Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region (PKR) has announced the winners of its inaugural furniture flipping contest, an initiative that rewards community members and helps the planet at the same time.
Sponsored by Chemong Home Hardware Building Centre and organized by Habitat for Humanity PKR, the event received 46 entries from people who reimagined and revived old furniture pieces, while keeping them out of landfills.
Called ‘The Big Flip’, the contest — which coincided with Earth Day on April 22 — challenged participants to transform used furniture in innovative ways, which could involve painting, restoring, or reupholstering pieces.
“Congratulations to Philip Feder and Cass Stabler for winning The Big Flip contest, and special thanks to all participants, sponsors, and supporters for their contributions to promoting sustainability and creativity in the Peterborough and Kawartha region,” Habitat for Humanity PKR stated in a media release.
Feder, of Omemee, netted the People’s Choice Award for his Superman-themed side table crafted from repurposed comic book covers.
“As a comic book and toy collector, I frequently encounter damaged comics,” Feder said. “Rather than allowing them to be discarded in a landfill, I opted to repurpose them.”
He used a combination of materials and paint for his piece and added bar resin to seal the top. Feder said The Big Flip contest has inspired him to make more comic-themed creations.
The Designer’s Choice Award went to Cass Stabler for her transformation of a child-sized wooden desk and chair into a “vibrant and functional piece of furniture.”
Stabler prepped the desk and matching chair and then painted a floral motif on the pieces, which are a gift for her young niece who loves nature.
“I already enjoyed finding nice, well-made furniture from sources like the (Habitat for Humanity) ReStore and I have recently started painting more often,” Stabler said. “Being able to combine these skills and make a perfect gift for my niece was a lot of fun.”
Among the entries, 20 contestants sourced their items from a ReStore, five found furniture pieces on the side of the road, while six repurposed items they already had at home.
The People’s Choice category garnered more than 1,900 online votes. The Designer’s Choice winner was chosen by the interior designers at Birchview Design, who evaluated entries based on criteria such as creativity, originality, usability, and overall transformation.
Both winners received 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.
Alaura Jopling, marketing coordinator for Chemong Home Hardware Building Centre, said it was a thrill to be part of The Big Flip.
“We encourage our customers to visit us anytime for guidance and supplies for their next DIY project,” Jopling noted. “Together, we can help you create, repurpose, and give life to old furniture while protecting our planet.”
In 2023, Habitat PKR’s three ReStores diverted 331,730 items from landfills as a result of its donations of new and gently used building materials, furniture, appliances, and home décor items. “Every purchase and donation at the Habitat PKR ReStores help build safe, decent, and affordable housing,” Habitat for Humanity PKR noted.
When the contest launched, Natalie Raponi, sponsorship and events coordinator for Habitat for Humanity PKR, shared with kawarthaNOW her goal for the contest.
“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 said. “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.”
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.
