< DIY Craft Projects - Trash to Treasure - Architectural Salvage

Trash to Treasure Miscellaneous Projects

Here are some great Spring Decorating ideas from HGTV

I particularly like the window coverings on the second page.

These are miscellaneous projects I've tackled through the years. It's a potpourrie of ideas. Below all the pictures are links to various other sites for even more ideas.

Don't forget to check back, as I update these pages often.

I've been so inspired by my what I've seen others do. I decided to try and make some furniture out of stuff I already had (leftovers and such from our remodel and my many junking expeditions). After the success you see in picture 1 on the left, I made some others. All these pieces were made with, "found on the road or in the trash" materials. I paid for very little

Recycling was never so much fun

Flea Market Finds

The table on the right was made from the wood trim pieces you see in the other picture, and an old cabinet door

I've been Framed

I've had a quilt rack for many years, and as usual I had a quilt hanging from it. I wanted a change, but didn't want to spend a lot of money. In my Idea file I had a clipping where someone had hung similar pictures with jute rope, staggered, and layered on top of each other. I have lots of frames and stuff, so I decided to do this with the old frames. I paid $10.00 for the roll of Jute, everything else was in my stash.

See more collection display ideas here

Lamp made from an old wooden tri-pod.

Click here to see how to make a lamp from almost anything

A gathering of Angels

Angels made from old Table Leg and other architectural items.

I have similar items currently for sale, please See here for more information

Another Angel made from an old spindle and some copper electrical wire, Wings are Iron.

click here for more Projects for Old Balusters, Spindles, and Porch Posts

Old Letterpress wood printers type and printers drawers

This old Printers type drawer, I painted the inside yellow to add interest and left the outside natural. Then I just placed a few random pieces of type inside.

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Nancy Jo, made this side table from an old type drawer and sewing machine stand

Here's how she did it

"I bought the sewing machine stand at a yard sale for $8. I bought the typesetting tray for $9. And then I had the local glass place cut me a piece of glass for the top. The type drawer has a lip on it, so the glass fits down in it a little bit. I took the drawer to the glass place so it would be an exact fit."

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I glued Printer's type letters to the outside of this frame. It would be great for an old picture or a mirror.

Architectural pieces

Here's an out of the ordinary window valance. Made by gluing old chair spindles etc onto a piece of trim. this idea was adapted from the book "Decorating Junk Market Style" by Sue Whitney & Ki Nassauer.

Here's another Window valance made from an old Shutter and some left over crown molding.

Click here for more ideas of what to do with old shutters

Old building Moldings and Windows

Hung on the wall, as-is

Old Glass-less window in the garden, Hodge-Podge of architectural pieces.

Click here for more old window ideas

This old glass window was missing a few pains, but it wasn't a "pain" to fix

Here's an old window, I added some decoration to the top (look above the center Pain) and It makes a great Wall Decoration. You could also put photographs behind it for a shabby chic picture frame, or add hooks to the bottom and make it a rack for keys, coats, towels, or leashes

Tina found this metal tissue holder, painted with this sweet cottage design and hung it on the wall in her bathroom. These are available at Flea Markets. You could paint it yourself or be lucky enough to find one already painted for you. What a great idea, thanks Tina.

lydia1959 from Garden Web shows this idea for old silverware.

Here is my version

For this project, First I drilled holes in the silverware with a drill press. I also prebent them using a vise and plyers, Then I mounted the utinsels to a painted board with screws and adjusted the bends. If I do this project again, I will bend the utinsels after they are mounted, as it is not difficult. I may use a pipe to help create the curve. Add any embelishments you like. You could also do the project as in the first picture, and spray paint the whole thing after asssembly. I chose to make the handle portion the hook because I felt it was "friendlier" on coats, or towels etc.

Bulletin board alternatives and fun photo displays

Upper left is an old potato chip display, Upper Right is an old cloths drying rack, Both ideas were adapted from the book "Decorating Junk Market Style".

Lower left is a small piece of fence or grill that I attached clips to and painted white to make a small bulletin board for my desk. Lower right is some sort of drying rack I picked up at a flea market. It is wood construction, with elastic wires stretched across it. The wires work great to tuck things in and behind and I also use small clothes pins to attached pictures and cards.

Misc

Take an Old frame, some bead board and a makeshift shelf, and you have a great, dimentional, piece for your walls. Or, An old shutter, drawer and spindle make a unique family message center, or add some flowers and it's a dimensional wall pocket.

Uses for old iron grates and metal objects

On the left venting grates found at a flea market. On the right is a collection of Waffle Rosettes I've picked up over the years at garage sales.

Garage Sale Finds, re-purposed

OK, I didn't find all these things at garage sales, but they are getting new life in my house anyway.

This was an old library cabinet with 2 missing drawers. I covered the drawers with framed art(homemade), added legs and it's a chair side table.

My Husband found old Fan, took it apart, and painted it out.

The Old radio doesn't even have knobs, I think it looks great as it is.

Sewing cabinet, had 3 layers of paint on it, and was sitting on my aunts patio

Shelf is a shirt drawer from old store display

Spice drawers picked up for $5.00 at a garage sale, missing 3 drawers but who cares.

Stained glass window, just hung on the wall

This is an old school desk, purchased at a garage sale. It was painted Green before I stripped it and stained it. Makes a great lamp table or end table.

This was an old Riviera Platter, that had seen better days. I covered most of the flaws with pot-pourrie, and added some candles. Makes a great center piece.

Also, used some old wooden spools as candle holders.

Click here to see what to do with old luggage

What to do with old Game Pieces?