Our last place had more repurposed items they were from what I can remember: piano legs to hold up the kitchen sink (a commercial sink), church kneelers for knick knack shelves, steel medical cabinets for kitchen storage, an old door cut into sections to make a medicine cabinet and glass doors were used to make a wall, an old washing machine (copper tub?) turned into a planter, heavy industrial style tubing to make shelving (I think this was partially to block our dangerous 2nd floor windows), exterior wall boards to make a coffee table, baseboard trim (from the 1800s) to make an entire freestanding bookshelf, flexible conduit to make a dining area light fixture, toilet tank for a (outdoor lol) planter, and for a while a hospital guerney (sp?) was a plant stand, we also used industrial window safety grills (for warehouses) into trellises, and recyled a galvanized outdoor shed into fencing at the back, Before the trellises got installed I used them to grade our terrible soil. There might have been other things, my hubby can turn anything wood into anything else and he has all the skills to build a house provided it’s not masonry. Currently we have a bowling alley floor for our kitchen countertops, and my handy hubby made a terrazo like counter on the other side from white concrete and glass (bottles, dishes etc.). We collected all of the rocks and rubble from the garden and my hubby made a massive garden wall, he also recycled the fence boards and rebuilt the fence. I used to collect fabrics and make odd things but I haven’t done that in a while.

J Williams - You sound like my kind of person. I have often thought about bowling alley countertops. Can you post a photo? Also the conduit light fixture is another fabulous idea.

I thought I was handy but you might have me beat. I occasionally come up with ideas but not nearly as many as you have mentioned.

Here is my broken marble repurposed into a sofa/media table.

I put the broken slab on a piece of mdf and traced it. Then I cut along the lines with a jigsaw. I added legs to the mdf and placed the marble on top of the mdf. Then I covered the edges of both the mdf and the marble with gold Rub N Buff.

I’m not the tool person, my hubby is. Me, I have recovered a wing chair, made a planter out of some old plywood, made hats out of old shirts, made gardens out of grass but I don’t have the crazy skills he’s got lol.

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5604101/what-light-for-this-kitchen#n=11

Love love LOVE this thread, thank you for starting it :). I look forward to pics and ideas. When I get home I’ll take pics of my items - not nearly as creative as what I’ve already read here. What a fun thread.

J Williams - I read your thread. Did you decide on a light. I love the swag one.

Vinmarks - That looks like a very heavy, very high end cart. You did a fabulous job. Isnt it awesome to be able to reuse something that has been sitting around for so long? Love it.

iheartsix - cant wait to see your items!

I love our orange light too, I found it on the floor under some drapes at a thrift store. I keep thinking about the lights in the kitchen, it has to feel right tho.

Here are a couple more: we are using an old medicine cabinet by our front door for keys/sunscreen/bike lights etc., and old pots make good compost collectors, you can buy nicer stainless ones but if you are on a budget those unuseable “vintage” pots work nearly as well.

Re: the BBQ cart, a good idea, I have found some tile stores/designers throw out old samples, so maybe another source for one off tiles.

Okay I have this glass inkwell...It's cute and could stand alone, but I'm sure that some of you wouldn't leave it as an inkwell...so what would you do with it? I've attached a pic of it next to a quarter for scale...

Great thread...looking forward to seeing more pictures and ideas!

Love everyone's ideas on here....Friday, your broken marble reminded me of one of my favorite things...Kitsune (sp?). Repairing ceramics so that the repair becomes art in itself...

The first example is, iirc a restaurant in Italy...

I love this thread because I hate waste more than anything else...and this forum of "rip it out and get new" can be a bit soul sucking for me....I think that even if I had all the money in the world, I couldn't have that kind of attitude. Probably got my feelings from my war-children parents :)

I've got this vintage wrought iron item from France -- not quite sure what its original use was. I did some research on it years ago and didn't find a satisfactory answer. The company that manufactured it also made iron stoves and city water font doors (think faucet on the wall where you could come fill up your jug with water). Each part of it is hinged so it can be reconfigured into several different shapes. The two sections with the hearts are also doors that swing down. Currently it just sits on a windowsill. I've thought of using it with a fire place, but never had one that it would work with. I've also thought of bending it around an arrangement of plants. I've always wondered what someone else would do with it!

looks like it says something?

J Williams - The medicine cabinet buy the front door is a good idea. Does it look like a medicine cabinet or does it look like a mirror on the wall?

Penny - You have me stumped with the ink well. A TicTac holder???? Maybe some others will have ideas. I do love the idea of filling the cracks in my marble with gold. That is a fabulous idea!

Jmint - I really would have never thought of repurposing the moulding. Very good idea.

JM - I think your piece might make a great fireplace screen depending on the height, or maybe a headboard.

It’s an old wooden mount on the wall mirrored cabinet with a possible bakelite handle, it’s not in the best shape which is why I’ve never tried to use it in a bathroom, but it’s great by the front door.

Friday, can you describe the paired darker pieces, above your paintings?

Louise McCarthy - They are just two African masks that I picked up somewhere along the way years ago. They are not authentic and were probably purchased at Home Goods or someplace like that. I do love tribal carved statues and I have a few real ones. I have been on the hunt for a couple of statues on pedestals. I want to put them on shelves in my kitchen.

That little screen is gorgeous. I would hang it in my screened room, over my rockers. Or as a fireplace screen, with fairy lights on the inside. Fairy lights can fix almost anything ;-)

A teeny tiny succulent would look way cool in the actual well part of the inkwell. And maybe a teeny tiny photo in the lid part? Arrange them together in a vignette?

Reminds me of some metal work I have. Wild Goose Studio, Ireland. Thank you for answering.

Oh they do look sort of similar. These are not iron. They are wood. I really like your pieces. I am sure yours are much nicer. Mine are the $9.99 Home Goods variety.

I have lots of home goods variety stuff. Those Irish pieces were (I think) wedding gifts. Or else leftovers from my parent's store, donkeys years ago. Maybe both lol. I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth (is that even the correct way to say that???)

I have a ton of Home Goods stuff too. I hadnt been there for years but then I saw a few posts from Paul F (I think thats the username). He picked up some blue cowhide pillows and a couple of flower pots. I happened to pass one today and decided to go in. I didnt see anything nearly that fabulous in the one in my neck of the woods.

I do like Home Goods but I dont like to go out and shop. I know that sounds ridiculous but I like to shop for almost everything online. Ebay is my favorite place. Years ago I enjoyed going to stores. Those were my Home Goods days.

I don't shop either! I do however like spending money. Even when I don't have any money lol. Everything online these days. Amazing what one can find online. Cheap too!

ITA. I find going to stores a complete drain of energy. There is one exception for me. I could spend all day in Home Depot. That is my creative spot. I love it.

Spending money even when I dont have any money...... I have that same affliction.

Ebay. Damn that Ebay. And lets not forget Amazon. Brick and mortar stores are my energy drains. Ebay and Amazon are my money drains.

Amazon is my go to. For EVERYTHING. Prime is so so worth it. My brag is that I furnished this entire town home online. Never set foot inside a store.

I enjoy Lowes. Not because I am crafty. I can bring Leo (pup) there lol. Leo likes Lowes too.

Had to share the repurposed item that I saw today on a house listing. hehehe

Friday, that line drawing of the woman with the world hair is so gorgeous. It feels so energetic and happy and powerful. Love it.

I don't have anything particularly clever that I have repurposed to post :-(

Rita - Thank you! She is my lady with attitude. The big hair just gives her more attitude. I have big hair too. hmmmmm.

I think that was a piece of clipart I saw online a few years ago. It spoke to me so I decided to draw it.

nhb22 - That is interesting. I wonder if it is attached to the countertop or just sitting on it.

I would think it would have been taking off the counter for a photo, so I believe it to be attached. Either that, or the homeowner built an additional kitchen on top of the front sidewalk. LOL

Gosh don't tell me I'm the only one with "stuff" they don't know what to do with?

I have this. It's from a house my parents bought that was built in 1900. It's the back from a fireplace, but IIRC the fireplace was more modern so gas, maybe?

It's NOT iron...I'm not sure what it is, really. The center circle opens up via a hinge and it's about 20 wide by 27 high. It would fit my fireplace perfectly, but it would be sitting sideways :(

Anyway. Would you get rid of it and try to exorcise your sentimentality, put it back in the closet, or try to so something (?) with it?

Very cool Penny! - I would either hang it behind the stove and use it as a backsplash or prop it on a mantel/shelf and display it as a piece of art.