Reconfiguring items that you might otherwise toss can save you money and will save our landfills. The process might also inspire your creativity and renew interest in your decor. I thought of some common items that might be found in the home that could be transformed into beautiful decor objects, with a little work. Here are just some of the ideas I came up with that might spark your interest.
Wooden dining table
I came across a solid pine kitchen table at a garage sale recently that was selling for $15. While I had no use for it, it might have made a great ottoman or coffee table with a few minor adjustments. By cutting the wooden legs to coffee table height, you could transform a wooden dining table into a large coffee table. The new coffee table could be painted in a current colour, like espresso, to suit a modern decor. If you covered the coffee table with batting and fabric, you could turn it into a large, decorative ottoman that could do double duty as a table and an ottoman. Not a bad deal for fewer than 20 bucks. You may have a table in your coffers that could do the same duty.
I recently saw another great idea on TV, wherein the host of a show called Home to Stay took a rather ornate, four-legged dining table and cut it down the centre lengthwise. He was left two slim console-style tables (with two legs each), which, or course, could not stand on their own. He mounted each table against a wall using L brackets to create two unique console tables. The effect was quite stunning and it saved the homeowner a lot of money. Brilliant!
Large slabs of wood, like the top of a dining table, wooden doors or what have you can be used as headboards, cut into shelving pieces to create built-ins or may even be used as decorative screens. Keep your options and your mind open to the possibilities.
Pets are people, too
An old, four-legged wooden chair can be fashioned into a really cute cat hammock by first removing the seat and back of the chair. This will leave you with four exposed legs connected by the cross spacers. Out of terry cloth, sew a square 'hammock' the same size as the base of the chair. To keep it in place, you can either sew triangular pieces to the underside of each corner that will create a pocket that will fit over each exposed leg, or you can sew ties onto each corner, drill holes through each wooden leg, (near the top) and tie the hammock through the holes. The hammock can be removed to be washed and the cats will love it. If you'd like a copy of the instructions by e-mail, just e-mail me and I'll send them to you.
From the junk drawer
Items such as costume jewelry, cutlery and old pots and pans can all be used as decoration for the home. Earrings for pierced ears can be attached to the screen of a patio door as decorative reminders the screen door is closed. (This is a good idea for dogs as they sometimes barrel through the screen thinking it's open.) Hang a succession of earrings in a decorative fashion at eye level to warn pets and people that the screen door is closed.
Strings of inexpensive beaded necklaces can be used to add a bit of pizzazz to lampshades and curtains. Simply hot glue or hand-stitch them to the edges of lampshades or edges/bottoms of curtains to give a little sparkle to plain objects. If you have a lot of bead (plastic or glass preferably) cut them loose and fill the bottom of your flower vase with the colourful beads. The beads will help hold the flowers in place while providing a little glam to the floral arrangement. Strands of smaller faux pearls could be used to jazz up boring picture frames or mirror frames. You can use other jewelry items, like brooches, to adorn decorative toss cushions.
Mismatched cutlery can be made into unique wind chimes by drilling holes in the slimmest end of each piece and configuring them into a hanging chime using heavy-duty fishing line. This is a fun project for the cottage. Real silverware makes the best sound but plain stainless steel will work too. You need the right drill bit for this project so talk to your hardware dealer for assistance if required. (Make sure you wear protective eyewear and gloves for this project while drilling.)
You could also use cutlery as kitschy cabinet hardware by drilling the appropriate holes and installing them to your cabinet doors and drawers. (Small baby utensils or collector spoons might be a good size to try too, depending upon your application needs.)
What's in your garage?
Items such as old, rickety ladders, leaky garden hoses and rusty garden tools are all items that can be found kicking around in many garages. Don't throw them out. Instead, use the ladder as a decorative shelf inside or out. In the garden, an old stepladder can be used as a decorative shelf for potted plants. Inside, you can use them to display items like decoys, books, CDs, stacks of towels and so on. I still have my old, paint-splattered stepladder in the rec room displaying decoys and other nature-inspired accessories. I love it.
A leaky garden hose can be turned into a fun garden wreath. Wind the hose into a wreath shape and tie it so it holds the form. Adhere vintage garden tools (yes, the old rusty ones will work fine) to it in a decorative fashion for display in the garden. Hang the wreath on a fence post, gate, shed or garage wall as a fun, whimsical outdoor accessory.
Old paned windows can be transformed into decorative mirrors by replacing the glass panes with mirrored pieces. Paint it and hang it in a room that needs additional light, like a basement, for instance. It will reflect room light and appear to be an additional window in the space. You could even decorate it further by installing a small fake planter box at the bottom of it and fill the planter with dried flowers and fake moss. This would be cute in a windowless bathroom or dark foyer.
A tippy canoe, or at least a leaky one, can be made into outdoor shelving for your potting shed needs or simply for display. Cut the canoe in half width wise at the widest part and use the halves as outdoor shelving. Attache the canoe piece to a sturdy base then add shelving to the interior as desired.There are so many great ideas yet to be discovered! What can you do with the unused items that you have on hand? Have some fun and keep me posted. I'd love to hear what you've created for your home.
