Genbyg Design (recycled design) specializes in making furniture from upcycled building materials. In their Copenhagen workshop they create unique, functional pieces with the emphasis on sustainable design. This piece is one of my favorites, a desk made from old filing drawers and salvaged Oregon pine. Shake it.
via the aviary
How great is this bookcase?! Brooklyn’s Ari Mossiyov designs and builds custom furniture and workspaces from reclaimed wood. You actually get to choose not only the dimensions of your piece but select the wood from reclaimed stock. The Tribeca Bookcase is a reclaimed pine wood wall system supported by steel pipes. Shake it.
In 1993, two design students in Switzerland constructed a weatherproof messenger bag out of used truck tarps, used car seat belts and used inner tubing of bicycle tires. Pleased with the result, they turned this idea into a business (Freitag which means Friday) and are now selling their bags all over the world. They come in a never ending wealth of colors and patterns, as they are all cut by hand from different truck tarps—hence each bag is one of a kind. Shake it Freitag!
A group of creatives was challenged to take an everyday object, rebuild and repurpose it to create an entirely new item using as little additional materials as possible to be displayed as part of the exhibition Object Abuse. Dominic wilcox says he left these paint brushes unwashed so they would harden—a series of paint brushes, whose bristles have curved upwards created wall-mounted hooks to hang one’s belongings on. A simple, smart design. Shake it.
via designboom
Aaron Moran is from BC’s lower mainland. Recently I fell in love with his geometric sculptures made of reclaimed wood. It was a pleasure to see them so predominately featured in the art world. They are magnificent. His most recent series, New Zone Structures is a study in pattern, structure and reclaiming what has been left behind. In a recent interview with Hunted he said of his work -
“At present, the Fraser Valley is growing at a very rapid rate, meaning that housing and development is on the rise. My work literally grows out of this development as I use predominantly found materials from housing / demolition sites around my neighborhood and surrounding areas. There are entire blocks of forests and single dwelling homes getting toppled to make way for town-homes and high occupancy / close proximity condominiums. I could not help but be drawn to these lots to further investigate and what I consistently ended up finding were large stock piles of building materials (from old homes and new) left for waste. I was drawn to the beauty, history, and story of these materials and naturally began using them.”
The beautiful story of his process, and his passion for reclaiming that in which has been left behind makes me grateful to once again say —Everything that is old is new again. Thank you Aaron for shakin it.
Ok…I couldn’t help myself, the low occasional table, Periodic by Council. It has an oxidized natural silver finish over reclaimed wood timbers. The finish allows the natural grain to show. With a footprint of 44″ square by 12″ high, It is a slice of sparkle to swoon over. Hold on to your hats, it’s $42,000! But I’m thinking an inspiration piece for the ambitious DIY designer—Now that would be shakin it.
via iheartmies
Aha! You know how I love vintage beauty with unique, eco-conscious, upcycling. These charming cases can be stacked in various configurations or can be made as single units. It’s wonderful to think about the travels of each piece and yet with James Plumb‘s craftsmanship they are able to take on a second life. Plumb says…
“A selection of old suitcases are housed individually in antiqued steel and wood cases that have been tailor made in Somerset. Each set is unique with the metal framework customized to thesuitcase’s varied dimensions. Every case is carefully and painstakingly repaired and re-purposed – relined in Swedish linen ready to receive their new contents. Stacks of different numbers and different widths are available and can be commissioned.”
And now I get to say—everything that is old is new again. Shake it.
via trendland
Huey and Wah are Notty Pooch and they live in Penang, Malaysia. They make laptop sleeves, storage bins, wallets, and my favorite, planters out of recycled billboard banners. They ship them flat and then you put your own pot in the planter. Water will drain from the stitches and corners. They come with short jute handles but you can always replace them with longer strands if you want to hang them. Of course each piece is unique, and yes, NottyPooch is full of awesomeness. Shake it.
EarthSeaWarrior by Ursala is a great Etsy shop I recently found. She is based in Brooklyn, New York and “specializes in the reconstruction of paleontological artifacts and industrial relics.” I love the vintage lamps she refurbishes. She finds one of a kind lighting, rewires it and adds a colorful, cloth covered cord—revitalizing it into a unique addition to any home or office. And once again I get to say… everything that is old is new again. Shake it.
As you know I tend to get pretty excited about bicycles, riding mine of course, but also about their design–bikes as art. Here is the perfect way to frame your bike and hang it on the wall. The wall mounted bike rack by Cantilever and Press is made of reclaimed wood and end-cuts. They say about their design “Utilizing this rack in an apartment or room helps minimize clutter as it makes your prized bike a focal point rather than a hallway-hazard” and I say, everything that is old is new again. Shake it.
