Repurposed Love

Recycling is catching on. Whenever you open the latest Real Living or Country Style magazine you will find at least one interior, but generally more, that has used recycled elements to pull the space together. Recycled things, especially vintage wares, adds that cosy, worn, nesty element to a home that so many people are now after. But recycling has also gone one step further ~ repurposing. And I'm loving it!!!!!

So, what's repurposing you might be wondering? Simply put, repurposing is reusing something designed for a specific function eg: a basket for dirty washing or a ladder for reaching heights, and turning it into something else, with a totally different purpose.

It's creative recycling! The concept has all of the sustainable qualities that we really could do with taking on. This consumerist world that we live in has gone waaaaaay too far. Everything has such a short use by date nowadays. 'Throw it out and buy a new one' is the mantra of the times and it's really beginning to make me sick. Waste! Waste! Waste!

Repurposing takes thought. It takes a different kind of life style. It is a definite push away from consumerism and the 'buy and throw' business of building, interior design and home decorating these days.People are modelling whole kitchens based around repurposing. Bookshelves can be used as benches, lab sinks can be used as kitchen sinks, fruit crates make great shelving for crockery and recipe books. And it's not just kitchens. Bathrooms, laundries, bedrooms, living spaces...every aspect of home life can be given a recycled, repurposed touch.

Here are some examples of repurposing. These are just the tip of the iceberg.I hope that something here will inspire you to look at your old things, gathering dust in the corner of your shed, through a new lense. Instead of throwing it to the tip maybe there's still some life in the old girl?...

Happy Repurposing!

 { Katy Elliot} An old table used as a bathroom vanity.

And again.  {sunset} A catalogue drawer makes a great bench top and storage unit for this eclectic kitchen.

{re-nest}Palettes and crates make great kitchen storage.

A fridge becomes a bookshelf.

{creed for everyday living} More crates. Aren't they versatile? I have one filled with recipe books.

Cool seat.

{apartment therapy}

Drawers used as storage...

{design selective} Packing crate plate rack {say that really fast!!}

Bird cage storage - who would've thought?

 {life's design} Ladder plus old fence plus old skis = sideboard!

 

More drawer storage.

{re-nest} A bath lounge!

{craft journal} An old news stand.

{kitchenisms} An old lab sink.

{kitchenisms} An old shop counter.

{cloud 9} Truck spring stools.

{52 flea} Repurposed light cages.

An old trolley.

{natural home} A muffin tin becomes a storage unit.

An old wine crate is now a useful storage space for a bike.

{poetic home}

{bloomerism} Suitcase repurposing.

{lush lee} How cute are these? Repurposed tins, now mini-kitchen stoves for kidlets.

{blondie nsc} A used basket turned into a light fitting.

{too many talents}

{houzz}

{country living}

{urban comfort} Old fruit crates as shelving.

What about this? Going too far perhaps????

But everything else, pretty inspiring, don't you think?