So excited to share with you all some incredible recycled materials that you can use in your home decor and design instead of buying new. And how easy it is to add to your home design and decor!
These “new” and repurposed products (and projects) are easy ways to move toward sustainability in our designs.
Super fun and affordable ways to be eco-friendly on any budget.
And best of all, have your very own unique and bespoke style.
As an interior designer, author and salvage expert, I want to share two of the most readily available salvaged and second-hand materials you can add to your design mood boards and files. (Don’t worry, there are lots more… just starting with two… )
Even if it is just a little bit, every bit connects! So here we go! Today’s two recycled materials are glass and wood.
Let’s have some fun!
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xoxo Joanne
GLASS BABY!!!
Recycled glass is in abundance! I mean, even though we all put it in our recycle bins, not all of it gets recycled. We cannot keep up… frankly because there is not enough demand for the product reuse. We can use recycled glass in so many ways. The great thing about using its it is is a nonporous, nontoxic, and moisture and stain-resistant — all great traits to green building specs and codes!
Glass takes thousands and thousands of years to decompose — so we need to make an effort to reuse it. There are some amazing folks out there really giving it a go — not just companies reusing for tile but many more uses. This is one of the simplest ways you can add recycled material to your home design - is whatever tile you pick out have it be from recycled material - -it can be glass or even recycled porcelain (think old sinks and toilets). In my first book, Salvage Secrets, I go into detail about the different types of salvaged glass there is — such as sheet glass, tempered or laminated glass, stained glass, vintage glass light fixtures, glass tile, etc. But for now, let’s just say it is out there and waiting for you!
Wanted to start with one of my most recent projects, that has been featured in Modern Luxury Magazine. This project show many was we’ve added recycled, vintage and repurposed materials. But what I want to share here is New Products made from Recycled Materials. In both bathrooms we used penny tile that looks like marble but is actually recycled glass. This is a lovely product and as we all know, glass in non-porous so that extra bit of moisture resistance is always a good thing in a bathroom.
Not a great iphone pic — but it shows you what this recycled glass tile looks like up close. :)
Lawson’s Finest Liquids! Loved working on their new taproom and retail store. One of my favorite design ideas was this custom light fixture made from their very own recycled bottles.
Recycled material tiles — again — one of the easiest ways to add eco-friendly products to your home design. They come in every style and shape.
This amazing design was created by Kaemingk Design— two of my favorite designers. This kitchen is filled with great examples of reuse — including the glass vintage light fixtures. It is easier than you think to get something rewired. This whole house is featured in my third book, Styling with Salvage. https://kaemingkdesign.com/
Wood — Let me count the ways!!! Wood welcomes us in — it can be used in any style… modern, rustic, and contemporary — it just depends on you! There are so many terms for reclaimed wood - -vintage, antique, salvaged, etc. Most people think of reclaimed wood as barnboard — which is one great one — but we can reuse wood — even new dimensional lumber that comes from a current job site! The other great thing about older wood — is it stronger than today’s modern lumber. There is so much to learn about salvaged wood - I’ve written chapters and chapters on it (literally). But the basics are — it is super simple to reuse! And if you do, you will help change the way we build today.
Why this image first? Because it shows wood reused in 3 different ways. We used reclaimed wood on the walls… We painted the wood headboard to give it a more modern vibe and we reused an antique dresser as a nightstand bedside table… This is a modern rustic look and feel but wood is so transformative — it can be any look you want. When people think of wood — it is usually, the rustic wood you see on the wall… but it can can be anything you want it to be… as you will see in the next pictures.
This New York City apartment, designed by Kelly Giesen, featured in my book, Salvage Secrets Design and Decor, is a perfect example of a wood transformation. All of these wood panels and cabinets where once brown. Kelly, saw beyond the color and loved the quality craftsmanship of the vintage architectural pieces and installed it. Throughout her apartment old wooden doors, are now high-gloss white, giving a luxurious feel to reclaimed material.
In this project, which I loved… turning an old barn into a modern rustic vacation home, you can see reclaimed wood in two ways — the sliding door to the bathroom — we reused the barn wood from the project itself and I found an old wood dresser, which we turned into a vanity. Once you start thinking this way, you imagination of the possibilities will run wild!
Don’t worry, you can start small, this farmhouse we featured in one of my books, designed by the homeowners, shows simple ways to add wood, such as the stair vintage wood baluster, an old farmhouse table and mix and match vintage chairs.
Vintage Church doors painted black and turned into pantry doors. Old wood and vintage wood products add character and charm to every project. Not only does it help us reuse what we already have, but they add warmth and soul to your home.
So when you see this at the salvage shop… think about the ways you can reuse it.
I did. :)
Have fun! xoxo Joanne
