From transforming dated antiques into sleek new pieces, over 20 community members took a shot at flipping furniture for the sake of supporting more affordable housing in the Peterborough area.
Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region (Habitat PKR), in partnership with Chemong Home Hardware Building Centre (Chemong HHBC), has announced the 2025 winners of its second annual furniture-flipping contest called “The Big Flip.”
Held in celebration of Earth Day, the contest continues to inspire sustainability and creativity, said Habitat PKR in a media release.
This year’s contest saw 22 entries and 1,427 community votes, all in support of reducing waste and showcasing the value of upcycling. Participants were encouraged to find used furniture, transform it, and submit photos of their item before, during, and after the transformation.
“It was so fun to see 22 creative and totally unique entries this year, and especially exciting to spot pieces that started out on the floor of our very own Habitat ReStores,” Holly O’Connor, marketing and communications manager for Habitat PKR, told kawarthaNOW.
Habitat PKR operates three ReStores located in Peterborough, Lindsay, and Lakefield. The non-profit stores sell new and gently used building materials, furniture, and home décor. Shopping, donating, and volunteering at ReStores supports affordable homeownership and sustainability by diverting items from landfills.
“What I love most about The Big Flip is the ongoing impact it has,” O’Connor said.
“Just like shopping at the ReStore, it’s a sustainable choice. It gives old furniture a new life, keeps perfectly good items out of the landfill, and when flipped pieces are bought from the ReStores, they directly support our mission of building more affordable homes. That’s such a powerful combination of creativity, community, and purpose.”
This year’s instalment featured two new categories, “Big & Bold” and “Small but Mighty,” to encourage an even broader range of entries, she added.
Big & Bold winner Janice Brown transformed a hutch for her husband’s miniature wargaming collection, creating an organized and beautiful display for game pieces of various sizes. As an artist, painting was a natural part of her process.
“I was so excited to enter The Big Flip and flip the dresser,” Brown said. “Painting was always going to be a part of the transformation. It’s something we both love.”
Small but Mighty winner Jordanne Posch chose to flip a second-hand dresser with damaged veneer. She sanded, painted, and embossed the drawers using stencil work and DRYDex spackling.
“It needed some love,” Posch said. “I finished it with cabinet paint and polyurethane to protect the piece and make it last.”
Each winner received gift cards to use at Chemong HHBC and a Habitat ReStore, with Brown winning $500 to use at Chemong HHBC and $100 at a Habitat ReStore and Posch $250 for Chemong HHBC and $50 for a Habitat ReStore, as well as a membership to the Peterborough Tool Library.
“The Big Flip is more than just a fun contest,” said Habitat PKR CEO Susan Zambonin in a statement. “It’s a celebration of Earth Day, a testament to the power of community partnerships — like our incredible collaboration with Chemong Home Hardware Building Centre — and a reminder that creativity can drive real environmental impact.”
Chemong HHBC marketing coordinator Alaura Jopling agreed.
“It’s amazing to see the creativity and care our community puts into these flips,” Jopling said. “Whether it’s choosing the right paint, picking out hardware, or just asking for a bit of DIY advice, we love being part of that journey. This contest is such a fun and meaningful way to keep great pieces out of landfills and give them new life.”
In 2024, Habitat PKR;s three ReStores diverted 340,028 items from landfills as a result of donations of new and gently used building materials, furniture, appliances, and home décor items. Every item purchased or donated at the Habitat ReStore helps fund affordable housing projects across the Peterborough and Kawartha Region.
