Decor

Trash To Treasure Decorating

Posted on

July 3, 2014

by

Disha Mishra Dubey

What can be more satisfying than reusing and recycling!!!

To me, it feels great when I give a new lease of life to stuff that is no longer useful or has become trash. So what do you need to turn that trash into treasure!! Well, it’s just a creativity and imagination. It not only saves money but gives new life to old & dying objects.

Here are some ideas to inspire you.

Use old furniture: You can upcycle or repurpose your old furniture in many ways.

Turn the headboard into a nice outdoor bench with some carpentry work. An old door can be used as a wall panel that has a sconce fit on it and can be placed on either side of the bed. Making shelves out of an old door is a very smart and useful way to reuse.

Old Door Turned Into Bench, Shelf, Wall Panel

A cable spool can be turned into a nice breakfast table. Just give it a fresh coat of paint and put a glass cut in a circle shape on it.

An old table can serve as a dresser you just need to add a mirror and drawers.

While an old dresser can be used as a bathroom vanity.

Worn-out furniture can easily be given a new look by painting them in some new color.

Sometimes replacing old upholstery with new one gives a whole new look to the place.

The sewing machine works well as a desk or nightstand. The old ladder can serve as a towel hanger in the bathroom. A photo frame can be used as a tray.

Use Old Crockery & Utensils: Are you bored of your old kitchenware then repurpose them and you will start loving them all over again.

An old teapot makes a very beautiful planter grow succulent in it and it looks lovely placed on the center table. A wonderful way to transform teapots is to make a bedside lamp of it. Stack teapots or some cups then install shade and wiring on the top of the stack. Needs some skills though.

Empty mason jars (Jem/jelly jars) have umpteen number of uses. Use them as votive/candle holders, vases, pen/brush holders, chandeliers, and liquid soap dispensers.

Image: Mine

Spoons bent and nailed on a wooden panel can serve as tealight holders and create a warm and welcoming ambiance. Whereas forks bent and nailed can work as hooks. Colander can make a very beautiful pendant light. Paint those big old metal trays and hang them on the wall to work as a magnetic message board.

If you are not using your frying pans/skillets then think something different paint them, drill a hole in the center, and install a clock mechanism it will make a lovely clock for your kitchen.

Repurposed Spoon, Colander, Tray, Frying Pan

Use old Clothing: Before donating your old clothing wait a minute and think you can turn them into fabulous home decor items. Make a beautiful cushion cover out of an old shirt or embroidered kurta.

If you have some fancy and colorful cloth then you can cover an old photo frame with it to give it a totally new look.

Several old colorful fabrics sewed together can make a beautiful quilt. A rag rug can also be woven with these fabrics to add instant drama to your room.

Old shawls or dupattas can be turned into an eye-catching wall hanging by adding some beads or stones.

Some other stuff:

There are many other objects that can be turned into something useful and beautiful. Use old newspapers to weave a basket or tray to keep on the center table. You can make newspaper wind chimes to hang in the garden or make coasters to surprise your guests. Cut 8″-10″ broad stripes of newspaper, roll them with the help of a round thin stick, and glue the end. Now start weaving until your desired shape and size is achieved. Paint it in acrylic color of your choice and then apply varnish. It looks the same as a wicker basket and is strong enough to hold some fruits, flowers, or lightweight home decor accessories. For a complete tutorial on newspaper tray click here and for newspaper wind chime click here

Newspaper Wind Chime, Decorative Tray, Coasters

Image: Mine

Empty soft drink cans can be reused or upcycled in many ways like as a vase, pen/brush holder, planter, wall sconces, and candles.
Old tires painted in bright colors make beautiful hanging as well as garden planters. One more use is to turn it into an ottoman with a little creativity, put hardboard or ply on one side, attach legs on the other side, and glue twine or rope all around it.
Even coconut shells and plastic bottles can be turned into a hanging planter.