As a fond farewell to the SYTYCD contest, here is my “junk” entry for week eight. Enjoy!
I am a person who is a magnet for free stuff. Mostly stuff that other people consider junk. You would not believe what people have offered to me for nothing. I am fortunate to have ended up with neighbors who are hunters and sellers of things that are cool and old and they’ve given me many bargains. A few weeks ago they offered a rusted iron bed frame for free and I couldn’t say no.
I immediately saw the potential in the footboard. It would make a perfect towel bar. The bed frame had clearly been left in the elements for a long time, so it first needed a good cleaning, sanding, and a hose down. I then coated it with two thick layers of polycrylic to make it useable. If you’re going to try this with a similar piece, make sure you do this outside and wear a mask.
My husband helped me hang it on the wall using some long screws and wire to prevent it from falling on someone. I love the look of the rust and chippy paint on it, but the finish is smooth and clean from the protective top coat.
I even kept the original wooden wheels on to show off its former life as a foot board.
I hung some linen towels on it and a sign I hand painted on a piece from an antique crate.
And it looks perfect over the antique wash stand, which was a roadside freebie. The total of this arrangement (not including paint) was less than $25.00. Almost all of it was free.
42 Responses
neat-o! is the coating applied by brush or spray (i'm a newbie @ that)?
It takes an artist's eye to see that. You are amazing!!
I love it!
Becky K.
Hospitality Lane
Looks wonderful….just like a magazine photo! Good job.
Blessings,
Susie
very sad to see you go 🙁 that is a great project!!
this is beautiful! Great save for a beautiful old piece of furniture.
The closeup of the finish is just stunning!!!!! I could duplicate that with faux if I tried… that's the beauty of real rust, real crackle, real weather! What a great idea!
Thanks for the polycrylic tip. I'll be using that on one of my "rough" projects.
Maybe one day I will be able to have such vision at first glance. Mine appears to blossom mid project?
Absolutely Beautiful!!!
OMG, this is totally awesome junk!!
Love what peeps can re-imagine.
I LOVE this and I will definitely miss you in the competition! But you'll still be here posting wonderful projects, and I'll still be reading!
It's true, one person's junk is someones treasure.
You have an amazing talent! I love coming here for inspiration.
You are absolutely brilliant! That footboard on the wall as a towel rack is beautiful…gorgeous! So creative!!!
I love it!
Beth
That looks great – hope you show your neighbor what you did with it – I think they would enjoy seeing that. MMS's Mom
You find the best stuff!!! AND, you're so good at turning them into fabulous treasures.
Love it,
Stephanie
Very cool idea! I love the sign you added too! Donna at Funky Junk is going to be drooling over this one! : )
Wow, that is amazing! What an eye you have! It looks perfect!
A page out of Country Living!! As always such great ides! I passed on a Beautiful Blogger award to you on my blog. If you'd like, come on by!
~Nancy
Oh my goodnes… wow wow wow…
This is stunning. Am totally in love with the complete look…wow!!!
Ta'
Beq
http://beqdesign.blogspot.com/
we are sisters of a kindred spirit.
Lovely idea!
How fun=0)
xoxo,
Carol
This really is magazine worthy!! I love it!
xoxo
Jane
I Love it! it turned out perfect for linen towels!
So am I understanding correctly that you kept the rust and chipped paint as is and just put a protective top coat of something on it? What was your top coat? I LOVE rust! (and cardboard)
Oh WOW! nice way to add the cute lil sign and domesticate it.
The whole thing is amazing, but I have to say, for me it's the original wooden wheels that make it a grand slam home run! Great repurpose!
Rose
That is unbelievable! Wow! Great vignette – so cheap – so gorgeous! Linda
I love junk & free is even better ! Your towel bar is perfect !
Eunice
What a neat idea for an old bed! I have enjoyed so much all your creative ideas on SYTYCD.
That looks fantastic! Art and function in the same piece.
Leaving SYTYCD? Noooooo! Your projects were consistently awesome! Not awesome one week and the next week not-so-much. Sad. Well I'm already a follower so I guess I get to see all your great ideas all the time anyway.
Wow.. just simply stunning.
Now, if I can find people to give me free stuff, I'll be a happy woman! 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
Looks fabulous- I just love it!
What a cute idea, Marian. I love it! Congratulations on a beautiful job well done in the competition!
: )
Julie M.
this is incredibly creative and magazine worthy for sure! thanks for sharing such a unique find and diy idea. the road side find…wow! i never see such treasures for free!
judi 😉
the1829farmhouse.blogspot.com
Everytime I come to your blog I am in awe of what you are able to do. Thanks for stopping by and looking at my crochet flowers. I don't really like directions either, so most of the time I crochet I just wing it and see what I come up with. I love it when it actually works! 🙂
Thought you might like to know I've started a Messy Monday link party and would love for you to join! Come check it out at http://www.pumpkinpatchdesigns.blogspot.com
That is definitely magazine worthy. I'm a big fan but I think this is one of my all time favorites of your projects. The picture with everything put together really should be in a magazine somewhere. Great work as usual.
Lisa
Marian, everytime I come here I just drool…sorry but it's true!
Hope you win, cause it's a cracker! And almost free!!!
Love,
Bird
Great idea to repurpose this old headboard as a towel rack! Hope you win!
I love love love it and yes, it kills me every time you 'hand paint' something. 🙂
Bravo!!
T
Love this! The texture and the way you saved it is wonderful. So clever.
This is amazing. I love, love, love it. This would have been the winner by far.
Hugs, Deb
You are out of the competition?! Gosh I am not around for a week and look what happens. I was so sure, you and Donna were going to be the finalists!
That towel rack is so good, it went straight into my Tumblr file.
Love, love, love this project!!!!
This is a wonderful reuse! I enjoy old metal items and preserving them with a little cleaning and some satin polycrylic spray too. You are an excellent rethinker of things it looks like; yeah! Pam @ Sallygoodin