Shopping around for Upcycling Inspiration

By Joan
December 4, 2024
1 Comment

Shopping around for Upcycling Inspiration

On my way home from Virginia last month I took a slight detour to one of my favorite interior design stores, Hip and Humble, in the small town of Berryville. They specialize in antique and architectural salvage and they repurpose what they find into contemporary furniture designs.

The perfect place to go shopping or to draw inspiration. So, if you’re in the area, it is well worth a look.

I have visited them before and for that peek back check them out here.

Let’s start out with a grapevine wreath decorated with clay flowerpots and moss. This one may be more suitable for Spring, but Spring is only a few short months away. 😆

I get a few ideas from this display. Not only the trio of plants in clay pots, though I might have to go fake to get them identical, but I also like the tree slice risers and the Potted Plants For Sale sign.

I also love to get ideas for unique centerpieces, especially those made from upcycled and recycled materials. I believe this is an old galvanized chicken feeder, though I could be wrong.

Look for a sled and a wagon centerpiece here.

This old cupboard stood out to me for it’s unique paint job. Make your own cabinet with my instructions here.

I love when shops decorate with items that are quirky, cheap, eye popping and upcycled. This collection of basket lids will go right on my Pinterest board of “Walls”.

These bowls inspire me to make my own set of concrete bowls. To create your own bowls I found a Youtube tutorial where Diane of “At Urbans Greenhouse” created Hypertufa bowls with Portland cement, peat moss and vermiculite.

These are great for herbs and succulents as well as displaying with moss as shown here.

I’ve made my own vintage inspired game boards from old doors but this is actually a genuine old Parcheesi game board. It may inspire you for paint colors and design when you do decide to create your own.

Another old game board. I didn’t look at this one closely at the time but those checkers squares sure do look like old square nails stacked together.

I absolutely love love old cubbies, possibly used in an old store or mechanics shop.

Some day I’ll make one this size. I have made a much smaller one out of pallet wood back in 2016. You can find that one here.

Another cubby shelf, this one with a beadboard backing.

One more! Should I make one?

Is this a genuine old pump? I don’t know, but this one is made into a wonderful desk lamp.

Aren’t these adorable original paintings. The tag says these are painted on old door panels. What a fantastic use of an old door that come with their own frame.

And you thought you had to toss your old paint brushes! Nope, just mount on old wood and it’s now unique wall art.

A wooden box with a cutout pine tree. Cutout strips of bark make this lantern special.

If you have scrap wood, make Christmas trees!

Make your own 3D interlocking scrap wood Christmas tree. I shared a similar one last year.

While these trees might not look that big, they are actually massive, made from a single door cut on the diagonal and decorated. To give you an idea for scale, that is a normal sized wreath hanging on these door Christmas trees.

Thread drift wood in decreasing sizes until you have a wonderful, seaside Christmas tree.

Like the trees I shared with you two weeks ago, these bristle trees are also displayed in varying size spindles.

More cut wooden triangle Christmas trees. The one on the left looks like it was decorated with a plaid fabric scrap and the three center ones appear to be stenciled with bubble wrap. One is cute, but 6 is a display.

Go big or go home! This giant snowflake cut from wood, covers the entire porch landing of the shop.

This condiment holder was not at Hip and Humble but at a restaurant my husband and I stopped at last summer. I love everything about this including the old wood (or wood that is just meant to look old) as well as the handle made from pipes.

Same condiment holder after I replaced all the condiments .

I hope I gave you enough ideas to keep you busy throughout the month of December.

Since I like to take off the month of December, I hope you all have the happiest of holidays filled with peace and love. I’ll see you back here in 2025 and you’ll see why I was in Virginia. Until then, stay inspired….