Look!: Wire Storage Baskets at the Alameda Antique Faire

Remember the locker basket from AB Chao's MOLD house tour? We've had our eye out for something similar for our own home. We took a quick tour 'round the Alameda Antiques Faire yesterday and look what we found!

We were on the hunt for a coffee table (no such luck) but spied these wire baskets (above the jump).

We're kicking ourselves for not grabbing a few but we blame it on the heat (summertime weather without the fog!) and the incredible view.

We're going back next month to snag a few and maybe by that time we'll have figured out how we'll use them. We're thinking one or two in the backyard to hold our gardening tools and a few inside for the desk disaster area. What would you do with them?

Comments (4)

Oooh, I'd *love* to use one in the bathroom to corral toilet paper and towels.

I've never refurbished metal, but the Rustoleum website has a handful of products that appear to be designed for things like this, such as "Rust Reformer", which according to them "instantly converts rust to a non-rusting surface" and then, after dry, can then be painted or varnished. Oh. Wait. I just read the label -- it paints it with a black primer; it's not *clear*, which I thought it was. Good to know.

Stiil, anyone had any success with this stuff? If it works, I'll start keeping my eye out for neat old metalwork...

never mind them rust bucket baskets, how about those huge glass jars?? yum.

Rust Shmust --- scrub them down with a stiff brass-wire brush just knock off the powdery stuff, wash, dry (quickly -- a warm oven, in the sun, or on the radiator is a good idea) then clear coat. They'll look better that way anyway. If you want them a color, prime and paint them -- a nice stark white would look good.

You can also find these on ebay all the time, though lately the price seems to be climbing on them. Search for Locker Basket.

Very cute. Hung on end in the dining room to hold rolled napkins would look sweet on a wall.

Ooooh or diorama something inside (something rustic and nature-y, maybe some old branches and birds nests?) and wire two together for a table top.