Are recycled interiors suitable for a modern home? I think so. We moved into our modern home almost 12 months ago and have slowly, but surely been putting our stamp on the place. Even before the boxes had been unpacked, i had decided that i wanted to include my love of vintage and secondhand pieces into our new home. It was suggested that i probably wouldn’t be able to do that in such a modern setting, but i was determined to use some of my existing pieces and find more vintage treasures to include in our modern setting.
While i have no doubt that vintage pieces can be used in a modern setting, you do need to be selective and have a good mix of different decor items. I was mindful of the fact that not everything would work, but looking around there are lots of recycled items in my home that look and feel modern. You just have to be careful about getting the balance right. This vintage air circulator (which still works) was the perfect solution for a small side table near the lounge. A modern lamp sitting on top of it, contrasts nicely. And, how to fix a broken lounge leg? With old magazines of course! Okay, it is not the most profession repair job, but it is as solid as a rock and other good form of recycling. 
My husband already owned a couple of much cherished vintage maps and there was no chance of them being left out of the mix. With many large windows and few blank walls, i was limited to only a couple of places in which the maps would fit. This vintage map of the states hangs proudly in our main living area. Underneath are a couple of vintage crates, used as planter boxes and a gorgeous green french desk. I think the contrast of these aged items works well in a modern setting.
A much treasured vintage school desk we already own had to be included in our new home. It works well in the modern setting as the colour of the wood just happens to blend perfectly with our wooden steps. A modern light box, hanging above the desk, maintains the modern feel of the space. 
My most treasured antique find, an aseptic dental cabinet takes pride of place in our main living area. It has quite an industrial look about it, so it was easy to incorporate into our modern setting. A vintage number three sits atop the medical cabinet – my hubby loves the number three and it doesn’t look out of place here, despite its age and being covered in rust.
I love the contrast of my old vintage stool in our sleek and modern bathroom. Being environmentally aware when decorating doesn’t mean your entire home needs to have sustainable design and all recycled furniture (that would be great though). We can all contribute to a more sustainable way of living in small ways. Don’t go out a buy a new stool if a secondhand one will suit your space.
My bedroom is decorated in quite a modern style, but i have still included this old vintage trunk in the design. A simple makeover with shiny black paint has brought this trunk to life and given it a modern feel, that fits beautifully into my bedroom.
My last recycled find that i wanted to share is this beautifully made coffee table – created with old railway sleepers. This was an absolute bargain on ebay for $50. I love it! I had it in storage when we lived in our previous home because it didn’t suit, but it looks perfect in our new home. Rustic, warm and recycled. What do you think? Can recycled pieces work in a modern home?
Tag Archives: secondhand
Decoupage and Spray Paint
I didn’t pay much for this old dresser. It was an ugly, old off white colour and the mirror was dangerously unstable. It had a couple of little scrapes on the top, but was otherwise pretty solid.
The mirror came off easily and spray painting it was a cinch! I was already spray painting my little cane table, so I did them both together. Have I mentioned I love spray paint? It’s so easy to use!! It’s much quicker than a brush and the result is much smoother. Plus, there’s less mess to clean up!
I did a few good coats and it was already looking much fresher, but the scrapes on the top were still pretty obvious.
Recently, I’d been going through some of mum and dad’s old stuff in storage and had found some seriously outdated atlases. These were perfect for decoupaging the top of this dresser. So, about a dozen coats of mod podge later and this is the result. I paired the dresser with my grandmother’s old mirror. They look so cute together. Pretty!!!
Spray paint side table makeover
It’s amazing what a difference some spray paint makes! I picked up this pretty cane table for $20 at a secondhand store. It’s in great shape and I knew it would be simple to freshen up.
After brushing off the cob webs I applied two good coats of lovely shiny white paint, allowing drying time in between. It was a little tricky to get in all the nooks and crannies but the end result speaks for itself. It looks like new!
Here it is at Winterfell in one of the bedrooms. Oh, and here’s a sneak peek at another room that is VERY close to being finished.
Pretty Pastels
Here are some pretty pastels for one of the bedrooms. The Astor radio I loved instantly! It doesn’t work but that didn’t deter me. It was the lovely buttery yellow that caught my attention, so therefore its main purpose is to be pretty. I don’t know anything about old radios or their value. I did try to source some information, but I couldn’t find another radio that matched mine. I don’t really care about the value….I was just curious.
The following three glasses were also purchased for their loveliness and because they look like half open flowers. They are purely for decoration and look so pretty with radio. WARNING! Super Girly room in progress! 😉 It will have soft greens, yellows, pinks and charcoal. I’ll also be attempting my own DIY headboard. Wish me luck!
Tacky but cool!
When my husband and I found this at a secondhand shop in Orange, we stopped short, looked at each other and then confirmed that this was a MUST buy!! It’s awkward, it’s tacky and it’s the coffee table of our dreams!!
Others probably walked past it, ignoring its potential, but even as non gamblers, we knew this was going to be PURE GOLD in the parlour!
Leather Love
I really love leather. I don’t care if it’s old or new. There’s something about the smell of new leather that i love, but i also love when leather is old and worn. We lashed out on new lounges for the house. They are very different styles. The chesterfield lives in the parlour opposite the fireplace and the other is more modern and belongs in the kitchen/living area. I love them equally. 🙂
The following pictures are of my cowhide, which i love. I know that animal skins aren’t for everyone (my daughter hates it) but i appreciate all of the animal being used, including the skin, if it has been bred for eating purposes. The black and white contrasts beautifully with the tan lounge. Also, it is durable and easy to clean. Gotta love that!
Alright, so that’s my new leather. Now onto the old. These were all found at the Molong junk shop. Boy do i love that place. I don’t think we’ve ever visited and not taken something home. It is full of treasures!
This beauty was found at the junk shop. The top of the stool is covered in embossed leather. It’s lovely and solid, as most old furniture is.
This black beauty is covered in leather! I adore it. It will probably end up on one of the bedside tables at Winterfell.
I know this won’t appeal to everyone, but my husband loves camels, so when we saw this leather covered one, we had to have it!!
What a funny pair!
Ebay Bargains and Garage Sales
I have found some great buys on ebay and at garage sales! I have saved an enormous amount of dollars by shopping carefully and i don’t think the quality of the furniture or accessories has been compromised in the process. Here are just a few of the bargains i have found. I will let the pictures do the talking. 🙂
We found this chaise on ebay. It was still in the plastic! The owners were moving interstate and didn’t want to take it. Hooray!
We scored two carvers and ten regular chairs from the same ebay seller that was selling the chaise. We managed to get the chaise and twelve chairs in total for an absolute steal! And they are all gorgeous!
I bought this table and two bench seats at a garage sale….the same place where i found the cool bottles. The owners were lovely and generous people. I LOVE this setting.
Gold vintage frame found on ebay.
Happy Thursday!! 🙂
In a former life
Ahhh, i have fallen in love in junk! With a limited budget I’m forced to get a little creative and i’m loving the challenge. I never imagined i would become so obsessed with secondhand things, but not only am i seeing the beauty in recycled pieces, but I’m actually preferring them to new. New things seem so cold to me now. I love the warmth and character found in older objects. Hopefully this new attitude will apply to myself as I get older!!
This old piece was an aquarium stand in its former life. I’ve added some vintage sheet music to fill the void where the tank would have sat and i plan on getting a nice thick sheet of glass to cover the top. This will be perfect as a desk in the one of the rooms. A bargain at $70. I should add that my sister Amy gave me the idea for this one…..she is so clever and creative.
I love the colours in these old sheets of musics that i found in a secondhand shop. I’ve put them into frames for preservation.
Now these guys were obviously attached to a deer in a former life. And no, we are not hunters!! The males shed these every 12months after the mating season. Apparently it is rare to find a matching pair unbroken. We bought them from a local shop in Millthorpe and we LOVE them. Not sure what we are going to do with them yet. Maybe hang them above the fireplace or on a wall somewhere. Until we decide they’ll remain a centre piece for our table at home.
RedAgape Style & Design Old 