Before & After: Obsolete Crib Makes a Fantastically Functional Set of Shelves

updated May 5, 2019
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(Image credit: Cristin Frank)

A sad, old crib sat at a thrift store — not useful as a baby bed for safety reasons, this piece seemed destined for the scrap pile! Until Cristin came along, that is… she saw some untapped potential in its pretty spindles and simple shape, and came up with a clever way to breathe new life into an old piece.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

She found some cabinet doors in a garbage pile that were the perfect size for shelves, and removed a few brackets and braces from the crib to help reinforce the new legs. With a little creativity and a new coat of paint, this little unit serves as a clever magazine storage rack and functional shelves! Cristin says:

My favorite part about this project is that an existing piece that couldn’t be used in its existing form was transformed into a practical, functional and surprisingly unique piece of furniture. Obsolete baby furniture is turning up all over the place, and with a little vision these pieces can be upcycled and repurposed into interesting commodity furniture.

Thanks Cristin! Readers, if you want to learn more about Cristin’s crib-to-shelf project, check it out on her blog Eve of Reduction. She also has a book launching next month on Amazon.com about decluttering and repurposing at home — check it out here.

(Images: Cristin Frank)