Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region (PKR) is “flipping” for Earth Day and inviting community members to take on a project that breathes new life into an old piece of furniture.
The organization, in partnership with Chemong Home Hardware Building Centre in Peterborough, has announced “The Big Flip,” a furniture restoration contest in honour of Earth Day on April 22. The Kawarthas-wide event aims to promote sustainability by inspiring residents to reimagine and revive used furniture to keep it out of the landfills.
“We would be thrilled to get as many entries as possible — my personal goal is over 30,” says Natalie Raponi, sponsorship and events co-ordinator for Habitat for Humanity PKR.
“The best thing that could happen from this event is that more people would start to consider giving new life to existing furniture pieces instead of throwing them away,” Raponi told kawarthaNOW. “There are so many incredible ways to restore, refinish, and reimagine used pieces in order to keep them out of landfills and contribute to a circular economy.”
Each year, close to one million tons of furniture waste ends up in Canadian landfills, according to Habitat for Humanity PKR. Biodegradable parts of furniture, such as textiles and wood, will degrade but they release methane gas into the atmosphere. Non-biodegradable parts of furniture, such as plastic and metals, will last in the landfill and can leach harmful chemicals.
The Big Flip contest involves choosing a used piece of furniture and taking a “before” photo with the piece, and documenting with one picture the process of “flipping” the furniture. Flipping can involve, but is not limited to, painting, restoring, and reupholstering the piece. Once finished, participants then snap a photo of themselves with the final products.
To participate, visit www.thebigflip.ca and make a submission between April 1 and 30. The contest is open to residents of the city and county of Peterborough, the City or Kawartha Lakes, and the Haliburton Highlands area.
Raponi said community members can consider checking out Habitat for Humanity’s Restores for suitable pieces to refinish.
“Our Habitat for Humanity ReStores are like hidden treasure troves waiting to be discovered. Often, you just need a little imagination and some good old elbow grease to transform these gems into something extraordinary.”
“If more people get interested in flipping furniture instead of buying new, the better it is for the environment. Plus, every purchase from our ReStores and membership to the (Peterborough) Tool Library helps build safe, decent, and affordable homes right here in Peterborough and the Kawartha region. So that’s a win-win-win.”
The Big Flip contest has two categories that will each have a winner. The “Designer’s Choice” winner will be chosen by Sonja Sanderson, owner of Birchview Design, and her team of interior designers. They will score entries using the following criteria: 40 per cent creativity and originality, 30 per cent usability, and 30 per cent transformation.
The “People’s Choice” category will be chosen after the contest ends by online votes cast between May 1 and May 8 on The Big Flip website.
Each winner will receive a Fusion Mineral Paint prize pack, a one-year membership to the Peterborough Tool Library, and a $500 gift card to Chemong Home Hardware Building Centre.
“We are excited to host The Big Flip furniture flipping contest in honour of Earth Day,” said Susan Zambonin, Habitat for Humanity PKR executive director, in a media release.
“This event aligns with our mission of building a sustainable future and empowers our community to positively impact the environment. We can’t wait to see the creativity and innovation that participants bring to the contest.”
Habitat for Humanity PKR is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to mobilize volunteers and community partners in building affordable housing and promoting affordable homeownership. Habitat gives a “hand-up” not a “hand-out” to lower income families by offering no down payment and geared to income monthly payments.
The organization operates three home improvement retail stores — the ReStores — selling donated new and used appliances, furniture, kitchens, building materials and home supplies. Habitat for Humanity ReStores play an integral part in Habitat’s mission by providing financial support for its work.
In 2023, Habitat for Humanity PKR diverted 331,730 items from landfills from purchases and donations made through its Peterborough North, Peterborough South, and Lindsay ReStores.
