Restoring and upcycling of old furniture and Designing of Innovative Digital Media Tools

PROJECT ID

SME Name:

Katrina Summer House

Country:

Latvia

Subsector:

Accommodation

*Thematic Axis and Specific Topic:

  • Axis: Circular and resource-efficient tourism
  • Topic: Reuse, repair or upcycling

*These are Cross-Re-Tour-specific thematic axes inspired by the Transition Pathway for Tourism. The thematic axis were chosen based on what category best reflects the main contributions of the project.

PROJECT SUMMARY & NEEDS

Project summary

Katrina Summer House combined furniture upcycling, heritage preservation and digital storytelling to enhance its guest experience. Reused wooden materials, old furniture and other existing resources were transformed into new interior elements and design objects for the guest house. Each item was marked with a QR label linking to digital stories about its origin, creation process and sustainability value. A new two-language website with sustainability content was also launched, helping guests better understand circular design, slow tourism and responsible resource use.

Exploitation Area(s):

  • Furniture & Equipment
  • Client Nudging
  • Staff Nudging

SME needs adressed:

  • Improve resource efficiency
  • Create / diversify tourism offer

OUTPUTS & OUTCOMES

Solution implemented

Katrina Summer House implemented a circular interior design solution by reusing old furniture, wooden materials and other existing resources to create new furniture and design elements for the guest house. The items were developed with support from restoration and design specialists, then integrated into the guest accommodation. QR labels and website content were added to explain each item’s origin and creation process. The solution aimed to reduce waste, avoid unnecessary new purchases and improve guest engagement.

Cross-Domain Innovation element

The project adapted methods from furniture restoration, circular product design, interior design and digital storytelling to a small accommodation business. Upcycled interior elements were combined with QR labels and website content, turning reused materials into both functional guest house items and an educational sustainability experience.

Key ouputs:

  • upcycled furniture and interior design elements made from reused materials
  • QR labels for each created item with digital storytelling content about the creation process
  • a new two-language website with a dedicated sustainability section
  • new professional visual materials
  • staff training through consultations and exchange visits provided

Key outcomes (Quantitative)

  • reused/upcycled 520 kg of old wooden materials and vintage furniture frames, avoiding an estimated 780 kg CO₂ compared with purchasing new furniture.
  • QR-based sustainability content reached a 56% guest interaction rate
  • new website’s sustainability pages recorded 240 unique views in until May 2026

Key outcomes (Qualitative)

  • improved guest engagement through QR-based storytelling and digital sustainability content
  • higher visibility and awareness from guests given to reused materials, family heritage and circular design
  • strengthened identity as a distinctive slow tourism accommodation

Lesson(s) learned:

Upcycling works best when it is planned professionally, not treated as improvised decoration. Other tourism SMEs should start with an inventory of available materials, involve restoration/design specialists early, and connect each reused item to a clear guest story. The digital layer – QR labels, videos and website content – should explain the sustainability value and make the reused materials feel intentional, premium and meaningful.

CONTACTS

Website / Social Media

https://katrinasummerhouse.com