Salvaged lamp stand make-over

I recently found an old lamp stand dumped on the side of a road. I rewired and painted it.

As there was no shade, I decided to make one using 1950's style fabric

Before and after

    

 

 

Skip-diving!

Take a seat....

....it all started with a loud noise outside which seemed to be attracting Blue-Belles attention.....

..on closer inspection, it materialised that a skip had just been delivered to a neighbours house....

...the skip started to fill up until I couldn't resist any longer! I strolled over and asked the owner if I may have a quick rummage! To my delight, it turned into a very fruitful rummage.....

....I sourced these two elegant chairs, completely free!

 

Salvo Fair 2013 - Knebworth House

Salvo 2013 took place at Knebworth House. The grounds were taken over by magnificent dogs, architectural salvage, reclaimed building materials, antiques, retro items, garden ornaments and quirky pieces!

Authentic post boxes restored to their former glory and a hymn board salvaged from a demolished church (which will now become my "photo display" board!) I bought the board from "Antique Church Furnishings", who specialise in religious artefacts and furnishings.

Ornate antique bathroom fittings reclaimed from houses in France



Original stained glass doors and windows made from salvaged glass

Fixtures and fittings to create a vintage office!

Industrial light fittings and shades and Singer sewing machine table legs - probably from an old factory. 



Wonderful! An old Belfast sink unit, splattered with years of paint, from an art studio!

   



I love architectural drawings filing cabinets & shoe lasts made into coat hooks!

 

    

Loved it!

For further details about future Salvo fairs, please click here to see their website.

Selina Lake "Pretty Pastel Style" inspired recycled drawers

I've recently been reading extracts from Selina Lakes new "Pretty Pastel Style" book. It inspired my colour theme when revamping some old drawers that had grown tired and dull. I hoard paint! I mixed a very bright pink with white until I created a pastel shade.

"BEFORE" The dull drawers!

I needed some extra storage in my kitchen, but am limited for space, so wanted one tall unit. I planned to stack 2 units on top of each other, so first had to remove the legs off each unit.

I've always wanted a wardrobe with "fabric curtains on the doors" like an old French armoire! Until I have one though, I thought I'd experiment on a smaller scale on my drawers! I hammered out the plastic drawer fronts, ready to hang some fabric there instead! 

With plastic fronts bashed out of the unit, I applied the first of several coats of paint.

 

Making "mini" curtains for the drawer fronts using vintage-y looking floral fabric!

Fabric inserted into the drawers!

Finished! Complete with pastel bread bin!

AFTER! I stacked the drawers on top of drawers I'd re-worked last year!

 

 

 



Beautifying my Bathroom cupboard!

Before and after!
I recently had a large bathroom cupboard built....practical but not very pretty!
I gave it a mini make-over to "beautify" it, using a vintage rose door handle and left over wallpaper!



 

Healthy Planet "Stuff for free" event

What happens to some stuff that charity shops are just unable to sell, stuff that you just can't put in a landfill, stuff that would use a lot of energy to pulp down, stuff that could be reworked, reused, recycled, reupholstered? It becomes "Stuff for Free" at one of several events across London, organised by the conservation charity, Healthy Planet. The initiative is a series of giant community reuse events, helping redistribute good quality stuff to a new home, where it will be valued. I went to an event this morning held in a big warehouse on an industrial estate in Acton.

Although I arrived only 1 hour after the event had started, there was little left, showing just how popular this initiative is and also a tip for the future to arrive before the event even starts! How ever, the sample of goods still there, including sofas, tables, chairs, pianos, books, clothes, TVs and childrens toys were all crying out for a second home.

It's a great place to source furniture perfect to reupholster, re-paint, and re-decorate!

 All for free!The next event is scheduled for March 2013. Click here for more details.



 

Upcycled world map table!

I recently visited one of my favourite shops: Stanfords travel book shop in Covent Garden. I love their giant map floor covering and globes! I'm soon off to Vietnam, so tested the water in advance! 

When I returned home, I noticed my tired old coffee table sat in the corner of the room....

...and thinking about my Stanfords trip, I was inspired to give it a more contemporary look!

I love a bargain! I sourced a sample paint pot for £1 and set about painting the table! 

Next, I glued an old map to the table top and covered the piece with a protective coat of varnish.

Finally, I added felt circles to the table feet to make it less noisy!

My newly upcycled map table! A modern take on a globe!



Detail of the coffee table!

 

Upcycled vintage foot stool

BEFORE!
How the footstool started life; dull, dated tapestry print fabric and boring handles!
 

AFTER!
Recycled using vintage fabric, old trimming, left-over paint and spare kitchen cupboard door knobs



DURING!
Painting, replacing the knobs, pinning and securing the fabric, adding trimming

Before and after end view with magazine rack

Before and after side views

Before and after end views

Before and after drawer knobs 

Before and after fabric

FINISHED!