Modern-Art Repurposed Kitchen-Cabinet Window Coverings???

 Here's a simple little DIY project I had some fun with… and yes, we'll be making some DIY funky, recycled-material decorations for the TWO cabins we collectively design and build at our Relaxshacks.com Hands-On Tiny House Building Workshop in Memphis, TN- April 11-13th, 2014. SO many great guests and speakers are on our roster too! 

 Here's a little something I made, along many other recycled-material art pieces for my cabins, as the weather wasn't so hot the last few days here in Massachusetts and forced me inside. While the winter here can really slow me down in terms of making any progress on the various cabins and tiny houses I've been working on, on the bright side, it does leave me a little time here and there to focus on fun, indoor, activities, as well- such as making this bizarre little modern-art piece out of an old kitchen cabinet door I had been saving for far too long. The old cabinet door (thrown out on the sidewalk from a neighbor's renovation) is adorned with a multitude of scrap wood from many projects in the past.

Yes, I save just about everything, but its only because I know I'll always find a use for it.

So the idea: Aside from being a wall hanging, made from salvaged and free materials that could add some color to a room, this repurposed-cabinet door could serve as a window covering, in lieu of a shade or blind, that swings to close a window, and when in closed mode, serves as interesting art. You could even decorate the inside of the door, so that when open, it stands as an art piece as well.

Here's a closer shot, where it shows the 1960s/70s looking handle- one I left attached so that a clue as to what this used to be, would be evident.

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

SEVEN funky and nearly FREE pallet coffee tables for your home- DIY Furniture

What I LOVE about furniture pieces like these is that they have a story behind them. I really enjoy being able to tell guests the tale and origin behind a diy project, art piece, or furniture item of mine when I get a compliment on it. Instead of "I bought it at Ikea", the lineage becomes a lot more interesting, and often makes for good conversation.

makezine.com

     Since I feel that saving money goes hand in hand with the tiny house movement, I thought that some of you might be interested in these SEVEN, funky n' free (and creative) coffee tables- all made out of free forklift pallets. I hope these give you some new ideas, or at least make you look at pallets (which are free just about everywhere) in a different light. I felt that these were some colorful and fun examples as well- enjoy....

from houzz.com

 

scraphacker.com

www.stelabird.com

www.imgur.com

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen

More Cheap/Free n' Funky Decor for YOUR HOUSE- Part 3

Decorating for a Dime- LITERALLY....

(PS- our North Caroline Tiny House Building Workshop (April 26th-28th, 2013)  is almost SOLD OUT- so get movin' if you want a slot!)

 Shelves sagging under the weight of your insanely huge tiny house book and architectural-tome collection? Have no fear, "Super Thrifty Rustic Man" is here! No, I'm not cheap, I actually blow lots of money on eating out, travel, and many stupid things (bedazzled shoe horns, remote control whoopee cushions, snuggies), but I do LOVE creating things....even when its something as simple as THIS FIX....which is a great project with young kids too, as its so incredibly easy, and teaches them the value of recycling and, well, not being a lazy tub of goo.

RUSTIC STORM WOOD SHELF SUPPORTS

To do this properly, you want to have a stock of "squaw wood" (wrist thick, or so, limbs) that have been previously selected, and stored/dryed. Better yet, if they're stored indoors, they've already acclimated to the climate of your home in terms of expansion and contraction. It shouldn't matter TOO much if you don't do this ahead of time, but you run the risk of the wood expanding, or shrinking, by as much as 1/4" afterwards if you don't. That's up to you, especially if you're building something that needs to be "K.T.T" as I call it- "Kitchen Cabinet Tight". Also, drying and storing the wood gives it a chance to shed itself of the boring insects that already might be inherent in the wood when it was living.

Note: These branches are among many I saved and shaved/skinned from a large limb that fell in a storm about two years ago. I keep using these things for a variety of projects...BIRCH WORKS and LOOKS great too, but from a blight, we don't have many of them around here, so I usually spare those that I could have harvested.
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Step 1: Carefully measure the lengths you need, and make 'em a hair longer....you want these to tightly fit into place so that they could almost be left in place on a gravity/pressure-fitting alone.

Step 2: I gave them a quick coat of Minwax Polyurethane- if there are any bugs within, this might kill them, or at least won't make them so happy. If stored/dryed properly, there should not be any powder post beetles, or anything in these though....be sure to look them over before using them. I've done this so many times and have never had a problem.

Step 3: Jam 'em into place and secure them with a mere brad from above, and a toe-nailed brad from below. Again, a tight fit should do most of the work for you, even without this tiny nail. You can use a dab of construction adhesive too, if you'd like.

Step 4: Never have to worry about your sagging shelf again. Commence reading and hoarding books.....

This tip is pretty unprofound, but I have many, many, many like it (but a bit more inventive/funky) in my book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks"....if you might be lookin' for more!

 -Derek "Deek" Diedricksen