apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I've had a "thing" for valve handles "faucet knobs" since when I worked in the Bay Area refineries 20 yrs ago. They always remind me of flowers & looked so out of place as they were often painted bright colors.
Oh, I'm having a bad grammar day...

That's funny! I just bought a bunch of old faucet knobs on ebay like this. I was going to just put them on the wall in the play area for my little boy to pretend they were knobs for robots/rocketships/etc... but I might just stick them in the bathroom to hang towels on, instead.

Jenzoe---you are such a nice mother or father for doing that for your kid---any son would just love such a item to play with. Do the play thing first and then find others for the bathroom. :-)

yes! do the play thing first!!!

also, what means this "upcycling"?

If you are feeling the pinch why not save for a few weeks and buy something nice instead.

$25 wine trinkets, $48 bud vases, vintage baskets...

All of the above are contrary to the article's angle, which promised tips on how to "curb overspending in the current economic climate."

Do you ever question your insanely materialistic bent, AT?

I love the water faucet knobs, they actually remind me of this ceramic accessory to keep flowers in place once you've put them in their vase. You can check them out here (sorry it's all in Swedish though, but just to see what I mean) http://www.signerat.se/website1/1.0.1.0/12/1/?item=prod_prod-s1/705&group=prod_prod_grp-s1/14

I wonder if those faucets could be used for that as well, I guess it all depends on if they rust or not. Very pretty though! =)

Advice on how to spend more money is how this comes across. Unless you have a garage or attic full of these things, you still have to go out and get them from someone who has them, or makes things you don't have time to make.

You don't need more things, do you? It's cute every once in a while to get some stale information on how to "reuse" a vintage to PUT THINGS INSIDE IT. No duh. Or just cut to the chase and hit the Anthropologie stores - that's where all that vintage stuff got their ideas, lol!

I like the valve handles--those are cool. But everything else is just stuff.

Etsy is a great source for cute, but I never see anything that's really very useful.

Instead of paying ~$30 for a necklace holder, one could buy some $2 rubber gloves and a huge bag for plaster for ~$15 and mold a dozen for $17.


The teacup light & valve knobs are good ideas too--I just wish this website was a little less bougiebuy and a little more d.i.y....

On the other hand, making things people will buy is a way to bring in revenue in these tough economic times. People who can't seem to rein it in, who are turned on by refreshing flavors of cute stuff. Find cheap stuff and make it into something adorable they want to buy from you. Apparently when you're trying not to spend a lot of money, spending less money on things you don't need is the way to improve your situation.

kittehcat, I don't know why I never thought of molding my own. I think the glove molds are a little creepy, but having dozens of them will push the creep factor to the point of awesome.

um, hello, i think the items featured were meant to be examples of how others have upcycled. not go out and buy these things right now...

i take this post as providing inspiration to go shop around your house and look at items differently... maybe i am being optimistic

agreed kittehcat and somedude, several of those hands would be amazingly creepy... especially covering the entire top of your dresser...

Oh good, now I know what to do with those PORCELEAN GLOVE MOLDS that are just LYING EVERYWHERE in my home.

I used old faucets to hold up valances in the bathroom. I mounted 5 across the top of each window, sewed wide grossgrain ribbon onto the top of the valance, and tied the ribbon to the faucets. I like it so much I did the same treatment in the kitchen using old doorknobs.