Thursday 26 June 2014

Upcycling- discovering more and being inspired

Recently, I did a post on the Upcycle Project, a studio in Mumbai that focuses on upcycling. That post got me thinking about how far we can go with upcycling in terms of design. To me, when someone says the word 'upcycle' I immediately think funky and quirky. But the words elegant and sophisticated are not what usually pops into my head. I know it's a personal prejudice and I felt I needed to get over it. Because, considering the amounts of waste we are generating, both recycling and upcycling are important if we are to grow in a sustainable way. 

So I started doing a little more research, the idea being I wanted to see the implementation of upcycling in contemporary, high end design, just to sort of change my biased mindset I guess. I came across quite a few interesting finds and I'm sharing.  




I really like this contemporary looking cafe which uses old wooden crates as stools as well as lamps and hanging planters. It's such a simple idea, but executed in such an elegant way.



Love this partition which has made use of the scraps and waste from on site carpentry work. The bits and pieces of wood are put together to form an interesting composition that is quite trendy and classy too!




This lamp, by designer Betty Ryland, is made from old motorcycle parts and is incredibly well designed. It has a real sophisticated industrial feel to it. 


And then on a much smaller scale, we can upcycle in our own homes. Here are some interesting ideas that I came across that I've added to my 'ideas for the new home' folder. They would work equally well in a colorful, bohemian styled home or a contemporary home with a more subtle vibe.




Love how these coconut shells have been papered, polished and and drilled with holes to create an awesome hanging basket. I've collected quite a few coconut shells and this is how I plan to put them to use :)





By Miriam Zink. Image courtesy Furniture Site


48 lamp by 101 design made from 48 coat hangers. Image courtesy Design Boom

Never getting rid of any old coat hangers. These lampshades are funky and sophisticated and I love them!




Cool way to uses old boxes, trays and crates to create a cool and interesting wall.




An old barrel that's been painted makes an interesting and quirky bedside table. 







13 comments:

  1. this is truly spectacular :)

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    1. Thank you Shivangi... glad you liked the post :) Really got inspired with so many awesome ideas and designs

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  2. The coconut shell idea is good. :)

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    1. Thanks for stopping by... glad you found the post interesting

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  3. I liked the ideas. The crates idea is the best.

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    1. Thanks Rachna... yes I didn't think the humble crate could look so sophisticated :)

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  4. Amazing. I was left staring at all of them!

    Www.volatilespirits.com

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    1. Hi Anupama, thanks for dropping by... so glad you enjoyed the post!

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  5. Wow, converting regular trash to such beautiful creations is no mean feat!! Loved the crates!!

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    1. Thanks... glad you found the post interesting. I too was quite surprised at how things that we would normally throw away can be used in so many interesting and beautiful ways

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  6. Inspirational Shalini !! sharing it !! :D

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