For my upcycling project, I am building a 70’s themed cat house. I am gifting the final product to my co-worker! I knew I wanted to incorporate the use of cardboard. I started by taking a big box from my closet and cutting it up.

I then used a glue gun to begin assembling the house. The roof of the house was a lot harder than I expected, and it took two hands to get it together. I also made sure all logos were facing inwards, making the painting process easier.

After assembling the base of the house, I began decorating the inside. I was originally going to use an old rug to make a soft surface, but I found an old pillow that suited the 70’s aesthetic more. Someone was throwing out the pillow so I took it off their hands. I cut the fabric off the pillow to place inside the house. The design of the pillow along with the colors, were the perfect combination for my aesthetic. 

I also took some strings and attached them to smaller pieces of leftover cardboard which are placed in the front of the house.

The colors of the string and the way they hang down match the funky aesthetics of the 70’s. In addition, the cat will likely play with the strings and be more excited to enter the house. Finally, I took all my leftover paint and began decorating. I used stripes on the roof that replicated an old Burger King design I found from the 70’s. On the side I did a circular pattern that was also popular in the 70’s. I also took some of the leftover fabric from the pillow and glued it on the strings to cover up the cardboard. 

Overall, I’m really happy with the house and the aesthetic I chose. I have very little experience painting, so this wasn’t an easy process for me. However, I found it to be very relaxing and I enjoyed putting the cat house together.