5 Jaw-Dropping Ways to Repurpose Vintage Books

Jan 12, 2011 by

If you find your burgeoning collection of vintage books is overtaking your home, why not consider repurposing some of the dustier titles into furniture, lamps, and even headboards?  Unfortunately, it is notoriously difficult to recycle vintage books.  Due to the low quality of the paper, as well as the binding adhesives, most old books simply find their way to the dump.  Thankfully, here are four repurposing ideas that will have you thinking outside of the book!

Architectural students at Delft University of Technology took on the challenge to create a huge information desk (pun intended!).  Scale it down for your own home, and you’ll have a beautiful desk or credenza (via InvetorSpot).

Richard Hutten takes the term “coffee table book” to another level with his beautiful repurposed vintage book coffee table!

Lucy Norman‘s “light reading” chandelier would be a wonderful accent to a library or den.

For those who love a bedtime book, this repurposed book headboard is just the right inspiration (with DIY instructions via Instructables).

Jim Rosenau combines a wonderful sense of humor with aptly picked book titles to create repurposed bookshelves, in every sense of the word.

However you choose to repurpose your vintage books, giving them a new life not only adds a wonderful conversation piece to your home, but prevents them from adding to the landfills.  Have you found new life for your vintage books?

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Library Card Catalogs for Sale: Nostalgic Beauties in Tennessee

Jan 10, 2011 by

UPDATE:  As of January 19th, the last card catalog has been sold!

UPDATE:  As of January 11th, one of the beauties have found a home, and at this time, only one of these library card catalogs for sale is available.

Lovers of library card catalogs in Tennesee and nearby states are in for a treat!  Two 30-drawer, double-tiered library card catalogs are for sale in Chattanooga, Tennessee!  Better yet, Melinda, the current owner, is thoughtfully willing to drive up to a 50-mile radius to meet the lucky future owners of these card catalogs for sale.

These are dark wood card catalogs from an old library, and according to Melinda, “they are in excellent condition, although a few rods are missing out of one and there may be a few scuffs on them.”

I personally love the double-tiers, which allow you to create an eye-catching display and a fantastic organizational piece with convenient shelves that slide out.  Or you could even separate the two pieces to create even more nooks of library card catalog goodness in your home!

She is selling each card catalog for $400, and she is open to taking PayPal, although it is a local pick-up / meet-up purchase only.  Interested card catalog enthusiasts can contact Melinda to snag one of these beauties at melindamartin1@mac.com .  SOLD!

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Found Vintage Industrial Objects Repurposed into Lighting

Jan 10, 2011 by

When you combine found vintage industrial elements with a bit of light, you get gorgeous repurposed lighting that adds character to any room.  Conant Metal and Light is a group of artisans who take on the task of making exquisite and functional lighting from every conceivable kind of vintage object.  They do more than just create beauty, but they also INSPIRE US.

This design embodies elegance and simplicity. Imagine making it from repurposed copper, brass or even aluminum tubing…drilling holes with your power drill, using vintage chains, and parts from lamp kits to make amazing lighting for your happy home from objects that can be upcycled over and over.

This is a repurposed vintage fan that breathes new life as a lamp.

This is a lovely lamp crafted from an antique ball jar and pulley. Vintage Ball jars can be found at many resale shops, on ebay, and who knows, maybe right in your mom’s pantry!  Pulleys of this kind were used to raise and lower windows in Victorian and Craftsman style homes built around 1900. You can still find this hardware at architectural salvage stores and online.

This vintage Mason Jar is blue, but they also come in green, purple and clear. These vintage jars can be found at antique malls, vintage shops and even on Ebay where the seller often provides a little history with each one they sell.

This desk lamp base is made from an vintage apple corer drive wheel , and the shade is made from spun aluminum. You could easily find recycled tin, or other metals, or even reground glass to put your own stamp on your creation

These simple flask lamps (or you could repurpose laboratory beakers) a lamp kit, led bulb, or vintage reproduction bulb if you prefer, to use less energy and any lamp shade (hopefully repurposed as well) would make a stunning impact on almost any décor, while being eco-friendly and inexpensive too.

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3 Gorgeous DIY Faux Fireplaces

Jan 3, 2011 by

Continuing along the inspiration of fireplaces, what should the poor souls (myself included) who don’t have a fireplace do to add interest in our homes?  Build one, but of course!  Here are 3 DIY faux fireplace ideas that can liven up your home with whimsy and warmth.

I love the textural feeling of this faux fireplace, whose DIY is available viavia Apartment Therapy.

If you find a perfect vintage mantle, all you need is chalkboard paint to creatively evoke fire (via OhDeeDoh).


I’m not only seriously in love with the card catalog, but the DIY stacked fireplace mantle adds such interest to this room.  The best part is that you can get DIY instructions via a Small Notebook.

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4 Ways to Repurpose Your Fireplace

Jan 1, 2011 by

Friends, I hope you enjoyed marvelous holidays and a splendid New Year!  One of my resolutions for 2011 is to re-tend to Poetic Home, as I’ve finally got a handle on this mommy thing…now that Jet Mercury is about to turn one!  Thank you for your patience, and I look forward to sharing inspirations together with you this year!

In 2011, I believe we will see more of a movement to reinvent your FIREPLACE.  Since a fireplace causes household air drafts, which raise your heating bills, allows for the build up of unhealthy creosote deposits in the chimney, and distributes a dirty soot in your living environment, re-purposing your fireplace will save money and be eco-friendly too!   The challenge is to find a function that works for your personal space.

You could make it into a small library and welcome puns about burning books (via iVillage).  I especially like how this take on the idea actually incorporates a bookshelf into the fireplace to keep everything organized.

Here’s another way to curl up by the fireplace bookshelf with a good book!  (via Curbly)

Another choice which works well by keeping the fireplace as a focal point, without using it for a heat source, is to make it a haven for burning beautiful candles.  It’s best to clean your fireplace thoroughly first and close the flue.   Putting votives into logs makes it an especially fitting tribute to fireplaces, without all the soot!

Or use the modern alternative of LED christmas lights to create a ball of light in the fireplace, which is great for both the holidays and throughout the year if you use white lights (via Real Simple).

I’ve seen many green thumbs liven up an unused fireplace with plants, and the assortment can change with the seasons.  Amaryllis in the winter would look especially dashing with the splash of red instead of flames (via Real Simple).

Creative people find endless new ways to repurpose things which no longer need to function as they had in the past.  The fireplace was a source of heat for homes in the past, but now it’s use is only limited by the capacity of a space-dweller’s imagination.   If you repurpose your fireplace, I would LOVE to hear about it!

One of the Hottest New Repurposing Trends for 2011 is to reinvent your FIREPLACE. Since a fireplace causes household air drafts which raise your heating bills, allows for the build up of unhealthy creosote deposits in the chimney, and distributes a dirty soot in your living environment, re-purposing it will save money and be eco-friendly too.

The challenge is to find a function that works for your personal space. You could make it into a small library

http://www.ivillage.com/repurposed-fireplace-home-real-housewife-alex-mccord/7-b-232195#232214

Another choice which works well by keeping the fireplace as a focal point, without using it for a heat source, is to make it a haven for burning beautiful candles. It’s best to clean your fireplace thoroughly, close the flue, and pick a beautiful candelabra that illuminates the room.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VTqgQltZ1SM/SQooN8b9TGI/AAAAAAAABh4/nsH5uCal5Sw/s1600-h/DSC_3239.JPG


http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/inspiration/fireplaces-and-plants-118306

Creative people find endless new ways to repurpose things which no longer need to function as they had in the past. The fireplace was a source of heat for homes in the past, but now it’s use is only limited by the capacity of a space-dweller’s imagination.

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