Multipurpose Wonders: Vintage Rulers
On stair risers and dressers, for practical use or pure decoration, old-fashioned rulers have design appeal that measures up
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
Today businesses give away refrigerator magnets with their names on them, but 60 years ago they gave away something much more charming and useful — wooden rulers with their names on them. You'd be forced to think of your hardware store or bank every time you needed to measure something.
These days the old fonts and patinated finishes on these former freebies have great appeal, and thus are turning up all over the place. Feast your eyes on eight clever ways to give them new life.
These days the old fonts and patinated finishes on these former freebies have great appeal, and thus are turning up all over the place. Feast your eyes on eight clever ways to give them new life.
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Use: Wall organizer, complete with hooks
Result: A charming place to hang potting bench items, necklaces or dog-walking needs, like a flashlight, a choker chain and leashes.
Learn how to make one yourself
Result: A charming place to hang potting bench items, necklaces or dog-walking needs, like a flashlight, a choker chain and leashes.
Learn how to make one yourself
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Use: As the media in a mixed-media artwork
Result: Eye-catching artwork that has texture, age, interest and depth. The measuring sticks create a striking assemblage of horizontal bands, numbers and tick marks.
Result: Eye-catching artwork that has texture, age, interest and depth. The measuring sticks create a striking assemblage of horizontal bands, numbers and tick marks.
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Use: A way to add flair to old stair risers
Result: Visitors will stop halfway between floors and stare.
See more creative stair riser ideas
Result: Visitors will stop halfway between floors and stare.
See more creative stair riser ideas
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Use: A measuring edge in a craft room
Result: A no-fuss way to ensure you make the right cut.
See the rest of this home
Result: A no-fuss way to ensure you make the right cut.
See the rest of this home
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| Use: A bar top Result: A surface that is more interesting graphically, if not quite as smooth as, the usual reclaimed wood countertop. |
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Use: Keeping track of your kids' heights.
Result: This vintage fold-up measuring stick has a use that lets it stay out on display. If you have to move while the kids are still growing, you can take a picture, take it with you and re-create it in a new home.
Result: This vintage fold-up measuring stick has a use that lets it stay out on display. If you have to move while the kids are still growing, you can take a picture, take it with you and re-create it in a new home.
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| Use: As part of a scrap-wood bench. Result: A fun and lively three-dimensional graphic art project. Colorful measuring sticks add to the vintage aesthetic. |
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by EcoFirstArt.com
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| Use: As the decoration for a chest of drawers. Result: An artful conversation piece that will fit into a nursery, a craft room, or even an all-white gallery-like space as a work of folk art. More Multipurpose Wonders: Vintage Crates Mason Jars |
Ideabook published on Aug. 8, 2012.
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They've been after me for awhile but they don't understand . I have something in mind for everything I have in there....I'm just falling behind.
I do have 2 framed crayola pictures. One my 27 yr old daughter did in kindergarten. A picture of her dad and I walking holding feathers. We're love birds. With hearts floating everywhere. The other by my 21 yr old daughter. Again from kindergarten, a wheelbarrow full of flowers and hearts, with little heart petals saying 'thank you God for my mom and dad'.
My kids are grown but if they need crayons or even a piece of poster board they call me. My real weakness is material and they don't seem to mind when I decide I want different pillows in the living room.
It's all very organized so I'm not sure if what I am.