Dan's Papers - April 24, 2009 - Recyle, Repurpose and Reinvent

When I was growing up, my mother was of the mind that just about anything old could be converted into a planter - an antique wheelbarrow, an enamel coffee pot missing its lid, a cracked antique footbath. Actually, an antique anything had value just because it was old and had "character." It could either be hung on a wall or if it was a vessel of some nature it could have geraniums planted in it. As a pre-teen, our evening walks together often yielded treasures discarded by neighbors, which we would drag home to refinish and repurpose. I recall an old lobster trap that became a family room end table, a clam bucket that held magazines and an antique wooden child's sled that became a cocktail table with the addition of a piece of glass for a top. A few old sewing machine bases made their way into our home as well, under the guise of table bases. People said my mother was "creative" and "artsy," our home was unique and when all these items were lovingly restored they looked "put together," even historic. And they were considered finds. No one ever called them cast offs. Gratefully, I inherited that gene from my mother. The desk I work at looks suspiciously like an old iron sewing machine base painted black with a glass top on it. The lamp on it is made from old iron pieces.

I'm delighted that this way of thinking is regaining popularity today. With our planet getting smaller every day and wastefulness no longer in vogue, people are finding that they are becoming more and more creative and resourceful, as they think twice before throwing their treasures away. There is even a trendy name for this practice: sustainable, or green, design. It's now chic and even profitable to be eco-friendly and to recycle.

Salvaged architectural elements from old buildings and homes have countless uses. As an interior designer and home stager, I'm always on the look out for intriguing finds and I often scour the attics and basements of clients' homes before heading out to shop. Exterior shutters with a crackled finish work wonderfully when mounted on either side of narrow windows to visually expand them. Six-panel, solid core hardwood doors make magnificent tabletops, mantels make terrific, well, mantles, but they also work like a charm as over scaled, wall-mounted shelves to hold accessories and lean artwork on. They're particularly helpful on those two-story volume walls where traditional artwork is never sufficient. Old decorative iron railing work can always be hung in lieu of or in conjunction with artwork and also makes an interesting garden trellis or a even a headboard. The possibilities are endless. And antique beams and columns can add important and beautiful structural elements, but did I mention the character they can add?

Salvaged wood framed windows can be transformed into unique frames for black and white art photography hung from chains in a series or as decorative mirror frames. I've also found if the glass is removed you can lean them against a wall as a shabby chic bathroom towel and magazine rack with tons of character. Try a new finish and funky new hardware on that clunky old chest of drawers and you might just be surprised.

Eco style becomes truly elegant and good business when artisans get involved to handcraft decorative accessories from cast off materials. Viva Terra, an earth friendly company, makes surprisingly beautiful repurposed items, such as colorful, indestructible doormats made from reclaimed flip flops, shimmering hanging lanterns fashioned from misprinted tin cans, and intricately colored pillows and throws are rewoven from scraps of old saris. They are simply brilliant and you can really feel good about buying them.

This year, why not unleash your creative recycler? Pander to your inner hoarder! Spend Sunday afternoon at a thrift shop or yard sale. Scour your attic, go on a scavenger hunt and just imagine the history you are salvaging with each piece you save from the scrap heap. Repurposing allows you to create a truly one of a kind piece that is good for the soul, friendly on your wallet and even better for the environment. Mother Earth will thank you!

Allegra Dioguardi is the president of Styled and Sold Home Staging LLC in Sag Harbor and the author of Styled by Design, A Guide to the Design Principles of Home Staging. Contact Allegra at styledandsold@optimum.net.