Re-purposed Design Features for Your New Home

Home renovation is a painstaking process that involves substantial investments and careful planning, but you can cut the costs if you repurpose some cost-efficient items into eye-catching décor pieces such as bookshelves, tables, seating and even beds. Plus, you will be doing a favor to the planet by reducing your waste footprint and up-cycling materials instead of contributing to the already extensive resource exploitation.  All it takes is just a bit of creativity, handiwork and some basic tools, and your home can soon shine in a whole – though perhaps not exactly brand new – light.

Bedding from Scratch

Another functional addition to your vintage-looking home, a bed made from repurposed pallets or wooden boxes is a highly cost-efficient project for crafty homeowners. Take several pallets and secure them together to make the foundation (depending on the size, 2-3 pallets make a low single bed, 4-6 are sufficient for a double bed). For added bed height, double the pallet base. Once done, deck the bed with a mattress, pillows and blankets and snuggle in to try it out.

Vintage-looking Outdoor Furniture

Standard shipping pallets can be used to create comfy and affordable outdoor furniture such as patio table and chairs. Available for free or at a wallet-friendly price in most factories and large storage facilities, pallets can be stacked together and secured by nails or screws to make a cute rustic-looking patio table. Follow the same procedure to create a couple of wooden armchairs which you can outfit with old cushions for comfort and appeal.

Cr(e)ate a Bookshelf

For the bookshelf project, you will need several wooden crates, a handful of nails, screws or bolts, sandpaper, wood paint and some glue. Stack the crates together to form a rectangular bookshelf and attach each box to the adjacent one using waterproof glue and nails or screws. Once done, position the bookshelf against a wall (if necessary, secure it to a wall using a large hex bolt and a metal chain). For a stylish look, sand the shelves and apply a fresh paint coat.

A Crafty Flower Rack

There is one more functional item for your garden which you can make from standard pallets. Take one or two pallets (or make a structure similar to the bookshelf listed above), apply a layer of weather-proof paint to the surface and place the pallet/crate shelf in a vertical position against the house wall. You can use the structure to store flower pots, decorative gnomes or outdoor lamps – the adorable wooden rack will render a romantic feel to your garden.

Stairway for Pallet Heaven

You can also use pallets to make a lovely wooden staircase. Now that is what you call taking the pallet craft to a whole new level! Attach double pallet units one on top of the other leaving enough tread space (use solid pallets and strong screws or bolts for safety’s sake). Depending on the size and length of the staircase, you can add a pallet base for the landing in between two flights of stairs – and the best thing is, the entire project will cost you next to nothing.

Why waste a fortune on new furnishings if you can use pallets, crates and boxes to make unique, eco-friendly pieces for both indoor and outdoor use? By transforming discarded crates and pallets into functional household elements, you will be saving money, doing the planet a favor and expressing your own creativity – which is enough of a reason to give up-cycled furniture a go, isnt it?