Love Where You Live: A Trio of Clever Makeovers

Sunday, January 1, 2012

A Trio of Clever Makeovers

It’s all in the eye of the beholder, isn’t it? Have you ever said to yourself “Now, why didn’t I think of that?” What one person sees as an ordinary piece of furniture will appear to someone else as an opportunity to repurpose and reuse. I came across these three unique ideas on bhg.com for taking ordinary household items and giving them a second lease on life.

1. Craft Station

I’ve used one of these rolling kitchen carts before, as I’m betting so have you, but I never had the foresight to repurpose one of them from something I no longer found useful in my kitchen to something totally different - - but just as useful. How about converting a kitchen cart into a functional Craft Station? My old cart had a butcher block countertop and a drop-leaf side panel that would have provided a durable and steady work surface. It also had a dowel fit through handles on one side, which would work great for holding a roll of clean paper towels for wiping messy or sticky fingers. The open and closed shelving below and one large drawer are perfect for storing boxes and bins of craft supplies. Very clever.

2. Portable Desk / Home Office

Here’s a clever idea for some convenient desktop space and hideaway storage if you don’t have a room in your home for a designated home office. This unit could fit into the corner of the kitchen or a bedroom as a simple, affordable alternative. Using two individual sets of rolling drawers from any home store, they’ve created this portable desk unit with storage drawers and a large work space. All that’s needed to connect the two is to attach a wood countertop to each unit of drawers using metal L-brackets. What a unique idea for desktop shelf space too – the zig-zag shelving unit is both functional and adds interest.

3. Pet Bed

OK, I think this idea is SO clever . . . and your pampered pet might too. An old round nightstand or unused side table has been turned into an adorable pet bed. You’ll need to remove the top and doors, then cut away any support pieces. Sand down all rough edges and apply a fresh coat of paint, even customizing the color to compliment your room decor. You could even take it a step further by personalizing it with your pet’s name. A comfy cushion placed in the bottom creates a cozy bed or napping spot for any house pet. I wonder if either of our kitties, Lily or Thomas, would curl up in something like this? They just might. And a bonus - - this home-made pet bed could easily move from room to room. This looks like one happy puppy.

Ordinary household items, with just a little ingenuity, cleverly made over and given new purpose. Do you have any old or unused pieces in your basement or garage that could be given new life? Are you inspired to try any of these easy makeover solutions? Do let me know, will you?