Utilising Recycled Materials

Recycled Bench

Upcycled, recycled, or repurposed – it’s all about reusing materials and furniture that already exist. Here’s where you can really let your imagination run riot and create a bespoke tiny home to enjoy.

I’ve seen many people use recycled glass bottles of different colors form a shower wall or partition between spaces. This is great to let diffused light through to another area.

How about visiting a car junkyard/scrapyard. You could pick up some metal bumpers to turn into an outdoor bench. You could also pick up some bench seats in reasonable condition to use for a dining space. Car headlights can be repurposed into bedside lamps. Door handles or manual gear stick knobs could be turned into cupboard door handles. You might find old bus or car windows to use, or even old police/fire truck/ambulance flashing lights as a feature.

Timber scrapyards are great for finding unique aged wood pieces that could be turned into table or bench tops, doors, cupboards, or wall features. You may find a sturdy old ladder for getting up to the attic.

Speaking of wall features, old road or advertising signs make a cool statement and great talking pieces.

Yard/Garage/Rummage sales are great fodder for all sorts of home décor. Old vinyl records could be incorporated as wall art – the covers for their art or the records themselves. There are picture discs, shaped, and colored records out there for variation, 45’s or 33’s, or shape your own. Vintage/retro fabric could be used for curtains or upholstering seats. You can also find perfectly fine cutlery, crockery, and other household essentials – from all sorts of periods and styles.

Recycled Bottles

The Pro’s:

  • It’s much cheaper than using new materials and products
  • You can find unique one-off pieces
  • There’s more variety when it comes to design, texture, and materials
  • You can have great fun trawling through yard/garage/rummage sales
  • It’s environmentally friendly
  • Vintage items have history – a story to tell
  • Naturally aged items can add texture and interest to a tiny home

The Con’s:

  • There may be only a short supply or one-off of something you want
  • You need to check anything old that is painted for lead content
  • Always check any wooden furniture or wood planks for termites or spiders
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