your daily dose of design from a to z
Today was one of those day dream days. The weather has been so nice and I can’t help but think how nice it would be to have a lake house. This is probably number one on the bucket list and I consider all the designs below drool worthy!
Image via bhg.com
For any one that knows me they clearly know how much I love Robin Hood ( my bike) and yes that’s the actual name. I found her on craigslist for $60 bucks, dected her out with a whicker basket and she was ready to go. Since then she has been my transportation just about everywhere, from weekly trips to the market, cafes, school, bars and anywhere else I want to go. There are so many benefits to having a bike way beyond the fact that you’re cutting back on your carbon footprint.
Upcycling is a term used to describe the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value. The following are some great examples of the creative and imaginative ways this can be done using old wood, metal & even plastic crates that would have wound up being downcycled which is the other half of the recycling process . Downcycling involves converting materials and products into new materials of lesser quality. Most recycling involves converting or extracting useful materials from a product and creating a different product or material which is still in my opinion a good approach. On the other hand, if you can take an existing object and create something beautiful and functional without changing what it is but rather incorporating it into the new design, even better.
Crate shelving
Stacked vintage old wooden apple storage crates
Shipping crate as bike basket
Hanging wall shelves
Reclaimed crates as shelving
Via www.cocoprogetto.wordpress.com
Reclaimed wood stools by Edwards Moore. Made from discarded wood from various sources. Sanded and finished with linseed oil, putty and wax.
Dog bowl holder
Via www.theviolethours.typepad.com
Via www.bedifferentactnormal.com
Via www.theviolethours.typepad.com
Crate furniture
I have been fortunate enough to visit the beautiful West Coast of Canada, home to the Rockie Mountains and cold Pacific ocean. While walking along the beach I found so many incredible pieces of drift wood that could be used in a variety of creative ways. Unfortunately it wouldn’t be very practical for me to ship them across the country but for any of you that are lucky enough to live near those sandy shores you should definitely take advantage. Below I have provided just a few examples of designs recycling drift wood.
This can also be crafted from recycled pallets. The writing in the mustard yellow accent colour adds that extra touch and ties the pieces together providing a relaxing rustic bedroom atmosphere. Above via Crafterholic
Drift wood with a light colour tone almost, bleached has a quality to it that looks great as sculptural pieces on their own and can be integrated with even the most minimalist of styles. Above via Elizabeth Stuart Design
If you are feeling extra creative and have found the right pieces of wood, you can make a custom mirror that could cost you hundreds. I especially love the green stained wood version shown Above Via The Girl is a Mess. The green adds the needed contrast against the neutral background
Using drift wood in unique ways can also work as a frame for stenciled or decal-ed words. I can imagine this in a dining room as an accent wall. Above via Event Decor Blog
Who says you need to pay a lot of money for art.. when you can be the artist and reap the beauty of your own work. The sculpture above can be a co-creation between you and mother earth . Above via This Next
Above is another great example of a DIY headboard created from a variety of different found Drift Wood. Via Pinterest
Last on our list may not be drift wood but I wanted to include it because it has that similar raw character and honestly I just really like it! This DIY kitchen island is made from a rough-hewn slab of cypress wood supported by Trojan sawhorses (known for being the sturdiest on the market).
Above: The steel Trojan TS-27 27-Inch Sawhorse Legs for one complete sawhorse are $45.63 at Amazon.
Via Remodelista
So far March seems to be the coldest it has been this winter or maybe it just seems that way since I am forever longing for warmer weather. On a positive note though, we are getting lots of sun, so soak up that vitamin D!
For those of us that like to keep active and decrease our carbon footprint, biking is a great source of transportation. The only issue is that it is becoming less and less safe to lock your bike outside without it being damaged or stolen. Unfortunately we don’t all have an abundance of space, garage or balcony for safe storage. I currently have my bike resting against a wall in my office where I use the wicker basket to store all my rolled up drawings but getting it out of the way would be a more ideal situation, so here is a beautiful design to store your urban bike. In addition if you’re crafty I am sure you can create your own DIY Bike rack design.
Designed by San Francisco-based wood worker Chris Brigham (his studio is aptly named Knife and Saw). The Bike Shelf is available in walnut ($300) or in ash or maple ($275).
Above: The Bike Shelf in a Walnut finish.
Above: The Bike Shelf in an Ash finish
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