From a Collection of Tutankahmun's Stereo Cabinets?

The use of electronic circuit boards as an artistic medium has surely not been more completely realized than in the work of Theo Kamecke. When I first became aware of these pieces, I was reminded of the first time I experienced the wonder of the treasures of King Tut at a local museum. Take some time to enjoy Theo's online galleries, it's worth it.

From a Nimble Mind

I know these images of the ever-clever work of Jan Vormann are circulating everywhere, but I still smile every time I see them. So much said with such a simple act. And now it's starting to spread around the globe.

From Tank to Swank - A Parking Garage Makeover

Who would have thought an abandoned fuel tank and a crumbling parking garage would make such successful bedfellows? The Italian architects at LOT-EK are, like so many, helping to expand the notions of recycling. Converting a crumbling parking structure into this NY loft involved suspending a restored fuel tank mid air and converting it into a sleeping loft.

Recycling isn't just for bottles and cans anymore!

From Foundry to Stairwell

Certain wooden foundry patterns embody the work of skilled craftsmen at the height their powers. These low relief 'sculptures' are often used for short runs and then discarded. It seemed fitting to reflect a little bit on that artistry and transform a sand casting pattern I came across recently into a stairwell mirror.

From Freeway to Driveway

Even parts of a dismantled freeway overpass can find a new use in the hands of clever builders and architects. Over 300 tons of material were reclaimed from Boston's Big Dig project and transformed into this ultra chic modernist home complete with a roof top garden.

From Water to Wine

After tearing down a crumbling water tower on a hillside estate, I transformed the old growth redwood timber into the panels of four six-hundred pound wine cave doors. Patina on wood in contact with water that long just can't be reproduced mechanically.

From Wingtip to Desktop

Now that's a desk that's going places - and has been places! These airplane wing remnant executive desks had some pretty down to earth beginnings ... a DC-9 junkyard.
Dave and Donovan are definitely on their way up.

From the Signs I've Seen...

So many signs so little time ... Boris has a crisp wry style and he's found the perfect medium with which to express it. There's a lot to explore ... enjoy.

From a Failed Dot.com to a Garden Gate

The folks at Urban Ore told me the steel frames were parts of designer cubicles they pulled out of a failed dot.com.

The old-growth redwood came from a demolition pile in my neighbor's front yard and the little steel circles are cut-offs from some different sized pipes I had rusting in my shop's yard.

The Morning Glory vines look great in the Spring as they wind up and through the circles.

From Grandma's Shed

I found a pair of cool glass washboards tucked away in my Grandmother's shed. They apparently were the original version of the 'delicate cycle' -- designed for washing lingerie. They've received a second life now as our laundry room wall sconces.

From Their Wedding Day to Their Kitchen

These caught my eye, reminding me of a kitchen I designed for a client that had made their task lighting out of the champagne bottles they had served their guests from at their wedding.
Take a look at more of Jerry Kott's re-Lights

From cool to stool

There is something about the form of these used skateboard stools from DeckStools that makes we think of corduroy bell bottoms and summer afternoons spent bruising up my elbows while trying to skate in a neighbor's empty in-ground swimming pool.

From Our Sunday Afternoon Wok

Here is a shot of one of the Wok Lights we built from the cast-offs we found in a local Chinese restaurant supply house dumpster one Sunday afternoon. This was a joint project with artist Staci Southwick of Functional Steel Objects.

From the Firehouse to Your House

When Elvis & Kresse met the London Fire Brigade they fell in love ... with a pile of old fire hoses. Here are a few samples from the line of handbags they've created. Check out their website, it's well worth a visit.

From Mondrian to Rietveld

A nice reclamation furniture line by Schubladen. If Piet Mondrian and Gerrit Reitveld had walked into my local thrift store with a saw, some glue and some paint, they might have happily walked out with a few of these.

From a Little Light Reading

These hanging fixtures are, I feel, the most successful from a series of about ten from designers Michael Bom and Antoinet Deurloo. While they rely on the physical structures of the books to create their three dimensional forms, both lamps have achieved something more than just demonstrating the novelty of shining a light through a printed page.

From Thirft Store Shelf to Department Store Window

Three really lovely ideas from Sander Lucas. How many countless shelves of abandoned pieces of porcelain have you seen like this at your local thrift store? This concept is worthy of being cycled back up to the department store shelves again for sure.

From my Christmas wish list

I've been watching the evolution of the Frietag brothers' business for about 10 years now. Markus and Daniel have come a long way since those first messenger bags. One of this year's designs has made my Christmas wish list - by the end of the year who knows what else they will have created from used truck tarps to temp us. Go Freitag!

From the Fashion Circuit

I've seen a lot of ideas for using discarded circuit boards and other electronic components in new product designs. Some of Betsy's Violets New Vintage accessories are managing to go beyond the 'hey look what I made out of some trash' aesthetic and are emerging as a tasteful line of abstract 'techno-deco' jewelry.

From Sink to Tank

Hopefully the roads, built in part from crushing the many old porcelain water hogs out there, will lead more people to these sleek new reclaimed water sink/toilet combos by Buratti & Battiston for Roca. When you wash your hands, the 'grey' water that heads down the drain is reclaimed and used for the next time the toilet is flushed - brilliant!

From a Built-in Destined for the Landfill

An early 1900's built-in buffet cabinet was, unfortunately, a must-go element in a recent kitchen I designed and built. Rather than send it to the landfill, we reclaimed the materials to use as elements of a new illuminated breakfast nook table.