This new Metquarter store is giving tired furniture a whole new life

You only need to look at TikTok and Instagram to see how furniture can be restored and refashioned…

And now there’s a new Liverpool store that can help bring a new lease of life to the favourite pieces in your home, as well as selling its own beautifully transformed chests, chairs, cabinets, mirrors and more.

ReNew opened in Metquarter in October last year, and since then it’s been a go-to for homeowners wanting to try out new trends, revamp their favourite spaces – and save fabulous furniture that’s just a bit tired from the skip!

“ReNew has had a really good reception so far,” says owner Peter Bennett. “It’s been a huge opportunity to bring a service and a store like ours to the city centre, and it’s just in a great location.”

Peter adds: “The main aim is to keep things out of landfill and save older pieces of furniture.

“Sometimes they can be renewed and restored, they can be repurposed, and they can be painted and decorated.

“People maybe have a piece that was their grandma’s but it’s dark which they don’t want, so we go through a plan asking them how they want it to look, and how we can transform it, whether that’s painting it in a particular colour or stripping it back and doing a wash so you still get the grain coming through (a big trend right now).

“We can add applique, we can change the handles, so many things to make it the perfect piece for you.”

ReNew will even collect it from you and, when it’s ready, drop it back for free!

It’s not just a job and a shop but a passion for Peter who started his career as a retail shop manager.

“I’ve always been making stuff and I did product design in uni, so it really all came from there,” he explains.

“I went self-employed and started making small handmade items, selling them at craft fayres; then I progressed into making furniture and building wardrobes, and then restoring and recycling furniture which I’ve been doing now for 14-15 years.

“It is my passion, it’s my life, and it’s so therapeutic.  There’s such a sense of satisfaction when you bring something back to life, whether that’s transforming it and changing it completely, or refreshing something someone loves the look of but is just looking a bit tired.”

As well as treating other people’s furniture to a makeover, Peter seeks out fabulous finds to work his magic on and sell in the shop.

He also hosts bi-monthly workshops showing people how they can get creative and do it themselves and sells all the paints and products they need too: “And we’re happy to give advice in store.”

But it’s not all about pre-loved pieces.

Peter and his teamdesign and manufacture custom built-in furniture ranging from wardrobes to unique cupboard storage.

And ReNew stocks a range of handmade homeware and décor from independent brands including laser cut wall art of iconic Liverpool buildings, quirky sayings to cosy-up and decorate your home (‘And they lived happily ever after …’ etc.), chopping boards and, even, phone holders.

He also stocks pillows, blankets and throws, the soft furnishings that help to make a house a home.

“It’s all things you won’t be able to find in an average chain store,” Peter adds.

ReNew is open Wednesday to Friday from 10am-5pm, and on Saturday from 10am-6pm.

“We’ve saved tons of stuff from getting wasted even since we’ve been here.

“Customers don’t always want to see and shop online, and we offer people the chance to touch and feel furniture and to have that real shop experience.  ReNew is a family business and we’re here to help.”

Visit the ReNew website here.

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