And too often, when you finally find a gorgeous custom coffee table, it comes with a hefty price tag. There is a way, though, to make a cool custom chrome coffee table using an old shoe rack.

Popular upcycled furniture projects include headboard ... When Smit comes into possession of a coffee table that’s perhaps too big for a space, she might salvage it by turning it into a bench.

That’s right, you can now you can rest your cappuccino on a table made ... board made of used coffee grounds and recycled waste plastics — a perfect illustration of upcycling.

Upcycling is taking an item that would otherwise ... the sleeves of a ratty old sweater into leg warmers, a wood door into a coffee table, turning remnants of an old shirt into a new dress ...

Here are some of their top tips on how to tackle your own upcycling projects on a budget ... says ‘If you’re fed up with your old coffee table, rather than rushing out to buy a new one ...

A coffee table with a stack of books and two vases holding sunflowers on top. - Andreas Von Einsiedel/Getty Images ...