The popularity of repurposed vintage items remains deep rooted in decorative purpose.
Vintage furniture, accessories, clothing, textiles, spaces within our homes and even this second time around blog post can live many lives at the creative mercy and keen decorative sense of second chance individuals.
I’ve given a second, third and fourth chance to many repurposed vintage items.
A piece that was merely good in its former life has the potential to be fabulous in its repurposed one.
Rooney Robison Antiques on Tumblr
Architectural elements find new life through current trends and design applications.
Granting a decorative reprieve to armoire crowns and pediments is a perfect example of an elegant repurpose.
Traditional Home
A door is a door is an entryway statement.
A set of vintage doors installed on rollers and repurposed as stunning entryway options- absolutely!
Repurposed by definition is to change an item so it can be used for a different purpose.
This door repurposed project does exactly that by taking traditional off the hinges and achieving excellence through elegant and unique repurposing.
Traditional Home
Houston interior designer Julie Dodson makes a I’m a little bit rustic-I’m a little bit California chic homeowner couple happy by combining features pleasing to both taste.
A repurposed antique wood door becomes quite the unique range surround.
The beauty of the repurposed balustrade lamp is found in the distressed patina that adds the charm factor, neutral lamp shades that complement and complete the look, and the finished product that shines a light on elegant simplicity.
The balustrade lamp in the image below is from the Dave the Builder collection.
We found the balustrade at an antiques market, scooped it up, wired it up and the rest is illuminated history.
A storage deficient kitchen proposes a problem, but a bit of creativity can quickly and uniquely solve the problem.
One of my best treasure hunts resulted in two very happy clients and a fun project.
Dave the Builder and I found ourselves “flea-ing” one afternoon.
My eyes zeroed in on the corner of the storage building where a matching pair of antique twelve light wrought iron chandeliers from Walnut Grove Plantation called to me.
These beauties were rusty (loved it), massive (yeah, baby), and ridiculously impressive to me.
I could not tag and pay for the iron beauties fast enough!
I caved to convention, code and a quick cash sale and rewired, repainted, and retailed one.
The other I repurposed as a vintage chandelier pot rack.
How gorgeous is this antique bureau repurposed as a kitchen island?
Traditional Home
Vintage travel trunks and cases find second life style as coffee and accent tables.
Repurposed vintage items top the treasure seekers gotta have it list as must haves for impressive kitchen decor on a grand- scale.
Becky at Beyond the Picket Fence calls her repurposed project Shutter Island.
Great eye and execution, Becky!
But wait!
Repurposing goes beyond treasure finds of the furniture or architectural antiques kind.
A redefined repurposing of a space to better accommodate and serve the purpose of need and function is another form of repurposed vintage items.
Consider the layout of most ranch style homes and the sign of the formal living room times from which they came.
Don’t forget the often non-utilized space of the over-sized entrance hall or foyer.
These spaces become interior relics- an area of wasted space ripe for the repurposing.
Before –
The insight and courage to go for the design and decorative gusto by repurposing a space is to be applauded.
This center hall area becomes a present day dining room repurposing project- a unique and decorative demonstration of design and decorative repurposing.
After –
Dave the Builder created another one of his “original” designs by cutting down a pair of vintage shutters to fit an electrical panel opening.
He placed flush mount hidden hinges on both shutters and secured them to the wall.
A decorative hook was installed in the middle of the shutters allowing the shutters to lock together and remain in a closed position.
The new look created a unique disguise to an otherwise unattractive necessity.
Unique with a repurposed purpose.
