Some of you may know that I have a minor obsession with what happened to all the old tube televisionss when everyone upgraded to flat screens. I remember seeing giant TVs just sitting on the roadside with little free signs on them, just because no one knew exactly what to do with them.
I never found a good upcycling answer for the ubiquitous 2003-era giganto-TV, but Nashville artist and Etsy seller Macho Octopus is getting close. He's making super cool lamps from retro 80s versions. It would have been simple to just gut them and add light bulbs, but the addition of sandblasted details on the glass and a pop of color makes all the difference. The zig-zag is my favorite, and that sugar skull test pattern is amazing.
Images from Etsy shop Macho Optopus.
When I was a kid, I went through a phase of wanting to be an architect. I remember spending hours drawing floor plans of my father's imaginary lake house. I never really sketched the house itself, just the floor plans. I found it satisfying to figure out where everything would go, and how all the rooms would fit together.
My own kids draw mostly zombies and explosions (with the occasional rainbow thrown in for good measure), but no matter what the subject, this drawing board desk Ninetonine would be a cute place to draw. The pencil cup chimney is very clever, and the dual use as desk/playhouse is charming.
Images from Ninetonine. Via Remodelista.
Cincinnati design team Such + Such creates these topography-inspired clocks with their pet CNC machine. I love a good good mash-up of traditional material and modern manufacturing techniques (or the flip side, old school manufacturing and modern materials). They come in a couple of sizes and finishes, for those of you still use a clock to tell time.
Images from Such + Such. Via Fab.
if tiny terrarium jewelry isn't bold enough for you, Parisian designer Egle Cekanaviciute may be more your speed. The SEED clothing lets you plant seeds in unusual places, like your back pocket, or your shirt sleeve. At the core of the concept is designer's statement,
"...any human creation is helpless against the power of nature."
These aren't really practical as clothing (or garden planters), but the photos are lovely and as an thought piece, the line is intriguing. Enjoy!
Images from Egle Cekanaviciute. Via Stylelist.
Sometimes the best sculpture is made from the imperfect. Brazilian designer João Paulo Scigliano rescues discarded timber from logging companies. I couldn't get better photos, but I love these cubes with the holes inside. It's a modern take on all the redwood burl coffee table.
Images reposted from Recyclart.
