21:10 > 0:21:14..where Rupert's getting started on the crazy paving giraffe table.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17How's that going to work again?
0:21:19 > 0:21:21I'm going to splice into the middle of this table -
0:21:21 > 0:21:23a lot of colourful sections of wood.
0:21:23 > 0:21:28Almost like crazy paving of colourful bits of Formica.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30It's going to have a real contemporary twist to it.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32And it's going to be big and heavy.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40So, I'm going to start pulling this apart and see how big it used to be.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Rupert begins to fully extend the table
0:21:43 > 0:21:48to get a better idea of how large he could possibly make his own.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50What is a popular size for a table?
0:21:50 > 0:21:52Are you asking me?
0:21:52 > 0:21:54I don't know. Six?
0:21:54 > 0:21:56Six people.
0:21:56 > 0:21:57Well, what's wrong with that?
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Six people isn't going to be enough for this table.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01Well, you did ask.
0:22:04 > 0:22:05Once it's apart,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08Rupert can also tell if the original framework
0:22:08 > 0:22:11is strong enough to re-use in the new design.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15And it's not looking good.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18All of this centre section is now redundant.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21It's all broken.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23It's going to collapse in that corner.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28Rupert begins to dismantle the table.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30There are a lot of complex joints
0:22:30 > 0:22:33and I'm not quite sure where all the hidden fixings are.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37What, so you'll just smash it with a mallet and hope for the best?
0:22:37 > 0:22:38Oh, well, that did the trick.
0:22:44 > 0:22:45That's got it.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49These are the bits that I've pulled out of the table
0:22:49 > 0:22:52that I can actually turn into a new table.
0:22:52 > 0:22:57The oak framework underneath turned out to be really badly damaged,
0:22:57 > 0:23:00so I'm going to have to make a new sub-frame for the table
0:23:00 > 0:23:02to carry the new heavy table top.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07Building an entirely new frame from scratch
0:23:07 > 0:23:12is going to eat into a lot of Rupert's time and be costly.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16But for now, he's concentrating on this crazy patchwork table top,
0:23:16 > 0:23:22which will be made from old, horrible, '60s Formica tabletops.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26One of the things I've kept hold of are old, broken, Formica tables,
0:23:26 > 0:23:30so I'm going to bring together a lot of these scraps and useless bits
0:23:30 > 0:23:31that I've collected
0:23:31 > 0:23:34and make something colourful and join them all together.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37So it's kind of a big jigsaw puzzle piece now.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Formica laminate is a heat-resistant white, clean, plastic coating,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45commonly used for tabletops and work surfaces.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49In the '60s, many homes in Britain had some form of Formica
0:23:49 > 0:23:50in their kitchen,
0:23:50 > 0:23:54and the bright, jazzy colours... Well, it was the '60s.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58I'm going to start cutting these pieces down now,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01get them all down to size.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05Rupert starts cutting the Formica into sections.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10Care has to be taken when cutting any laminate.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13The dust particles can be very dangerous,
0:24:13 > 0:24:16as they contain formaldehyde, amongst other things.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20So why, oh, why is Rupert not wearing a mask then?
0:24:20 > 0:24:24Well, it's because his trusty handsaw has a built-in vacuum
0:24:24 > 0:24:27that sucks up all the dust before it gets into the air.
0:24:27 > 0:24:28Isn't that clever?!
0:24:32 > 0:24:34Rupert only manages to cut a couple of bits
0:24:34 > 0:24:36before he notices another problem.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40Every single piece of material I've got is a different thickness.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44Somehow I've got to get it level and smooth,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47so, this is going to be a real labour of love.
0:24:50 > 0:24:51Oh, what happened?
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Can it just fade to black?
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Oh, this isn't going well.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01As Rupert has a little lie-down to rethink the budget,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04we're back in Manchester where upholsterer Anthony
0:25:04 > 0:25:09is about to bring on the wrath of the Ercol Appreciation Society.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13So, with the Ercol, we are very carefully trying
0:25:13 > 0:25:14to not to offend people,
0:25:14 > 0:25:18but the purists out there might be slightly offended
0:25:18 > 0:25:20with the plan we have for it.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22So what we're going to do is modernise it.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24We're going to remove these cushions instantly.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28Because this is in quite a bad state,
0:25:28 > 0:25:30what we're going to do is give it a little sanding,
0:25:30 > 0:25:31and then we're going to prime it,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33and then we're going to spray it,
0:25:33 > 0:25:37and that's another way of kind of bringing it right up to, um...
0:25:37 > 0:25:38To?
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Bring it up to...
0:25:40 > 0:25:41Scratch?
0:25:41 > 0:25:42..date!
0:25:42 > 0:25:43Ah, nearly.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45That's the one.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49Anthony starts by removing all the snapped and brittle webbing
0:25:49 > 0:25:50from the face,
0:25:50 > 0:25:54which will later be replaced by brand-new bouncy webbing.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57They start off in a really nice rubber state,
0:25:57 > 0:26:00and just over a period of time they just dry
0:26:00 > 0:26:02and decompose and disintegrate.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06So if you pop a little bit of moisturiser or oil over them,
0:26:06 > 0:26:08that'll keep them all nice and dry and supple.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11Top tip - moisturise your chairs.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15I've found that a deep cleansing, exfoliating scrub
0:26:15 > 0:26:19will really open the pores and make it look ten years younger.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Anthony's giving the frame a very light sanding
0:26:25 > 0:26:28to remove the bumps before he applies the undercoat primer.
0:26:30 > 0:26:35A primer is a layer of paint applied before your main coat of paint.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38It ensures better adhesion of paint to the surface,
0:26:38 > 0:26:40increases paint durability
0:26:40 > 0:26:43and provides additional protection for the wood.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48Anthony puts the base outside to dry
0:26:48 > 0:26:51and turns his attention to the fabric for the cushions...
0:26:51 > 0:26:54and it isn't going to be just any old fabric.
0:26:55 > 0:27:00This is hopefully - which is in brackets very experimental -
0:27:00 > 0:27:04going to be the fabric for the Ercol seat cushions.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06So there's quite a few different processes to this.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10Number one, we're going to paint our base colour on,
0:27:10 > 0:27:11all the way around like so.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Then we're going to put some paint down one half,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18fold it in half, open it up,
0:27:18 > 0:27:21allow it to dry and keep on repeating it,
0:27:21 > 0:27:22so this is just...
0:27:23 > 0:27:27..act one, scene one of, potentially, our own fabric.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29Once Anthony's happy with his design,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32he'll send it off to be digitally printed,
0:27:32 > 0:27:35and if you're wondering what he wants it to look like,
0:27:35 > 0:27:37here's the blueprint.
0:27:37 > 0:27:38Mm.
0:27:38 > 0:27:44Designs that look like ink blots are very on trend, I'm told.
0:27:44 > 0:27:49Uh, can you just very carefully hold it here and hold it here?
0:27:49 > 0:27:51Anthony's got one of his frame makers
0:27:51 > 0:27:53to help him neatly do the folding,
0:27:53 > 0:27:58so, in theory, it should come out as a pristine mirror-image design.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04Oh, it's a mess.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06When in doubt, start from scratch.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08We'll just have... We'll put this one down here.
0:28:09 > 0:28:14Repeating this process is taking up an awful lot of Anthony's time.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17Especially when he's using the world's smallest roller.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20So here's hoping this one is a little better.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24What do you think, Anthony?
0:28:24 > 0:28:26Oh, that doesn't look good.
0:28:26 > 0:28:27Any improvement?
0:28:27 > 0:28:29Yeah, I think we'll start again.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31Oh, dear.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37With Anthony's handmade fabric not turning out the way he wanted,
0:28:37 > 0:28:43he decides to put it to one side and get started painting the sofa base.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46This was supposed to be the most cost-effective way
0:28:46 > 0:28:47of renovating the sofa.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50With all the time it's taken designing the fabric,
0:28:50 > 0:28:53the budget's in danger of sky rocketing.
0:28:56 > 0:29:00With our makers both struggling with our tip finds,
0:29:00 > 0:29:04it's time to swing by Sarah's and see how Libby's got on,
0:29:04 > 0:29:06doing up the doll's house.
0:29:10 > 0:29:11Well done.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13And it's ready to be put on the market.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17When Sarah rescued the doll's house,
0:29:17 > 0:29:20it was moments away from being crushed.
0:29:22 > 0:29:27But now, it's shiny, bright and ready to be loved again.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30Sarah cleaned the house from top to bottom
0:29:30 > 0:29:33with all the lovely miniatures looking brand-new,
0:29:33 > 0:29:35and with Libby's skilful arrangement,
0:29:35 > 0:29:40it's ready to be put online and hopefully find a buyer.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48Oh, my word, I'm loving everything that's in here.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50When Sarah met Diane at the tip,
0:29:50 > 0:29:53she had a rifle through her childhood possessions.
0:29:53 > 0:29:55Oh, no, and whose is that?
0:29:55 > 0:29:56That was mine, yeah.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58But it was the doll's house that caught her eye.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00When was the last time you played with that?
0:30:00 > 0:30:01I'm not giving my age away.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04Sarah whisked it away to be spruced up.
0:30:04 > 0:30:05Well, I hope she can make it look a lot better
0:30:05 > 0:30:07than it looks at the moment.
0:30:09 > 0:30:13Sarah didn't have to wait long after posting the doll's house online.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16She had a buyer lined up
0:30:16 > 0:30:19and so set off to Wingrave in Buckinghamshire
0:30:19 > 0:30:21to see if she could seal the deal.
0:30:21 > 0:30:23Do you want to bring it through to the shed?
0:30:23 > 0:30:24The shed? Oh, yes, please.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28Collector, Kim, loves doll's houses so much,
0:30:28 > 0:30:29even her shed looks like one.
0:30:32 > 0:30:33Oh, that's lovely.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36But does she love Sarah's enough to buy it.
0:30:36 > 0:30:37What do you think?
0:30:37 > 0:30:39I love it, I really love it, thank you.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41Really? I'm so pleased.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43Yes, of course she bought it.
0:30:43 > 0:30:44But for how much?
0:30:46 > 0:30:50Sarah's now travelled to Tismans Common in Sussex
0:30:50 > 0:30:52to tell Diane what happened to her doll's house
0:30:52 > 0:30:54and hand over the profits.
0:30:58 > 0:30:59- Hi there.- Hello.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02- How are you?- I'm fine, thank you, how are you?
0:31:02 > 0:31:04Very well. Now I last saw you and you were clearing out
0:31:04 > 0:31:06- your mother's house, is that right? - That's right, yes.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09And so you got as far as the loft when I saw you
0:31:09 > 0:31:10and found your old doll's house.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14It had been there, sitting there for probably about 40 years.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16It was a bit mucky.
0:31:16 > 0:31:21To be honest, I just thought, "It has to go. What do you do with it?"
0:31:21 > 0:31:23I literally gave it a quick clean-up
0:31:23 > 0:31:26and I've taken some pictures of how it looked after I had had...
0:31:26 > 0:31:28- Oh, fantastic. - ..a little look at it.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31So, I just literally...
0:31:31 > 0:31:33- My goodness. - ..got the marigolds out...
0:31:33 > 0:31:35- Oh, my goodness...- And just gave it a tidy up.
0:31:35 > 0:31:36Actually, you played with it beautifully.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39- It was in great condition. Do you have siblings?- No. No.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41That's probably why it's in great condition.
0:31:41 > 0:31:45- Because mine would've all been crushed by my brother.- Aw!
0:31:45 > 0:31:48I shared it on social media, and it's gone to a new home.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51Oh, fantastic. I think that that's brilliant.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54In fact, I have £160 for your doll's house
0:31:54 > 0:31:56and all those lovely things that are in it.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00My goodness, that's amazing, thank you very much.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02Is there something you might do with that?
0:32:02 > 0:32:05Well, I would like to give a little bit to Macmillan,
0:32:05 > 0:32:08because they looked after my dad when he was very ill,
0:32:08 > 0:32:11and I might save a little bit for myself as well.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13- Thank you so much. - Thank you.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18Sarah didn't spend anything on materials,
0:32:18 > 0:32:20meaning with a sale of £160,
0:32:20 > 0:32:25Diane gets the full £160 to split between a cancer charity,
0:32:25 > 0:32:28in memory of her dad, and a treat for herself.
0:32:28 > 0:32:29Lovely.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38That's one item producing a profit.
0:32:38 > 0:32:39Let's see if we can make it two.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45Sarah's back in Margate to drop in on Rupert and the old table...
0:32:45 > 0:32:48Oh, would someone please buy her some laces?
0:32:48 > 0:32:51She's likely to trip and break her neck.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54Rupert's finished the colourful mahogany table,
0:32:54 > 0:32:57but I have a feeling it was probably a late night.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01It actually took a lot longer than I thought
0:33:01 > 0:33:04for something quite simple, it was quite a labour of love.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07I hope she does like it, otherwise I'll be eating my own dinner off it.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11Well, it's scorching down here in Margate
0:33:11 > 0:33:14and I'm hoping Rupert is also on fire.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17And if his past reputation is anything to go by,
0:33:17 > 0:33:20that table is going to go from the tip to the top.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22Well, let's find out.
0:33:22 > 0:33:27When Sarah salvaged the old thing, it was on its last legs, but now...
0:33:31 > 0:33:34..it's a big, bright beauty.
0:33:34 > 0:33:38The new shiny laminate mid-section mixes swinging '60s Britain
0:33:38 > 0:33:41with classy Victorian style.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45Rupert has lovingly restored the original mahogany
0:33:45 > 0:33:49whilst still keeping its character and charm.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53It's been stretched out to fit eight to ten people round it.
0:33:53 > 0:33:58Perfect for dinner parties, or just big dinners.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01- Rupert. Hi. - Hi, Sarah.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03- Hey. How are you?- I'm OK.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06- Come on, then, let's see it. - Ready?- Yeah.
0:34:09 > 0:34:10Wow!
0:34:11 > 0:34:13Isn't that fantastic?
0:34:13 > 0:34:17I went through all of the scrap salvage bits of 1960s tables
0:34:17 > 0:34:18that I could find,
0:34:18 > 0:34:23and they're such a contrast to the original Victorian mahogany.
0:34:23 > 0:34:27I think it's absolutely amazing.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29In the end, it was quite a labour of love to carefully restore
0:34:29 > 0:34:33what you'd given me, but build a whole new subframe,
0:34:33 > 0:34:36so I might have to charge you a little bit more,
0:34:36 > 0:34:38as it did take a lot longer.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42I think the region was around £300.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44Have you doubled it, or is it less than that?
0:34:44 > 0:34:47- I could work with about £400. Would that be OK?- £400.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49I will happily pay that.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51I think you've done a very good job on it.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54Great. Good luck with it.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56I won't need much, I don't think.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58Even with the extra £100,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01I think Sarah's got herself a bargain.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03Well, Margate has just got a new masterpiece.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06Rupert has created his own style of modern art,
0:35:06 > 0:35:09and that table, well, it's an absolute winner.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11I hope you're right.
0:35:11 > 0:35:12Let's see if we can get it sold.
0:35:18 > 0:35:19- Hello.- Hi.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21When Sarah met David and Vanessa at the tip,
0:35:21 > 0:35:25they were happy for Sarah to lug their mammoth table away.
0:35:25 > 0:35:26Well, it's extremely heavy,
0:35:26 > 0:35:28so if somebody was going to not let us throw it in the tip,
0:35:28 > 0:35:30that would be good.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32Vanessa didn't think much of the old table.
0:35:32 > 0:35:33It's just in the way.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35We don't want it, we don't need it.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38But had confidence in its potential.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41If you start off with a ritzy product,
0:35:41 > 0:35:43sometimes you land up with an even ritzier one.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45Ritzy is one word for it.
0:35:45 > 0:35:50With Rupert's rampant imagination, it's ready to be dined at again.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54Sarah took snaps of the table and shared them online,
0:35:54 > 0:35:55and do you know what?
0:35:55 > 0:35:59It was snapped up by retro furniture store Elemental in London.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03Sarah's travelled to Hambledon in Surrey
0:36:03 > 0:36:06to tell Vanessa the good news and hand over the profit.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14- Hi, Vanessa.- Hi, Sarah, how are you? Nice to see you again.
0:36:14 > 0:36:15Yes, lovely to see you too.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18Now, I saw you at the recycling centre.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21You had that lovely table roped into the back of your car.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24Did you wonder what might happen after you took it away?
0:36:24 > 0:36:26Well, I mean, as it had been left in the rain
0:36:26 > 0:36:27I wasn't really quite sure,
0:36:27 > 0:36:31and I just couldn't face the restoration process.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33Lovely Rupert, who is down in Margate,
0:36:33 > 0:36:35took one look at it and said
0:36:35 > 0:36:37it's just something he would love to work on.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39So I've got some pictures to show you what he did with it.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41Oh, wow. Wonderful Rupert. How exciting.
0:36:41 > 0:36:46It's not possibly the most traditional of makeovers.
0:36:46 > 0:36:47You've painted it or...
0:36:47 > 0:36:51Brace yourself. This is how your table ended up.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54Oh, my word. How amazing.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56He kept all of the original mahogany,
0:36:56 > 0:36:58that lovely finish on the table,
0:36:58 > 0:37:00and he added this very bright section...
0:37:00 > 0:37:02Contemporary look.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04- What do you think of it? - I think it's amazing.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06I mean, it's better than it being in the rain down at the farm.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08A shop in London absolutely loved it.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10And so I have a little bit of profit to hand over to you.
0:37:10 > 0:37:15In fact, I've got £100 here from your table. That's for you.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17Well, wonderful. Well, Sarah, well done.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21How lovely to see something as old as that used and appreciated.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23What might you do with that £100?
0:37:23 > 0:37:26Of course, well it'll probably just go to the roof fund, I'd imagine,
0:37:26 > 0:37:29which is something that is very much needed in this house.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31- Great. Lovely to see you again. - And you, Sarah, thank you.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35Even with Rupert going a bit over budget with £400,
0:37:35 > 0:37:39Sarah managed a cracking sale of £500,
0:37:39 > 0:37:44meaning Vanessa has 100 to put towards getting her roof fixed.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53That's two items now that have raked in the cash.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55So, Sarah's headed back to Manchester
0:37:55 > 0:37:59and she's got herself some laces, thank goodness.
0:38:00 > 0:38:06Will Anthony's black and white ink blot sofa be another money maker?
0:38:06 > 0:38:07So, Sarah's on her way.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10Really excited to kind of show this one off.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13It's a lot different to what we were originally going to show off,
0:38:13 > 0:38:15but, yeah, I'm really pleased with it.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18Oh, there's been a change. I can hardly wait.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22I'm here to pick up that broken Ercol sofa.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25It had a great frame and quite a bit of potential.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28So I don't know if Anthony has gone traditional and played it safe,
0:38:28 > 0:38:31or if he's gone for bonkers, brilliant and bang up-to-date?
0:38:31 > 0:38:34Well, you might have got the bonkers bit right.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36When Sarah dropped it off,
0:38:36 > 0:38:39it was beautiful and blonde but banged and battered.
0:38:39 > 0:38:40Now...
0:38:41 > 0:38:43..it looks like this.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Not an ink blot in sight.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49Anthony's foray into the world of fabric design ended...
0:38:49 > 0:38:51um, badly.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55So, instead he's chosen a fabric bursting with colour
0:38:55 > 0:38:58by French fashion designer Christian Lacroix.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03And it certainly catches the eye,
0:39:03 > 0:39:06covering the one big base cushion at the bottom
0:39:06 > 0:39:08and scatter cushions at the back.
0:39:08 > 0:39:13I tell you, if I wanted to get on the wrong side of the Ercol purists,
0:39:13 > 0:39:15that's the material I would choose.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18But what will Sarah think?
0:39:18 > 0:39:20- Hello, hello.- Hello.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24- Give us a hug.- How are we?
0:39:24 > 0:39:26Oh, I'm much better now.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29- Do you like it?- Oh, I love it.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31- Oh, good. Phew.- Isn't it cool?!
0:39:31 > 0:39:34It looks brand-new and that's not often a look I'm championing,
0:39:34 > 0:39:37but you've really brought it up-to-date.
0:39:37 > 0:39:38Nice fabric.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41And so there the story begins.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43This wasn't the original choice.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45Originally we went for kind of craft corner,
0:39:45 > 0:39:48and I got some paint out and started throwing it around,
0:39:48 > 0:39:51and then we just threw it in the bin...after three times.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53So then we went with this.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55It's definitely worth pursuing a look like this.
0:39:55 > 0:40:00I'll stick to upholstery rather than painting.
0:40:00 > 0:40:01Now you're not going to tell me it looks this good
0:40:01 > 0:40:04and you did it for the £450 budget, are you?
0:40:04 > 0:40:05Um...
0:40:07 > 0:40:09I wish I could...n't,
0:40:09 > 0:40:12- but we did.- Did you? - Yes.- I love it.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16So, there's a lesson for us all.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19If at first you don't succeed...
0:40:19 > 0:40:22just give up and buy something nicer.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24Well, I'm so pleased I was right.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27Anthony has really gone for it with that old Ercol sofa,
0:40:27 > 0:40:29and as tip find transformations go,
0:40:29 > 0:40:31that's right up there with the best of them.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39I recognise those cushions.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41When Sarah met Janice at the tip,
0:40:41 > 0:40:44Sarah knew exactly what she was throwing away.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46I'm thinking that's an Ercol, isn't it?
0:40:46 > 0:40:47It is Ercol, yeah.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50It was too far gone for Janice to take on as a project.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52I meant to repair it. It hasn't happened.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56It went in the shed. So now I'm thinking I'll just get rid of it.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59And she could only guess what Sarah had in store for it.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03I guess it might be something quite wacky.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06Well, Janice, you couldn't be more right.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08To find a fancier of the floral,
0:41:08 > 0:41:12Sarah took to social media and posted the sofa
0:41:12 > 0:41:15on Instagram, Etsy, and eBay.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17But were there any takers?
0:41:19 > 0:41:21Sarah is in Godalming to meet up with Janice
0:41:21 > 0:41:24and show her what was made of her Ercol.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30Hi, Janice, how are you?
0:41:30 > 0:41:31Hi. Nice to see you.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33I said I would be back in touch with you
0:41:33 > 0:41:36if there was something to be done with your Ercol sofa.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38So tell me a bit more about it.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40Because it had been in your garage for a while, hadn't it?
0:41:40 > 0:41:41It had been in the shed.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43The kids used to have it in their room.
0:41:43 > 0:41:44I didn't really want to throw it away,
0:41:44 > 0:41:47because I thought with Ercol it's a bit too nice, really.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50When we first looked at it, we really went over it thoroughly,
0:41:50 > 0:41:53looking at the condition of the frame and the webbing,
0:41:53 > 0:41:56and we actually decided that it was better, probably,
0:41:56 > 0:41:58to update it rather than try to restore it.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00So I've got some pictures here to show you.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02- Are you ready? - Yes, I'm ready.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06- It now looks like that.- Wow.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08Actually, that's really nice.
0:42:08 > 0:42:12He has used this lovely bold fabric and gave it a fresh, new look.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16Yeah, I think that's really lovely. Very nice indeed.
0:42:16 > 0:42:17It is currently still for sale.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20I'm hoping to be back here and be in touch
0:42:20 > 0:42:22saying that I've made some profit on it,
0:42:22 > 0:42:23but I wanted to come and catch up with you
0:42:23 > 0:42:25and show you how it had turned out.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27Thank you so much for letting us have it.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30- Lovely to catch up with you. Bye-bye.- Thank you. Bye-bye.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33Ah, well, you can't win them all.
0:42:33 > 0:42:39With Anthony's costs coming in at £450 and no sale,
0:42:39 > 0:42:43we're looking at a potential £450 loss.
0:42:43 > 0:42:44But, with a bit more time,
0:42:44 > 0:42:46Sarah will find it a new home
0:42:46 > 0:42:49and be back to see Janice to hand over the profit.
0:42:53 > 0:42:57Sarah salvaged three items that were destined for the dump.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01Instead of lying in landfill,
0:43:01 > 0:43:03they've all been given a new lease of life.
0:43:06 > 0:43:07A new look...
0:43:08 > 0:43:11..and a chance to be loved again.
0:43:14 > 0:43:16Well, how about that Ercol sofa?
0:43:16 > 0:43:18I reckon that fabric was just the thing
0:43:18 > 0:43:19to bring it right up to date,
0:43:19 > 0:43:22and Rupert's dining table, well, that was a triumph.
0:43:22 > 0:43:24The doll's house, a lucky find.
0:43:24 > 0:43:26Altogether, I'm so pleased we've managed to make
0:43:26 > 0:43:28a little bit of money for nothing.