Writers and bloggers eager to reinvigorate the look of long-forgotten furniture squared off at the Vancouver Home and Design Show over the weekend in a bid to raise money for Habitat for Humanity.

Competitors in the Ultimate Upcycle Challenge, including 24 hours’ DIY columnist Julia Dilworth, were given three weeks and $100 to repurpose items from the charity’s ReStore outlet into stylish furnishings.

Dilworth’s creation garnered the highest bid in the silent auction after she refinished a second-hand hotel desk of dark brown wood with a trendy mint-green paint job.

More than $1,000 was raised — including $250 for the “Mintage Desk” — for Habitat for Humanity Greater Vancouver.

“I was just happy to contribute to the challenge because it’s for such a good cause,” Dilworth said, adding the constant sanding and painting made for a much harder challenge than she anticipated.