[ By Steph in Art & Design, Tricks & Hacks. ]
Like a plague, it’s always there: present in virtually every package we receive, not to mention every landfill known to man, where it will remain for hundreds if not thousands of years. But though styrofoam is designed to be disposable, some artists are flouting that convention and using it as an unexpectedly versatile medium in projects ranging from towering robots to entire retail stores. These 16 styrofoam art projects by 9 artists recycle the ubiquitous white foam into objects that transcend the transience of the material.
Michael Salter’s Styrofoam Car & Robots
(images via: michaelsalter.com)
A formula 1 car, a series of towering white robots surrounded by their miniatures – what can’t Michael Salter, a professor of digital arts at the University of Oregon, make out of styrofoam? Salter recycles used styrofoam packaging to craft his creations, and often uses the native form to create shapes rather than carving.
Couch & Lamps by Kwangho Lee
(image via: geekologie)
The first thing you may be tempted to ask upon viewing this all-styrofoam couch by Kwangho Lee is, ‘Why?” But, really, why not? It may not be the softest or best-looking material around, but heck, at least you’d float if your house ever flooded. Of course, this piece isn’t actually meant for use in the home – it’s art, and was part of a series called ‘Lifelike Design’. Lee also created sculptural lamp shades that resemble giant gobs of white paint.
Tara Donovan’s Cup Ceiling
(image via: mocoloco)
Installation artist Tara Donovan finds inspiration in the most mundane of materials, from toothpicks and drinking straws to paper plates and styrofoam cups. With the latter, Donovan created an undulating aerial landscape reminiscent of a cloud.
Life-Size Hummer by Andrew Junge
(images via: sfgate)
It’s perhaps the world’s least eco-friendly personal vehicle – rendered, fittingly perhaps, in a decidedly un-green material. Andrew Junge carved this life-sized replica of a Hummer while an artist-in-residence at San Francisco’s garbage dump, where he was able to salvage and repurpose all the styrofoam needed for the sculpture.
“I wish to examine and re-contextualize found objects and materials, to invest them with new life, and to sanctify – or at least acknowledge their presence in the world,” Junge explains in his artist’s statement. “Or perhaps, more accurately, to acknowledge my presence as these materials’ temporary curator, archivist and re-purposer.”
Illuminated Styrofoam Sculpture by Jason Rogenes
(images via: inhabitat)
They’ve cradled stereos, iPads, flat-screen televisions and toasters, and now these styrofoam pieces – which come in practically every shape imaginable – grace the walls of galleries, illuminated in futuristic-looking displays. Artist Jason Rogenes gives these scraps of trash new life with installations that hang from the ceiling like miniature space ships.
Snarkitechture Styrofoam Pop-Up Store
(images via: design boom)
The entire interior of a pop-up Richard Chai store in New York City was crafted from massive blocks of styrofoam by Brooklyn-based design firm Snarkitecture. After spending hours carving texture and niches from the blocks with a heated wire, the team achieved a result that calls to mind an ice hotel. While the styrofoam used wasn’t post-consumer, it was recycled afterwards, returned to the manufacturer and made into rigid-foam insulation panels.
Mario Brothers Pieta by Kordian Lewandowski
(images via: kordianl)
Princess Peach sorrowfully cradles Mario’s dead body in this parody of Michelangelo’s super-serious Pieta, carved from polystyrene by artist Kordian Lewandowski. The modern material is a fitting contrast to marble for this video-game-based scene.
Recycled Glass and Styrofoam Sculpture by Sungsoo Kim
(images via: sungsookimglass)
Can styrofoam have beauty in its own right, even when it’s not molded or carved to look like something else? Korean sculptor Sungsoo Kim translates the shapes of discarded styrofoam packing materials into colorful glass, giving them an aesthetic value that is only noticeable because of the change in material from something cheap and unwanted to a more ‘valid’ artist’s medium.
“In my work with Styrofoam, I try to find something concealed in it. The explicit purpose of this material is to protect products while they are in transit. As such, this material has a vital role in the economic machine, but ultimately it becomes trash. Its only value is conferred to it by the market value of the product it protects. That value is lost as soon as the product it protects is removed. The depreciation is astronomical from a consumer-commodity standpoint, but I think there is still something valuable in it, that the packaging has value as an object itself. My work of recycling packing Styrofoam is then to seek the ‘value’ which is unseen in its material reality.”
Faux Styrofoam by Fabio Viale
(images via: fabio viale)
Some artists working in styrofoam try to make their creations look as if they’re carved of marble, but sculptor Fabio Viale has the opposite intent. His ‘styrofoam’ sculptures actually are made of marble, given a pearly texture that makes it appear much softer than it really is.
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42 Magnificent Works of Modern Earth and Land Art
(Thanks in part to Natural Architecture from the Princeton Architectural Press)
Land art is at the heart of history and the human experience, from primitive cave drawings to ancient stone h…
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Booming Industry: GM Recycling Oil Booms in Chevy Volt Parts
[ By Delana in Energy & Fuel, Nature & Ecosystems, Transit & Auto. ]
It is anything but news that the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was a truly devastating event. And though the well is now capped and the oil has stopped flowing, the environmental impact of the disaster will continue to be felt for many years and in many, many ways. Car-making giant GM is doing its small part in reducing the spill’s toll by recycling some of the booms used to trap oil into parts for its hybrid car, the Chevy Volt.
GM plans to use around 100,000 pounds of boom material in its innovative recycling scheme. But it is far from a solitary effort on GM’s part: a whole collection of organizations are involved in the plan. The boom material was collected by Heritage Environmental, then the oil and water were separated (via a high-speed spinning process) by Mobile Fluid Recovery. Lucent Polymers prepared the plastic before GDC, Inc. used it to produce radiator air deflectors for the Volt.
There should be enough materials available to produce radiator air deflectors for at least the first model year of Volts. There may even be enough for produce parts for other models, as well. If left to rot in landfills, the boom materials would take hundreds of years to even begin breaking down, so GM’s plan to give them new life does somewhat reduce the environmental fallout from the devastating BP spill.
The irony of using oil spill detritus to supply parts for cars which will ultimately perpetuate the use of petroleum products is not lost on GM or any of the other companies involved in the unusual plan. But when compared to using brand new, pre-consumer plastics, producing the needed parts from recycled oil booms is a smart move that might just win GM a few green credits in the hearts of environmentalists.
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Teen Scientist Finds Secret to Composting Plastic
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Recycling Renegade: Guns Melted for Tree-Planting Shovels
[ By Delana in Art & Design, Home & Garden, Technology & Gadgets. ]
The efforts we make to recycle on a daily basis are rather abstract; we may know that some good comes of recycling, but we are rarely able to see it in action. Artist Pedro Reyes came up with an astonishingly effective way of connecting recycling with its end result – and he did it by taking more than 1500 guns off of the streets of one crime-riddled Mexican city.
Reyes put out a call for guns in the western Mexican city of Culiacán. The city has a higher rate of gun deaths than any other in the country, making it an ideal place to focus on for this project. By offering coupons good for electronics and appliances in exchange for firearms, Reyes was able to collect 1527 guns. The project, called Palas por Pistolas (which translates somewhat awkwardly to “Blades for Guns”) was meant to show that items associated with death and pain can be recycled into items that promote life and beauty.
The project came about when the Culiacán botanical garden accepted Reyes’ proposal as part of their artist commission series. After consulting with the families of gun and drug crime victims in the city, the artist realized that his project should focus on making the streets safer while beautifying the city at the same time. Decommissioning guns and giving them new lives was the perfect way to accomplish both.
After the guns were collected, a public event was held for the symbolic crushing of the weapons. They were all piled up so that a steamroller could run over them, then the bits were sent to a foundry to be melted down. The metal was then forged into shovel blades and wooden handles – with the entire story of the project on them – were attached. From the 1527 guns collected, 1527 shovels were created. They were distributed to public schools, community groups and art institutions where they will be used to plant 1527 trees. The once-violent weapons were turned into tools that will change the world in a positive way for generations to come – that is absolutely the best application of recycling we’ve ever seen.
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You Dirty Beach: English Seaside Gets Eco Message
How often do we really think about all of the garbage that’s lurking on our beaches? Even if the sand itself looks clean, the chances are that there is all sorts of industrial and com…
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Hobbiton Revisited: Hobbit Homes Are Now Sheep Shelters
[ By Delana in Animals & Habitats, Home & Garden, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
The tiny earthen homes where Frodo, Bilbo, Sam and the other hobbits once kicked up their hairy heels and drank ale have new tenants these days: a flock of sheep. Of the 37 hobbit homes built to represent Hobbiton in the film adaptations of J.R.R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series, 17 remain and are today used for shelter by the sheep that live in the area.
These adorable scenes are from Matamata, New Zealand, where the Alexander Family Farm was once transformed into Hobbiton for the filming of the historic trilogy. After the production of the movies wrapped, much of the set was torn down and removed. But parts of Hobbiton still exist and now the partial village hosts tours for die-hard LOTR fans.
Among the former hobbit homes, sheep and their lambs go about their business, using the convenient little structures as shelter from the elements. Sadly, the homes look nothing like they did in the movies, but the sheep don’t seem to mind. This is a splendid example of nature reclaiming an area previously used by humans and finding new uses for man-made structures.
(images via: Recyclart)
Leaving part of the Hobbiton set intact seems to be an ideal arrangement for everyone involved. The land owners are earning money for the tours of their land, fans get to walk in the footsteps of their favorite hobbits, and the animals who live off of the land get comfortable places to sleep. Besides being an excellent creative way to recycle, it’s keeping a part of movie history alive in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
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Hobbit Houses: 15 Grassy Hill-Shaped Dwellings
“In a hole in a ground lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing to sit on or eat: It was a hobbit …
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DIY Lightbulb Recycling is Cooler Than You Think
[ By Marc in Art & Design, Home & Garden. ]
When a lightbulb burns out, we rarely give it a second thought. Thank goodness some quality crafters have lent their imagination toward this fragile household item, intent on giving burnt out bulbs a second life as something very different, and aesthetically pleasing. Light up your house and defy expectations with these DIY uses for otherwise useless lightbulbs:
(Images via walyou, loganbibby)
Terrariums are often large and complicated affairs that take up a good amount of space that a lot of urban dwellers can’t afford. Enter the lightbulb terrarium, a quick and easy DIY project that lends a bit of nature to a bookshelf or table.
(Images via makezine, unplggd)
Anything worth making is worth making steampunk. A unique terrarium built into something much more complicated and beautiful, these setups are gorgeous examples of craftsmanship, culminating in the patent magnifying glass to get a close up view of your mini garden.
(Images via imzunnu, diylife)
Ships in a bottle are classic, but why not take it a step further and create a ship in a lightbulb? These examples epitomize a curveball in an otherwise cliche artform that’s both green and interesting.
(Images via craftbits, junkmail)
Lightbulbs are light enough to be easily hung and used as unique planters. By far the easiest DIY use of lightbulbs, it’s also one of the most stunning.
(Images via iconolith, craftycrafty, curbly)
While I’m naturally a bit wary of creating a kerosene lamp out of something so fragile (and with a curved base), less timid crafters have perfected a safe and gorgeous design for easy to make lightbulb lamps. There’s something wonderful about turning a symbol of the electric era into a throwback lamp with the same purpose, but in such a different fashion.
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10 examples of amazing architecture, art and even fuel created from discarded materials like a decontamination chamber, used coffee filters and dirty diapers.
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World’s Trashiest Hotel: Rome Hotel Built of Beach Garbage
[ By Delana in Art & Design, Geography & Travel, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
Rome is known as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with unforgettable architecture and an atmosphere that can’t be found anywhere else. Lately, though, it’s become a real dump. German artist Ha Schult constructed a temporary hotel in the city to highlight the sad state of Europe’s beaches. The hotel, part of Corona’s Save the Beach campaign, is constructed of garbage collected from the shoreline.
The five-room hotel contains roughly 12 tons of garbage, including fishing nets, plastic bags, skateboards, clothing, old tires, and even a mannequin’s leg. The guest rooms are very simple and basic, with leaking roofs and torn sheets acting as curtains, but they do boast real furniture. The toilets are eco-friendly chemical commodes, and forget about washing off the day’s grime in this hotel: there are no showers.
The project is meant to show that, unless we make some major changes to the way we treat the world’s beaches, we will one day be surrounded by garbage wherever we go. In the words of Schult, “we create rubbish and we become rubbish. We must change the world before the world changes us.”
(image via: Daily Mail)
One of the first guests in the unusual hotel was supermodel-turned-environmental activist Helena Christensen. She is probably more used to spending her nights in luxurious surroundings, but decided to spend the night in the garbage hotel to raise awareness of the sad state of European beaches. She reportedly had a pleasant night conversing with the other guests…despite being surrounded by refuse.
The Corona Save the Beach hotel was displayed in Rome until June 7, and is expected to be recreated in various other cities throughout the summer. The campaign promises to clean up at least one European beach per year, with the winning beaches being chosen by internet votes.
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We Built This City on Garbage: The Rapid Re(f)use Solution
Non-profit environmental design group Terreform proposes a strange solution for dealing with NYC’s waste: use it to build a new, improved city.
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Backwards Vending: Machine Pays For Recyclables
[ By Delana in Art & Design, Nature & Ecosystems, Technology & Gadgets. ]
Most of us are familiar with the concept of vending machines: after you put money in, the machine gives you something in return. But this new vending machine, called The Dream Machine, works in exactly the opposite way. When you put in a can or bottle to recycle, it gives you points and prizes in return.
(image via: KingDesmond)
The idea behind the Dream Machine is to encourage people to recycle even when they’re away from home. Containers from drinks consumed away from home are typically the least likely to be recycled because of the lack of public recycling facilities. It’s estimated that we throw away, rather than recycle, around 100 billion recyclable cans and bottles every year. Even where there are facilities for recycling away from home, most people lack the motivation to seek them out. This system gives the public a reason to hang onto their cans and bottles until they spot a Dream Machine.
The machines are the work of Pepsi, Waste Management and Keep America Beautiful. Manufactured by GreenOps, the machines provide points which can be redeemed at Greenopolis.com or in the store where the machine is located. Users simply scan the bar code on the can or bottle, then feed it into the machine. Each machine can hold around 300 containers before it needs to be emptied.
While not many of the machines are currently in use out in the world, thousands more will be installed over the summer and throughout the year. Ultimately, the program is expected to bring in approximately 400 million containers annually. The Dream Machines won’t interfere with state bottle recycling programs, which offer a refund of a few cents per bottle recycled, since the machines will only be installed in places where traditional recycling options aren’t available.
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This Plastic World: Recycled Island Made of Old Bottles
[ By Delana in Art & Design, Nature & Ecosystems. ]
Most of us have heard by now of the floating island of plastic trash in the Pacific Ocean, sometimes called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. While other oceans have similar islands of plastic garbage, the Pacific island has been widely publicized as a prime example of our overconsumption of plastics and our poor methods of dealing with plastic waste. Dutch architects WHIM Architecture would like to put a more positive spin on the plastic island by making it into the first habitable ocean-bound floating garbage heap ever.
There have been plenty of ideas lately about farming and populating the oceans, but this appears to be one of the most ambitious ones. Its possibility would depend largely on how effectively an artificial island could be built of plastic, and just how permanent that island would be. Whether it would hold the weight of a population and its crops – not to mention having some sort of safety measures in place for when storms hit – is still a mystery. Nonetheless, it will be fascinating to see this and other seasteading ideas develop as architects and designers continue to look toward the vast oceans as our future habitat.
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The Bottle Village in Simi Valley, California is a recycler’s paradise: it’s a beautiful landmark made entirely of discarded bottles and other “trash.” 2 Comments – Click Here to Read More
Earth Day Tips From the Poor
Going green is getting popular these days, with businesses cashing in on the latest trend. Plenty of Americans want to do their part for the earth by driving a Prius, carrying reusable water bottles and buying biodegradable dishwasher soap. But in the poorest parts of the world, sustainable living isn’t a trend. It’s a necessity.
So today, as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, let’s take some sustainable living tips from the developing world:
1). Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. A lack of material resources can be devastating, but it can also inspire creativity and ingenuity in the poorest parts of the world. Clothes are worn until they get holes, then get patched. Plastic bags are woven into soccer balls. Old magazines are transformed into jewelry. Glass Coke bottles are reused until their labels disappear. I think it’s great that many American cities and towns are making it easier for consumers to recycle their paper, plastic and glass. However, we should also concentrate on what we can do to reduce our consumption and reuse materials before we even think about sending them to the recycling plant.
2). Think Local. Since imported goods are more expensive, the poorest tend to consume more locally, reducing their carbon footprint. Rural villagers (and even urban dwellers) grow a portion of their own food. Local marketplaces filled with seasonal veggies are more common than big box stores with imported produce. In the U.S., cheap imports and warehouse-style mega chains make shopping locally the more expensive option. Yet patronizing independent businesses and farmers does a great deal to support not only ecological sustainability, but a thriving local economy.
Art of Upcycling: 20 DIY Wood Pallet Reuse Project Ideas
[ By Elizah in Art & Design, Home & Garden, Tricks & Hacks. ]
Not quite a fan of the unsustainable design clones that fight for elbow room in today’s furniture and big box stores? Anyone with a crafty bone in their body knows full well that entirely original household staples and all around practical lifestyle accessories with major wow factor can be cobbled together with minimal budgetary impact, all thanks to humble yet highly customizable wooden shipping pallets. Even if you’ve never before dabbled in the fine art of DIY, a little elbow grease and repurposing inspiration is really all you need to get your eco-design train in motion. Allllll aboard!
No-Sweat Shoe Rack Ensures Fanciful Footwork!
(Image via: junk+ion)
Here is a phenomenal way to launch into DIY territory without chewing up a whole day attempting to make sense of hammers, nails or any of the other traditional accoutrements fitting of a craft enthusiast. Simply knock on the door of any major tile retailer and offer to take one or several wooden pallets off their hands (which will surely make them smile from ear to ear since they normally have to pay a fee for proper disposal). Upon returning home with your freebie treasure, merely prop it up against a wall and tah-dah — behold an instant shoe holder which should easily accommodate 8+ pairs of footwear depending on its size and construction. Those who are itching to customize it should definitely bear in mind that the wooden surface is instantly ripe for paint, decoupage or whatever additional decorative concepts can be conjured up.
Put Glitzy Dishware Out On Pallet-Parade
(Images via: re-nest)
This “why didn’t I think of that?“ organizational project makes good use of the simplistic features of a garden variety pallet without requiring that the DIYer exercise any real fuss or muss. Merely swinging a hammer will take a pallet from yawn to yowza, imparting an edgy, urban feel to a kitchen or dining room that will have even well-heeled admirers scurrying off to the home improvement store in search of a jumbo pack of nails. If you think dishware looks good in a vertical pallet arrangement, the same concept could easily apply to cookbooks, tchotchkes or spices (with the addition of a few strategically placed planks of recycled pallet wood).
Sled Your Winter Cares Away On a Modified No Frills Pallet
(Images via: Instructables & stiffey)
How about another minimal effort project for the DIY newbies out there? Requiring slightly more elbow grease than the previous two ideas above, this wooden pallet sled makes child’s play out of snowy hills and dales with the addition of curved rails on the underside of the craft. If you don’t already have a sledgehammer, claw hammer, chisel and saw in your arsenal, rather than purchasing them (which will definitely hurt when you saddle up at the cash register), borrow them from friends or neighbors who fancy working with their hands and sweeten the deal by letting them in on your cheap snow-worthy secret!
Green Your Pedaling With a Carbon-Free Bike Trailer!
(Images via: Instructables & cmachia)
Tooling around town via bicycle to square away groceries as well as other shopping pit stops can end up being a whole lot easier and greener with this clever and relatively simple wooden pallet scavenging project. In three simple steps, one pallet can be disassembled using either a circular saw, a hammer or pry bar, a recycled wheel assembly as well as a hitch assembly can be created using a total of $7 of hardware and the whole kit-n-kaboodle can be attached to a separate fully intact pallet. The final result is a dandy looking DIY trailer, enabling any biking greenie to once and for all be able to carry more than a few carefully selected purchases home. Finally, welt-free arms are within reach!
Sit Pretty On a Mini Adirondack-Style Pallet Chair!
(Images via: Inhabitat, flickr, Nina Tolstrup of StudioMama)
Are you one of those people who longingly eyeballs the latest patio furniture offerings but never quite gets around to plunking down the necessary ka-ching? Aside from enjoying the view outside by sitting on a curb — which is free, but not so comfy – taking a load off shouldn’t require shelling out a small fortune. Fortunately, shooting the breeze with a friend, enjoying the fruits of your organic gardening labors or indulging in a thirst-quenching libation can now be done with a relatively minimal 4 hour DIY investment by following this straightforward pallet chair tutorial courtesy of Mikey Sklar.
Cool Your Heels On an Outdoor Sectional Pallet Couch
(Images via: Craftzine & Wendy Tremayne)
Repurposing guru Wendy Tremayne offers up a seriously hardcore DIY project that, while requiring a great deal of time, patience and creativity, will take the heat off your wallet since the majority of the materials are reclaimed. Involving a framework of industrial pallets supporting reupholstered foam cushions rescued from someone’s curb, the result of her efforts is a seating arrangement that is both utilitarian and aesthetically pleasing.
Accent Your Rooms With Whimsical Pallet Furniture
(Images via: Pallet Art & Mark Dabelstein)
Co-creator of Recycle Santa Fe…a Festival of Recycling, Vermont-based repurposing artisan Mark Dabelstein constructs uniquely designed pallet wood furniture and household decor pieces accented with organic paints. From flags and picture frames to clocks and cabinets, the artist has proudly been diverting landfill waste since 1998! You could easily pay homage to his resourceful style by following suit or tinkering with the arrangement of your pallet planks to devise entirely original designs.
Harness Your Unruly Belongings With an Earthy Yet Stylish Shelving System
(Images via: Design Sponge & Claire Terry)
One of the greatest inventions known to mankind, a simple multi-tiered organizational rack can beat books and random knick-knacks into submission, but the price tag can often be hard to digest. Claire Terry from New Zealand’s Madame Fancy Pants has conjured up a spectacular DIY recipe for a pallet shelf is both tasty and oh-so-doable with its perfect melding of style, structure and simplicity. Do you know anyone who doesn’t need an extra handy-dandy shelving system for the wonderful price of practically free?!? Didn’t think so!
Scare the Living Bejeezus Out Of Trick-or-Treaters!
(Images via: Virtual Placebo)
Why spend full retail price on seasonal Halloween props that aren’t designed to last beyond the next full moon when you can whip weathered pallets into shape by making this creepy semi-buried coffin instead? You’ll definitely get the desired reaction from neighborhood kiddies who happen to saunter on by this piston-activated crypt that springs to life (or death, as the case may be) with its perpetually restless skeletal resident. Perhaps it could also double as an organic root cellar for the remainder of the year?!?
Deck The Halls With Palletized X-Mas Decor Ideas!
(Images via: Apartment Therapy)
Visual merchandiser Dann Boyles teamed up with Nashville’s Nouveau Classics to brainstorm these crafty yuletide treats using slabs of reclaimed and artfully arranged pallet wood. Aware of the challenges that consumers face in a continually depressed economy, they devised this festive yet frugal decor duo consisting of a rustic wreath and a 13 foot Christmas tree using nothing more than a brad nailer, proving that cheap can still be chic when you add an ample dose of creativity to the formula. Who knew that hunks of wood could be so easy on the eyes?
Bring Music To Your Ears With a Finger-Pickin’ Good Pallet Guitar!
(Images via: Sarah Archer & LA Guitar Sales)
While difficult to imagine, several enterprising individuals have taken on the seemingly full-blown challenge of transforming typical softwood spruce and pine pallets into musical instruments that can genuinely hold a tune. John S. Sargent’s smooth, knotted pine wood version — riddled with nail holes and an S-shaped pallet nail insignia emblazoned on its peg head apparently possesses a mellow sound as does Bob Taylor’s limited run of weathered pallet oak and pine guitars. The latter craftsman initially embraced the project to prove to naysayers that truly fine musical instruments can be created with any conceivable material and today, with just a handful of them floating around, collectors snap them up at several thousand dollars a pop.
Green Thumbs Rejoice: 4 Outdoor Decor Projects Ripe For The Picking!
(Images via: Instructables, Makezine, Woodworker’s Woodshop, Homegrown Evolution)
From a quick-n-easy flower/veggie planter using two pallets to a latched, four-walled pallet compost bin, there are several surprisingly slick outdoor helpers that can assist the green warrior within all of us. Fancy crafting a potting station that won’t cost you an arm and a leg? Homegrown Evolution’s graduated design is practical while also being stylish, and with plenty of built-in tiers, you can stash gardening implements with the greatest of ease. Interested in encouraging the fine feathered friends flittering about to make a feast of excessively hungry insects that continue to plow through tender shoots and buds? Truly chemical-free gardening can be achieved by setting up various bird-worthy accommodations using recycled pallet wood, and the best part is that they can then feast to their heart’s content and keep returning to the scene of the crime day after day!
Bring Out Your Inner Child With a Painted Pallet Playhouse
(Images via: Instructables & jkratman)
Whether you have a family of your own or neighborhood children tend to habitually flock to your property in search of entertainment, this repurposed pallet playhouse will definitely hit the spot. It’s safe to say that this comprehensive project is best suited to the intermediate to expert DIY enthusiast, but as newbies acquire experience, it’s definitely something worthwhile to aspire to. With its use of impressive craftsman-like details such as framed windows, a built-in porch and customized roofing, children lucky enough to call this their home away from home might not ever leave!
…Or Construct a Very Adult-Friendly Reclaimed Pallet Abode
(Images via: I-Beam Design, Michael Jantzen, Inhabitat)
Architectural firm I-Beam creates emergency or transitional structures for war/climate refugees as well as other individuals who through unforeseen circumstances are faced without the prospect of shelter. What makes their 16 x 16 $3000 concept particularly brilliant is that — in addition to being erected in just one week — it can be adapted to become more permanent when concrete, plaster, stone or other substantial materials are incorporated. Michael Jantzen, on the other hand, is the brainchild behind the Tiny Free House, which is a 100% pallet-constructed abode fitted with modern amenities, proving that we can all achieve the American Dream with a little resourcefulness and DIY action. Interested in making one of your very own mini Thoreau-like pallet dwellings? The designer sells plans on his website! Last but certainly not least, the multi-award winning Paletten Haus is reportedly simple to erect, energy efficient and could conceivably become a viable, low-income housing structure for individuals with compromised financial backgrounds. In fact, its designers Andreas Claus Schnetzer and Gregor Pils are currently in the process of modifying the structure as an 80 square foot home for a Johannesburg, South African social building project at a cost of just $11 per square foot.
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