Read how to redecorate from demolition yards. Discover furniture, fittings and home hardware from demolition yards to use in your redecorating project, all the while you will be helping the planet!
With no intention of labouring the point on the disposal of waste, suffice to say, it is at once a major national & global problem.
It would help the planet, even a little, if everyone considered recycling household furniture and fittings where they can to redecorate.
Another positive reason is to own something that already has aesthetic and authentic value above and beyond its appearance. You will prolong its life, and in the process prevent it from ending up in landfill.
Plus, you will assist a small business to remain open and trading in the face of prolific and indifferent chain stores.
Poorly managed waste is contaminating the world’s oceans, clogging drains and causing flooding, transmitting diseases, increasing respiratory problems from burning, harming animals that consume waste unknowingly, and affecting economic development, such as through tourism, said the World Bank’s Sameh Wahba.
The world produces over two billion tonnes of municipal solid waste every year, enough to fill over 800,000 Olympic sized swimming pools.
________________________________________________________
WHERE TO START WHEN DOING A ROOM MAKEOVER
Assuming a length of time researching (approx six months) to arrive at what you generally like; you may end up with perhaps three schemes you ‘are happy to go with’. (Note: If your style is intuitively eclectic, you may already have a number of pieces you can use.)
You can’t have all three (unless you are opting for a type of eclecticism) so other things need to determine what you eventually decide upon: your budget, partner hates black rooms, your mother cannot walk up stairs, you don’t live on the ocean, space constrictions etc etc.
Be ruthless with yourself; if there are ‘substantial reasons’ for culling your ‘list of three’ to a final resolution, just choose the one you ‘go back to most often’: or the one that gets ‘the most ticks’ out of the three.
________________________________________________________
JUSTIN HUMPHREY ARCHITECT: THE COVE HOUSE
Because the room shown here is essentially ‘neutral tones of pale to dark grey’, it is easy to emulate the look on a budget. Similarly, most neutral schemes.
PAINT: Dulux paints has an extensive range of tonal colour charts. While a comprehensive colour selection is available from Porter’s Paint.
TILES: Be vigilant with tiling companies (there are some sharks out there – see liberal eclectic tips on tiling pitfalls) only enquire about ‘tiles on sale’ or tiles you can organise a ‘deal on’. If the supplier doesn’t have any on sale, go to the next one if time and location allow.
In this instance the amount of tiles required would be as little as one square metre to go between the cooktop and the extractor fan. Still, important to get right as it causes a lot more problems for you if they have to come down.
__________________________
EBAY is awash with pendant lights & tables and chairs: two of the most arresting items in this room. Timber tables are easy to restore to your desired scheme.
FATSHACK has some wonderful furniture items for reasonable prices. Be aware that, certain pieces are priced according to their ‘market value’ as vintage and as such are not inexpensive. Still, they have a Clearance section which is great for value pendant lighting.
TIP: If your floor is dreadful and cannot be restored or changed, buy a big neutral rug. There are multitudes of rug companies with Clearance sections.
In this instance it would sit under the dining table and chairs to add aesthetic value as well as deflect attention from the floor, and demarcate the space.
Always choose a woollen, natural fibre or cotton rug.
Make a list of ‘the big items’ you need and look around your area for second-hand stores and demolition yards. Either call in, or phone to see if they have what you want. Especially ask about rugs.
SYDNEY RUGS ONLINE The rug shown here is available 320 x 230cm for A$499
________________________________________________________
ESRAWE
Casa Sierra Fría, Mexico City
TIPS ON A BUDGET
Looking at the image above the stand out aspects are the staircase, the glass and the garden. But also the low ‘plywood’ window return which is useful in a multitude of ways. We could add, quality flooring.
If you are on a tight budget make the ‘stand out’ elements count both functionally and visually. The best money you spend should be spent on those. You will be forever thankful!
GLASS in ‘significant’ volume (like 3 metres square) where it serves dual purposes – protection, a view onto nature, allowing increased light into the home, together equalling visual stimulation additionally.
It may be that you can only afford glass in one area but the impact will be significant and the benefits manifold.
_____________________________
PLYWOOD is an under-rated material and can be widely used to add observable texture and a myriad of other positive attributes. Easy to clean, it can be utilised in seat benches, kitchen islands, walls and table tops.
The relative neutrality of colour affords the opportunity to merge seamlessly with various different interior styles from modern to traditional if nuanced correctly.
It can be expensive, so be judicious and research the best price in your area.
_____________________________
STAIRCASE: I have met many people who have picked up a staircase for a song at a demolition retailer. You can always bargain with them. Here is a great link for Queenslanders & Australians: Woolloogabba Demolitions.
Demolition yards are a rich repository of ‘household hardware’ from various historical and stylistic periods.
They often have ‘mid-century’ style (1950’s & 1960’s) quality timber ‘walls’ with large inserted windows; staircases; kitchen islands that can be remodelled to suit with a new bench top; tons of variable windows and flooring.
Here is a must link: JUNKMAP, this site lists innumerable ‘Demolition yards’ around Australia.
HAPPY HUNTING!
________________________________________________________
