No one wants to play?

I'll add another one of mine--an old oak sideboard converted to a bathroom vanity. We added an inexpensive tile top with a drop-in sink.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

I want to play. Just don't have photos set up yet. Am a major reclaimer and it gets me in trouble. Love your bathroom, those always look so warm. You did a really good job.

That sink....I want it in my kitchen. Was it in your house at one time?

Okay, just this last week I reclaimed. Needed a place for my toilet plunger. Happened upon a black furnace pipe just the right height. Put a plastic tub inside and sealed the bottom. No one knows what this is but me, and if they do it beats the ones you buy in the store. My bathroom is rustic, so this works for me.

When moving into a smaller house I needed to get rid of the huge TV center. Cut one side down to the storage drawers and laid the other side on it's side. All my art boards are stored in it now and a perfect height for supplies on top. It is cherry and matches the rest of my office furniture. Someone else would probably wanted to sell this, but I wasn't up to negotiating and figured it was still of value to me compared to what someone else would pay.

Just found this forum through the Cottage Garden forum. I don't quite see what is being reclaimed in the first photo. Was it an easel turned into a mirror? I think the use of tires is fantastic! And, I have been thinking to the future about having an outdoor water supply for gardening. Your sink set-up is quite inspiring.

I like reclaiming things, but right now I limit myself to small things. Rather than buying containers I try to reuse containers from things I get in bulk, etc., stuff like that. I don't have much to contribute, but I sure do hope more people posts pics because I'd love to see what people are doing!

I didn't really think I had anything to share, but then I remembered a mahogany cabinet we have. It was originally a tool cabinet for a specialized and expensive machine that we had where I worked. The machine was sent off to another location, but the cabinet was left behind, so I got it at an employee auction for $35. On top of that, it had several hundred dollars worth of tooling inside that no one could get at because the key was missing. I brought it home and simply drove the hinge pins out to unlock it. The key was later found, so it is complete.

I refinished it, and my wife appropriated it to keep her china in, so I lost a perfectly good tool box LOL! It's not that old (late 60's) but nice wood, and all brass hardware. The only drawback is that you have to take everything off the top to open it.

this makes me think about an old white enamal sink (5 sided) I bought yrs ago - maybe I should hook that up very low close to the back door for muddy dog feet?

I bought it thinking I'd make a fountain out of it...

Deanna, you need to look at what is holding the mirror - a pair of crutches! Loretta is one of our small homers and she had use of crutches recently, so that is what Mama was referring to.

Steph, I only WISH we could have a plumbed sink outside the back door here. The time we would need it most is during the half of the year when the ground (and pipes) are freezing and thawing. So no go. If you can do it, even for your short muddy period, it is really worth it. I used my paw-washing station (inside at the old house) to pot plants and wash out big bins and such, too. When you do it, be sure to get a pull-out faucet, it is so versatile.

I re-purpose things all the time, but for the life of me, cannot think of any I am using now. I did buy a metal "storage tower" thing at Bed Bath and Beyond. It was a bath etagere with five bamboo trays. I use it as a plant stand in the family room.

My dad used to be the prince of reuse. He would make automatic door closers in the barn or shed or porch by making a pulley system with cables and gallon bottles of water as weights to pull the door closed. He used metal conduit pipe to build a geodesic dome around our above-ground pool and then made plywood panels he attached with pipe clamps to fill in the lower triangles and give the pool area privacy.

emagineer, If that sink had been in my kitchen, it would still be there! I tried to figure out a way to use it in my kitchen, but it's too wide. It's not plumbed, but a spigot is just around the corner, and the sink drains over a graveled French drain.

desertsteph, your sink sounds perfect for muddy pet feet (or human feet).

deanna_in_nh, welcome to Smaller Homes. I reuse plastic yogurt, cottage cheese, and ice cream containers. I also like to reuse the containers that store-bought pies and cakes come in. There are convenient for taking foods to covered-dish dinners, or to neighbors, and they don't have to be returned.

flagargoyle, how thoughtful of you to bring that cabinet home to your wife ;). I like the brass hardware and pull-out board--were you able to use the tools that were 'rescued'?

nancy, your dad sounds like my dad--he once built us a wading pool with wooden sides and sheet plastic.

And, I have another re-purposed item.
This used to sit on my grandparents back porch. We converted it to a media cabinet, by removing part of one shelf, and cutting a hole in the back for cords and ventilation. It houses our only TV, VCR, DVD player, and satellite box. The bottom holds more tapes, DVDs, etc.

I know I've detracted from the value, but I plan to keep it forever, and it works better for us, now. BTW, I try to keep the cabinet closed when we have company, so not everyone gets to see !

nancy - you're right - great for people feet also - and mine get mired in the muck too!

if it had a pull out faucet I could have it set up higher so I don't have to bend over so far and still pull it out and over to aim at dog or human paws! if put close to my plant stand it be heavenly! gotta work on that one!

I ran across a white wrought iron stand yesterday while looking for the carpet for boy's cave - forgot I had that.

sure wish I had a camera now to take pics and post to see what you all think... maybe soon i'll get a new one.

I also have an old upright floor model radio/record player from my IL's. would be from the 30-40's I think. I've tossed around in my brain converting it to hold my stereo/cd player etc. that'll be in a yr or so if I decide to tho.

mama g - I love that cab! and those copper doors!
btw, I feel honored that you posted it open. We all have something like that behind closed doors. For me it's behind most all of the closed doors - lol!

I love the kitchen pic with rustic faucet. Great little ideas in the whole area and would be a welcome kitchen to play in.

OHMYGOSH, as if I don't already spend enough time on the internet, I found this site today. I looked at the 'windows' section--can't wait to check out the others!

Here is a link that might be useful: RoboJunker.com

Good grief mama! I volunteer at Habitat Restore and those things come in every day. We price them for one or two dollars, most of what she shows is actually recycled because they have no clue someone would want it. That site is going to be a big problem for me. I've dragged enough stuff home as it is. And I don't need to be looking anymore either.

I wish I had something to add. I love looking at repurposed items but seldom do any myself. I am currently using a dresser as a tv console in the den, but as soon as I get a real tv cabinet, the dresser will go back to the bedroom.

marti8a, have you seen the Junkmarketstyle site? Lots of interesting pics--I'm linking the 'member junk' page, but they also have news about flea markets and large organized yard sales. Warning: One can spend hours on there!

Emagineer, I wouldn't be able to pass up a good deal, either--wish we had a Restore in town.

Members of my family bring me interesting 'treasures' to re-use. I just cleaned and repainted the top (gear) part of an old Dazey churn that my father gave me. It's not repurposed, but I 'married' it to an old pickle-barrel jar that is missing a lid. I used leftover orange spray paint--the original color would have been red. I wouldn't have repainted if there had been anything left of the original finish, and if it hadn't been so rusty.

Here is a link that might be useful: Junkmarketstyle

My Grammas old sewing machine cabinet now makes a great liquor cabinet and bar. I store glassware and of course liquor inside.

Mush that looks great!!!

oh mush - that is a beautiful cabinet! reusing your grandma's cabinet gives it a new purpose for it's life! it'll live on with your memories of her.

Well, this is not truly "repurposed" but maybe sort of.

In 2004 I rented the Riverhouse from a friend for a year. The house was on tall open legs, because located right on the river. The a/c and heat ducts came through the floors in front of the windows. So I could not put much furniture there without blocking air flow. In the bedroom, I also did not have enough wall space for my 66" wide 14 drawer chest. So I put the bed in the middle of the room centered under the ceiling fan. I BACKED THE TALL CHEST UP TO THE HEADBOARD. I also painted the back of the chest lavender. Someone else might want to wall paper it or cover the back with mirror tiles.

By doing this, I created a small private dressing area where I could be hidden even if someone was sitting in the living room and my bedroom door was not closed. I really enjoyed this arrangement. Essentially, the tall chest became a room divider. Is that repurposing?

I also cut some tall bamboo from the yard of the house we ended up buying, also on the river, and I built a canopy frame from the bamboo. I hung my beloved Mombasa mosquito net curtain from the bamboo frame. That worked fine, but my engineering skills were not up to par, because one night the raffia wrappers holding it all in place just FELL.
It was a good idea while it lasted!!