Clever reuse leads to some enviably cool home furnishings.
GMC truck bed
In order to ensure rejuvenating, peaceful slumber with no sheep counting necessary, the room where we spend roughly one-third of our lives should be made as comfy and cozy as possible, according to furniture manufacturers, mattress makers and Martha Stewart. Not surprisingly, we are programmed to dutifully purchase very expensive and elaborately carved wooden bed frames, soft yet supportive mattresses, matching end tables, dressers, numerous linen sets, pillows and curtains, all of which generally require a hefty chunk of change to pay off. Maybe it’s time for us to wake up from this old fashioned consumerism nightmare and feather our bedroom nests with sustainable options instead!
Recycled magazine tables
Anyone shaking their head while fearing the dreaded motley college dorm effect should take note that going green in the bedroom does not mean that you’re setting yourself up for a lifetime of empty wooden cable spool tables and reclaimed wooden shipping palate bed frames. Yes, both have been repurposed to great green effect, but there is so much more to creating a planet-friendly sleeping space than stacking milk crates into makeshift bookshelves or dumpster diving for discarded headboards. It’s all about creatively reinventing resources that you may already have at your disposal in unexpected new ways. Why spend top dollar for seemingly clever yet planet-polluting designs churned out by the likes of IKEA and Ethan Allen when you can brainstorm your own original concepts that will warm up your space, go easy on your wallet and allow Mother Nature to breathe easy?
Recycled book cabinet and headboard
Let’s begin with the headboard, which is shrewdly engineered to prevent dreaded pillow-leaping accidents from occurring. Wow… what would we do without the marvel of chemically treated wood? Well, we’d probably enjoy far greater indoor quality for starters, but for those who are insistent upon following tradition rather than scooching their bed up to the wall instead might appreciate this funky and oh-so-cool compromise. If you are a bibliophile who has collected so many books throughout the years that it is literally impossible for you to get through them all (unless you miraculously discover the fountain of youth), then you can create a multi-layered book cover headboard in just a few hours flat. The tools of your trade will be an Exacto knife that you’ll use to heartlessly slice away all text from your sacrificed books, a very durable bonding glue to create your book cover arrangement and a can of clear sealant to ensure that your whole creation doesn’t budge.
For a slightly more refined look, you might instead opt to craft a headboard using leftover kitchen cabinet doors rescued from your personal remodeling project (or that of a friend or neighbor). Think about it: This is wood that would have otherwise been disposed in a landfill, and yet in addition to providing a nice, solid backing, it has already been around the block and probably released the bulk of its manufacturer-applied chemicals. What that means is that you will be utilizing a far more human-friendly resource that, with the addition of a modest amount of fiber-fill padding and fabric, can be transformed into a shiny, new-to-you headboard that will save you serious smackers, too!
Amy Hunting and Zoe Murphy
There are some individuals who are soclever with their repurposing efforts that the result of their imagination and hard work is a sustainable sight to behold. Such is the case with artist Patrick Amiot’s entirely original GMC truck bed frame, which harvests the juiciest parts — including the dilapidated hood and grill — in a harmoniously organic yet hilariously outstanding way. This is such an ideal example of how innovative recycled design works with pretty much any household décor to become a soulful addition that is aesthetically pleasing as well as seriously planet friendly. Amiot is a highly successful junk sculptor who has achieved great acclaim crafting new art pieces (and even cars) using consumer castaways, so this design is not surprisingly the work of a master. It wouldn’t be shocking if there were truck bed frame clones dotting the nation, but hopefully he believes that imitation really is the sincerest form of eco-flattery!
Craving a few more quickie eco-friendly bedroom design ideas? Artists For Humanity has crafted a collection of three bedside tables featuring artfully rolled-up magazines coated with a protective plastic surface, and designer Amy Hunting makes the most of infinite bits of waste wood by gluing them together into solid sheets and then carving eco-forward chairs, bookshelves and lamps out of them. Even British designer Zoe Murphy has crafted a career out of sprucing up old furniture with new design details and contrasting fabric inserts. Now you can rest easy knowing that the power to doze off to sleep can be made infinitely more sustainable with your own two hands and a whole lot of creativity! That’s not too much pressure, is it?
