Now when I think of REcycling, REusing etc. my mind does not automatically think newspapers, plastic bottles, and cans; I think antiques/vintage! (it’s just the way I’m wired) Skeptical? let me explain this a little more in depth.
Whenever you buy something that’s vintage, antique, used, second-hand etc you’re not only helping to keep junk out of landfills you’re reducing your carbon footprint. It takes no energy to produce something that was made a while ago and almost no energy to fix it up. Sprucing up used or vintage items or even existing pieces that you have uses 85-95 percent less energy than producing new ones. Also those older pieces are simply better quality and last longer than most new ones do. It’s always a greener option to be able to fix what you have instead of throwing out what you broke. A great recourse for REused or vintage items is craigslist. I spend hours cruising the furniture category and I end up using a lot of those used REpurposed items in my design work.
Here’ s how I think vintage…
Now that I look at it, almost everything in this photo is vintage or REused in some way. Anyway, the plant stand is from my Grandmother’s attic. I wish you could see the vintage ceramic bowl Peter (the fern) is sitting in…it’s fabulous! The oil lamps are from a garage sale…I love the way they reflect off of the mirror. The mirror itself was rescued from my Mother’s basement (it’s twin is hanging horizontal in our dining room) The box is from an antique store around the corner from me and the cup and saucer that houses my most frequently worn jewelry, is Homer Laughlin Georgian pattern from the thrift store (quite a steal…I got the complete set of dishes for only $19.99!!!)
I think this night stand was the best $10 dollars I’ve ever spent. Lucky for me (not so lucky for my husband) there’s a wonderful antique/vintage shop directly across the street from me. Everyday she brings her favorite pieces for sale right out on the side walk for all to see. This beauty caught me eye as I was walking to my car. I love how paint colors from the past peak through making it the perfect eclectic piece for our bedroom! Somewhere deep inside of me is a love for vintage dishes. I REuse them for all sorts of things. As you can see from the photo, this one is acting as a saucer for my plant, catching all of the runoff water.
This is my desk, it was once part of my husband’s Grandmother’s 1950’s kitchen. It was a gift and when we got it, we first cleaned it up a bit (it was housed in the basement for years) and then as we were going through the draws we discovered all sorts of treasures…cookie cutters from the 50’s, a beautiful old set of silverware, plus the center piece pulls out (it used to be a cutting board, it’s now a keyboard holder) This is my favorite antique! She has another one in the basement (it’s pink) but there’s no room for it yet… The crocheted piece of art behind the computer (yes I know I have to hang it) is from a junk shop in the Bronx. Trust me I got some weird looks on the subway carrying that thing home!
So there it is, a glimce into how I “think vintage” how bout you guys…how do you “think vintage”?
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Love, love, love it! My family has a serious problem with garage saling! We have so many wonderful, unique pieces of furniture that my parents collected over the years.
Not only are we helping the environment by REusing, but you also end up with a home full of items that no one else has instead of the same piece that you can get at any Ikea or Crate & Barrell (although I do love some of that stuff!) It adds so much character to your home!