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Story by
reclaimedhome
Published on June 16, 2009 in This Handmade Life |
Photo by |
Upcycling is a fairly new term for an ancient practice. We’ve all been upcycling for years without even realizing it. Have you ever cut your pants to make a pair of jean shorts? You upcycled. Ever made a frame out of old moulding? Yup, upcycled. Tire swing? You get the picture.
Too Easy!
Parquet Floors
Blue desk frame with upholstery tack picture holders. How can you beat my 1960’s childhood photos, though?
Coat Hooks From Just About Anything!
Other Hooks and Shelves
An antique post office drawer now hangs on the wall for use as a shelf and key/hat hook. The vintage magazine interior was a Modge Podge job.
Reclaimed Towel BarGot Legs?
This vintage mechanic’s toolbox was found at a garage sale for five bucks. The legs were found in a dumpster. Now it's a coffee table. If you have some longer legs on hand, tool boxes can also make great desks.
Art Doesn't Have to Hang on the Wall.
Shutter to Think
Shutters are one of those things you can always find for free. I have some rather large ones sitting in my basement that came with the house. This radiator cover works perfectly in my living room. Other shutter ideas: litter box cover, partition screen, corner shelving unit, cupboard doors. The list is endless!
Check out ReclaimedHome's shop for more of their inventive handiwork. The related items below are all made from upcycled materials!
Search for Recycled Clothing | Earth Tones Series | Shop Upcycled Housewares
153 comments Login to add your own!
BlueNostalgia
IrinaPhotography
I like Victorian-style houses. This one on the picture is so cute!
TheVintageWaffle
Good story. I hope to some day have my own Victorian or old farm house.
WinchesterLambourne
SeaFindDesigns
VintageEyeFashion
iworkartwork
Vanessa
I met Phyllis at Brooklyn Blog Fest and was so intrigued by her work fixing up old houses. I love old architectural details and preserving and reusing those odds and ends makes life so much cooler. Glad to have you on the Storque, Phyllis!
edithandlulu
yaelfran
cjBlue
BeadinBabe
Wow, how awesome!! This makes me want to change my decor around my own house! :)
reiter8
Love it. Very creative. There are so many good 'gently used' materials out there just waiting for a second chance. Love that towel bar!
raeraesisters
Awesome ideas! It's always good to see things reused rather than tossed!
jessicaschuler
Would love to see more pictures of the interior of this house! Beautiful work, this has always been a dream of mine and I enjoyed briefly living vicariously through you.
1AEON
younghairlove
buttercupbloom
A lover of all things upcycled - I think that these guys are completely cool! Thanks for doing what you do! xo
mossyrockpottery
When I was a bachelor, everything I had was upcycled...
My end tables were painted electrical wire spindles,
my "entertainment center" was formed from several shelves that formerly had glass sliding doors... I made a tapestry from a giant American flag that covered most of one wall (formerly used as a funeral flag for a military burial, bought for $4 at a flea market). I also lined the top of the wall with old CD's (from a radio station where I worked) to reflect what little light there was and brighten up the place. Lets just say, my wife didn't let me keep most of it when we got married... But I thought it was cool.
pandawithcookie
I like some of the ideas here. I am a fan of the upcycling.
MariesVintage
Very inspirational, makes me want to try my hand at a summer project!
sleepypillow
LaLah
WOW...guess I better start on some new upcycling projects!!! love this stuff.
reclaimedhome
Thank you, thank you, everyone!
The house is very much a work in progress. After 5 years, we're still ripping it apart and living with renovation.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/castlean...
Our other house is nearly finished. Lots of salvage in that one as well.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/castlean...
Hope you don't mind the links, Vanessa!
LabyrinthLeather
redyellowandblueink
Relcaimed Home you Rock! Just love everything you wrote in this piece-so perfectly true, and your tips and ideas are great! Big thanks for including my upcycled bird feeders among all the other lovely and ingenious item picks. Heck, even not so lovely upcycle sends me.
monkeyandsquirrel
fantastic! these are the kind of items that make me giddy... kudos to you guys!!!
TrilliumArtisans
Awesome! Love upcycling. Great to see our artisan (EyePopArt) featured in related items. Thanks!
OffTheHooks
great article & ideas-- it's amazing and sad what gets thrown away in our society.
jenniferlynnstudio
The tool box for $5 was a steal! Great find!..Love what you did with the shutters. Thanks for sharing!
2ReVert
Great article, LOVE that toolbox... why can't I find a deal like that ;) Thanks so much for including our coaster as well.
:)
2ReVert
beautifulbridget
poppyswickedgarden
Oh this is great! I just found some old suitcases on the roadside I'm going to make into coffee tables!
polkadotsoup
Terrific article - upcycling is one of my favourite pastimes!
BululuStudio
Upcycle is super cool! I love upcycling too it's very challenging and fun!
Salzanos
This is right down my alley!
I love to make use of things that most would throw out because it is not NEW anymore or has some little broken area. I reclaim broken jewelry into new. I also love to take things found out used stores and redoe things just like this article! way to go!
shopgoldmine
BRILLIANT!! Vintage stuff is so much better than buying new! LONG LIVE VINTAGE!!
chandistreasurechest
ScottieinaCanoe
nostalgiaorganics
BIG advocate of upcycling. My soaps come in fabric packaging that you can "upcycle" to make really unique crafts ~ label turns into a pattern! Less Waste, More Love is our motto! Come say hello!
maggiemaescolours
thebestvintage
recycledwares
thanks for keeping our landfills a bit less cluttered by buying used items for your house. that is my motto, recycle the wares.
beachhouseblues
This is a great idea filled blog. Makes me want to look around my house for something to makeover.
AuracaunaDesigns
LOVE the tool box coffee table and the water-ski coat rack!
skrocki
my house is full of items that have been upcycled, there are some excellent ideas included for people looking how to re-use something in a completely different way.
IcingOnTheCupcake
beadstylin
Cool! Dumpster diving sends shivers up my spine too. Unbelievable what people throw out.
trishafern
great to see that reusing, upcycling and recycling is getting so mainstream. i love the reuse of the glass made into a beautifully textured knitted vase!
staceylyndesigns
Being a pack rat I'm always trying to find uses for things I can't part with. Great ideas!
simplylovlee
lovelygifts
CouchDesign
Some really fantastic ideas here- I love the Victorian diorama.
mudpuppy
violetbella
great article, i love all of those ideas! i love dumpster diving!!! im always looking in peoples yards when i drive by at there piles of junk that just sits there, and think of all the things i would do if i had that piece of junk!
eileenheneghan
What great stuff. My brother and sister in law would love your stuff, they have been fixing up the house they bought and they are getting burned out. It is such hard work! I am passing along this article maybe they can get reinvigorated.
anteakbooteek
If only everyone had this talent, just think, no more landfills! But for now, leave it to us pros! Thanks what a great Storque.
kenjiku
kidacollective
SunshineandRavioli
What we used to call "junking" is now "upcycling"...no matter what you call it, I will always love finding new uses for old stuff. Love everything featured and now I am off to check out those flickr links...thanks for a great article!
FluteTeacher
belovedbaglady
AZCreativeStudio
TreeHuggerStudio
This is right up my alley.Great ideas, it is nice sitting in your home looking around at the things you've worked hard on.
HelloVictory
birdie1
SecondHandNews
What a fabulous article! There's nothing better than reclaimed vintage!
tldgrainwear
I loved the "skis-turned-to-coat-hooks", simply fabulous! Cheers!
lauraprentice
ooh i like this one!
those skis have a lot more life in them though.... the old wood ones are the best!
MintyFreshFusions
I was so excited to see the general theme, then bulk trash night, and the ReStore, then I even saw me in the featured items! Such a SWEET article to be featured in! Thank you!
We're working on a 192O American Foursquare we bought next year, she's the warm up to a larger Victorian later, I just wish we didn't have to go to Syracuse [from Utica] to get to the ReStore, I think you just inspired another trip! :]
CollectionObsession
Great creative ideas. Your house is lovely. We are in year 7 of our 1912 Arts and Crafts renovation, and are about 1/2 done.
girlchild
I've been dumpster diving and curb lurking for so long, I thought I invented it. But I'm glad to know I'm not alone.
BabySnuggles
Thank you for sharing. I live in a 120 yrs old victorian home. You have made my day, by showing me how gorgeous it can be again. I'm inspired! way to go!!!!
AlliesAdornments
ohmay
lived in an Edwardian in San Francisco....love the built-ins and high ceilings. Way to go restoring instead of modernizing.
steinschmuckdesign
COGnitivecreations
So many ideas, so little time...
Thank you for the inspiration!
26olivestreet
QuercusSilver
MyGrandmasAttic
littlepinkpebble
ellabellamay
WOW! We bought an older house recently, and now I feel really good about it! There's potential in everything! Thanks for a great article!
TipsyTimeMachine
Shutter radiator cover is amazing. So many great ideas in this article. My partner dumpster dived and found wooden trestle legs, I was dubious as to their usefulness. But inspiration struck, and I used them to make her a full length tilting dressing mirror. Not as elegant as many of the examples here, but it was more interesting than something I could have bought new, and she was happily surprised.
chinacutter
Such a great idea!Thanks for your sharing.
Wish everyone a pleasant day.
FlanneryCrane
Wonderful story to get creative juices flowing. My dream is to get a home and I want to upcycle too! I love the chair back you made a wall hanging with-gorgeous! I wish you much continued success in your business.
YesWeeKend
I love victorian houses and the reinventing for what concernes forniture creates the more eclectic interiors!
hellome
SunshineandRavioli said:
What we used to call "junking" is now "upcycling"
-----
So true! I remember many a trash day cruising various neighborhood "Curbies" lol. Glad there are so many more options like freecycle now. Have never heard of Craigslist curb alert - good to know.
Another good place for unique finds is after closing at a large flea market. Lots of times people will just leave their unwanted and sometimes broken items behind for you to rescue and repurpose.
djd8
I really enjoyed this story. I love repurposing anything, bringing it back to life, once again. I know, when you are all finished with your home, it will be beautiful! What a sense of accomplishment. Keep up the good work.
Atticspirits
I love flee markets , I have been junking/Up cycling as long as I remember , I just prefer old things over new things , New things mostly seem to lack spirit about them . I have always called it "treasure hunting"
BelleMereBelleFille
This reminds me of a house I wanted to buy with my husband in Logansport, Indiana (from a realtor Mrs. Drinkwine!) It was TOO beautiful to be true, but totally gutted with all the good stuff stolen and resold. Kudos for your perseverance and creativity! Here! Here! to Victorian era homes!
woodponddesigns
I love using recycled/upcycled items - my favorite is felting wool sweaters and making them into wee critters
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?...
clothpaperstitches
VintageSurplus
Stellar renovation! Time and time again, it's been proven that authentic materials (even with grunge on them) will withstand the test of time better than lots of fancy "off the shelf" stuff at the home decorating store nowadays. It's so fantastic to see lots of people **YOU GUYS** be willing to put the effort into restoring good, old stuff to its former glory and find new uses for sturdy and stylish stuff that can no longer perform it's intended function (old water skis, parquet floors...).
Thanks for sharing this and inspiring others to do the same! Carry on...and please keep it coming! :)
JAdamsDesigns
I LOVE the old wooden tool chest that became a coffee table!
RetroHouse
SalvagedExpression
I love old victorians and the idea of restoring one to its former glory. That and of course upcycling! I might have to steal that toolbox idea (in case I didn't have enough curb end tables).
brandeye
thestapeliacompany
I love upcycling and these ideas are great. I go to a lot of salvage stores and it's amazing how much we throw away and how many wonderful buildings have been torn down. At least these pieces get a new lease on life with someone who can appreciate them. :)
breadandroses
Congrats on nearly finishing your old house project! Old houses are labors of love & restoration can be full of surprises (some good, some not so much)!
I grew up with upcycling mentality & raised my family DIY style too. It all started with grandma recycling her 1930s floral barkcloth drapes into porch glider slipcover & pillows way back.....caught the bug early. Now look at all my Etsy shops!
SimpleTraditions
pileofstones
Luster
I loved reading this since I use the old copper wire from my house to make Jewelry....and I LOVE visiting our local salvage yard for treasures!
Morado
Such cool ideas! thanks for sharing...and the picks are just delightful :o)
orchardfarmsoap
we're currently upcycling a chicken coop for our soap studio. i love the ideas in this article.
KariCrumpMosaics
FABULOUS Article!! I feature upcycled items in all my pieces! Good to see other lovers of junk! Junk on!
QwertyO
Such fun! I have always loved taking something old and creating something different from it. Great article!
FairyBubbles
BibbysRocket
emcisaac
Creative upcycle, love the ideas and will steal a couple for myself!!! Okay I don't have to be original all the time!
reclaimedhome
Thank you, thank you once again!
Bibbys, the house is in Beacon, NY.
shopgoodgrace
Love, LOVE this! A job well done. :)
I think about how my grandparents upcycled nearly everything... using old coffee cans to store extra nuts, bolts, nails. Cutting buttons off of shirts for use in later projects... with those worn out shirts getting a second life as rag rugs or quilts. Even the tiniest of fabric pieces were used to create "make do" pincushions.
Thanks again for sharing your story and your ideas.
BlackStar
Fabulous post! My husband and I did historic restoration for 20+ years. It's amazing some of the the things you find behind those old walls. Off to look at your flickr pool.
EJPcreations
springflowerchild
I thought that house looked familiar! I grew up in Beacon, Ny. I've always wanted to restore one of those old house too.
michon
oh, I love this kind of stuff! I wish I had more storage space, I would go crazy at garage sales and make all kinds of cool things for my home...
sandali
Awesome -- I love the rustic wooden table & painting table -- trigger happy days ;)
TheCottageCheese
I love this story! Fantastic upcycled creations - the water ski is my favorite. Reclaimed home is a fantastic blog!
BirdAndMoonStudio
I love this "upcycled" thing. Of course!!! we have ALL being doing this for a long time. GRAND creations!
girlindustries
MyWisteriaCottage
Love all the finds. I always look at stuff and try to see what I can do with it. This adds to my list by showing me cool stuff and getting the creative juices flowing. Thanx
Phoenixbartender
What great ideas. I don't hate the fact that I need to go through my garage now!
bellavioletta
wonderful art........we love bulk trash days and construction site dumpsters...you never know what your gonna get.
pogoshop
Super article. You have to feel good about rescuing great old stuff that was destined for the trash - making something out of what had been thought of as nothing. I love it.
TangBaby
yosemitevintage
You must feel a great sense of accomplishment with this wonderful project. Old houses are a gift that keeps on giving. Thanks for sharing your ideas and the offerings you have in your etsy shop. I really like the back of the chair idea - would look nice over a mirror too, for an entry way. That reminds me, theres a huge estate sale tomorrow that I wont be able to stay away from, but I promise to be good. Lovin' Etsy!
babook
JoDyer
monamivie
Awesome article! I just published my book, "Random Acts of Greeness", it is full of upcycling ideas :)
AnniesWearableArt
One of my favorite articles of all time! Amazing what artists can do with what other people toss at the curb or abandon.
spareGus
I love reclaimed items, they are the most satisfying things to have in a home!
AchAchLiebling
What I really love about this article, in addition the style, is that it presents cool things are practical and realistic.
I also like that author's comment that her home is a work in progress and she lives with ongoing repairs and renovations. I think that's a nice counter-view to the enviable, though unattainable, ideal of picture-perfect, totally done, spic-and-span homes presented in decor mags and blogs.
GreenTease
Way to go!!! Live in a "work in progress" myself thanks for the incentive to keep pluggin at it!
GreenTease
Way to go!!! Live in a "work in progress" myself thanks for the incentive to keep pluggin at it!
sirenedelmare
MissHildebrandt
Very inspiring. People will eat it up...like it should be!
VIKukA
frstyfrolk
What fabulous ideas you have shown and what a beautiful home!
Thanks for sharing all the inspiration.
Smiles, Cyndi
alittledream
Wow! Fantastic finds. I love old vintage items. Especially glass door knobs, typewriter keys, skeleton keys, old windows, and colored glass. Now I want to go on a search in my area for all this cool stuff. Thanks
livingstonandporter
Love to find new uses for old, vintage or antique goods! This is the way to go... Thanks for all the SCOOP!
CGDesigns
Ingenious, talk about bringing the imagination to life! It's also very earth friendly and very "Go-Green".
maryjanesheirlooms
bydesign4u
repurposing,recyling,cycleup,all great ideas. Love old used worn objects, so much more character..
vaeda
zJayne
Namoo
Mattamorphis
Everything but the kitchen sink!
I would put a nice fat gold chain on a sink and use it as a fabulous charm bracelet. Can you imagine toting around nYC with that. I wonder how much the extra cab fare would be.
oh my!
MonstersAndRobots
I especially love the ideas of putting legs on a tool box and making furniture from window shutters.
amoronia
angelene
this has really motivated me for the house renovation i'm doing at the moment with my fiance!
littlepumpkincrafts
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