Repurposing For Design & Function

Posted in Accessories, Art, Furniture, Home Design, Interior Design, Lifestyle, Uncategorized on July 12, 2012

By Victoria Mott

Many things you already own can be repurposed to furnish and decorate your home. For instance, an antique sewing table can be used as an end table or bedside table. They usually have many drawers that can be used to store small items. It doesn’t have to be solely a display piece, but serve as a functional part of your décor.

In my own home, I have a sewing table which was an heirloom from my husband’s family. The table was in great condition, so all I had to do was find the right place for it, and the right accessories to make a beautiful design statement.

I went about it by first balancing the table’s visual weight with a complementary piece of art above it. Then, I placed things on the table keeping in mind to use an odd number of items and create symmetry. I also achieved balance by mixing shiny (plant pot and metal and glass screen) with natural (plant, woven basket and wooden bowl) materials. Round shapes also balance the rectangle shapes of the table and artwork. I placed an antique footstool at the bottom, top facing out, to show off the needlepoint cover my Grandmother made – another item repurposed.

Besides merely being something enjoyable to look at, the piece also serves the functional purpose of storing my sewing supplies, as the table was intended. When I begin work on a project, I can pull out my portable sewing machine and have all the supplies within easy reach.