I have a love of taking things out of the trash and fixing them up. When I was growing up in Colorado my friends and I would go to a dumpster behind the thrift store down the street. It was a treasure trove of things.
I don't go dumpster diving any more but I have been known to pick things up from the side of the road and I even enlist my family for help. After telling my dad that I wanted an old desk for my son's room, he and my husband got in the truck went up the street and picked up one that had been set out on the street for trash pick up.
I love mixing old things with new things in my home decor and I love finding new uses for things that no one has thought of. I have come to believe that if you look closely you can find the beauty and usefulness in just about anything and all it takes to bring it out is some cleaning, maybe a little paint, some glue, and a screw or two.
Getting "Locked Into Design" is not just about recycling juice pouches. It's about using art and design, imagination, and a little elbow grease to turn even trash into beautiful things.
Here are some of the things that I have recovered.
The chair I found at a thrift store for $5. It was originally blue and white with paint splattered all over it. I spray painted it, recovered the seat and the back, and replaced a few of the screws. It sits in my kitchen and serves as step stool, time out chair and extra seating.
The shutter I found at an architectural salvage yard and it cost me $2. After cleaning it and sanding it I decided to leave it the natural wood and just replace a few of the slats. I added a knob with a brushed nickel finish to dress it up and make it easier to open. It adds a really nice touch and privacy to my bathroom.
The Canada Dry box my husband brought home for me from the junk yard. (He often brings me home presents from the junk yard instead of flowers) All I did was clean off the dirt and put a piece of wood on the top. The boys use it to put their shoes on and my 4-year-old loves to hide things in it that I'm looking for.
And then there's the desk. Some paint and some new screws and you wonder why it was ever discarded. It holds all of my son's crafting supplies and gives him a place to do his homework away from his brother.
As I find more trash I will let you in on how I turn it into treasure and I hope that you will take the time to find treasures of your own or maybe just stop and think before you throw something away. Does it just need a new coat of paint? A new screw? They have those things at the hardware. It's not hard to do, it keeps things out of landfills, it saves money, and it adds character to your decor. Plus, you won't have the same chair or side table that everyone got from the same big box store. You can not only help the environment but find your own sense of style in reusing old things.
I don't go dumpster diving any more but I have been known to pick things up from the side of the road and I even enlist my family for help. After telling my dad that I wanted an old desk for my son's room, he and my husband got in the truck went up the street and picked up one that had been set out on the street for trash pick up.
I love mixing old things with new things in my home decor and I love finding new uses for things that no one has thought of. I have come to believe that if you look closely you can find the beauty and usefulness in just about anything and all it takes to bring it out is some cleaning, maybe a little paint, some glue, and a screw or two.
Getting "Locked Into Design" is not just about recycling juice pouches. It's about using art and design, imagination, and a little elbow grease to turn even trash into beautiful things.
Here are some of the things that I have recovered.
The chair I found at a thrift store for $5. It was originally blue and white with paint splattered all over it. I spray painted it, recovered the seat and the back, and replaced a few of the screws. It sits in my kitchen and serves as step stool, time out chair and extra seating.
The shutter I found at an architectural salvage yard and it cost me $2. After cleaning it and sanding it I decided to leave it the natural wood and just replace a few of the slats. I added a knob with a brushed nickel finish to dress it up and make it easier to open. It adds a really nice touch and privacy to my bathroom.
The Canada Dry box my husband brought home for me from the junk yard. (He often brings me home presents from the junk yard instead of flowers) All I did was clean off the dirt and put a piece of wood on the top. The boys use it to put their shoes on and my 4-year-old loves to hide things in it that I'm looking for.
And then there's the desk. Some paint and some new screws and you wonder why it was ever discarded. It holds all of my son's crafting supplies and gives him a place to do his homework away from his brother.
As I find more trash I will let you in on how I turn it into treasure and I hope that you will take the time to find treasures of your own or maybe just stop and think before you throw something away. Does it just need a new coat of paint? A new screw? They have those things at the hardware. It's not hard to do, it keeps things out of landfills, it saves money, and it adds character to your decor. Plus, you won't have the same chair or side table that everyone got from the same big box store. You can not only help the environment but find your own sense of style in reusing old things.
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