We can't be the only ones obsessed with restaurant equipment. Watching Top Chef is like flipping through a catalog, only we're taking notes on industrial kitchen furniture and tools instead of recipes. And as a bonus, gear from restaurant supply stores can be a bargain from boutique decor shops. Here are a few inspired ideas for using industrial restaurant equipment in your home office.
Use a....
Ticket Holder as a Pin Board
Although you don't need to keep track of order tickets in your office, you probably still want to pin up notes, reminders and inspiring photos. Martha Stewart (top image) shows how an aluminum "check minder" can get the job done looking chic and grown up (and not like a dorm room wall).
Get it: 30" Order Holder, $12.57
Steam Table Pans as Drawer Organizers
If they work to organize a buffet spread, they'll definitely be able to tackle your desk's junk drawer. These steam table pans, also called "loaf pans" or "hotel pans", come in lots of different sizes to custom fit your desk space, as Real Simple shows us.
Get it: Steam Table Pans, $6 and up
Straw Dispenser to Hold Pencils & Pens
Did you ever get in trouble as a kid for playing with those spinning straw dispensers at the local diner? Well they're just as fun to play with now that you're older, and there's nobody to tell you "no."
Get it: Straw Dispenser, $7.80
Kitchen Bus Cart as a Shelf or Desk
If you want to bring a huge touch of industrial style to your workspace, try using a stainless steel kitchen bus cart as a bookshelf, printer shelf or even laptop table. This Apartment Therapy post shows lots of different ways you can use a kitchen cart to organize your office.
Get it: Utility Cart, $164.72
(Images: Burcu Avsar for MarthaStewart.com, David Prince for RealSimple.com, Museum of Useful Things, MarthaStewart.com)
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The drawback to using a straw holder as a pen or pencil holder is the height and how narrow it is. You'll have to wedge your fingers in there just to pick up the pen or pencil. It's clever, but you might as well just use a mug or something wider and shorter.
Agree with PI..
I used jars after the food is eaten for storage. I also use containers that have lost their lids to organize my drawers. Cheaper and you recycle. I do really like the 'ticket holder' idea though.
Re: the straw holder...I love the idea! Nobody needs to jam any fingers anywhere. If you look closely at the photo you can see that when you lift up the lid the pencils lift up, too. Brilliant!
What Nancy said. And indeed, brilliant. I'm always looking for things to re-purpose. There's a library cart at a nearby surplus place that would be great for my office. But I like the bus cart idea as well. We haunt the local rest. supply store when in the neighborhood as they sell used as well. We use a prep table on casters for our dining table, have a smaller rolling cart we use for assorted things. You can find great plastic food storage containers much cheaper and higher quality as well. I love the white ones with measurements on the side. I need to have another look around to see what else I can make use of.
Nice bait & switch, on the utility cart.
Clicking the link reveals that $165 buys a far less attractive, less tricked-out utility cart. Having shopped for these from restaurant supply houses, I knew that low-low price smelled fishy.
The straw holder also works well to hold ribbons if you're the crafty type.
How does the ticket holder work? Just slide things in and out one at a time? Never occurred to me that you could put anything with any weight in them.
I love the idea for the pencil holder and the pin board!
I love industrial furniture and equipment. But the good stuff is not cheap because it's made for very heavy use and frequent cleaning.
Does anyone know where to get the cart in the photo? I googled everything I could think of, to no avail...
One good place to find used commercial stuff is publicsurplus.com.