If you have been looking through my projects you know I love to recycle and repurpose. Whenever I go to a thrift store, garage sale, or even find a discarded treasure on the curb, I always look at it in a different way then it’s previous use. I can almost promise you, once you complete an upcycle/repurpose, you will never look at a item the same way again! Always think outside the box .
So, here are some repurposed and upcycled items that were once trash, and turned into a treasure.
I found this treasure discarded on the side of the curb. You can see it is cracked, broke in half, pump doesn’t work, and filthy. Would you have picked it up?

I knew I could do ‘something’ with it! You just don’t overlook something like this….here is what it looks like after the repurpose.

You can find the tutorial here…https://kelleysdiy.com/2016/09/30/upcycled-fountain/
I also found these discarded on the curb, would you have picked them up?
This is what I did with these plastic, filthy chairs:
Here are some more of my before and afters you can find under my ‘Trash To Treasure’ category:
I found this brown dining chair discarded on the curb, filthy ugly, now look at it:

Don’t you just love that fabric! This is what I did to my black computer chair:
I may spray paint the legs in a gold, bronze, or silver….haven’t decided yet! I had this bench I wanted to blend into my decor….so I chalk painted it and added glaze.
I believe your front door tell a lot about your home. Here is my front door redo
I love the color…it just pops!
Stainless Backsplash
Love those Giani Countertops!kits One kit which includes everything! Rollers, sea sponge, sandpaper , paints…everything you need to do your counter tops!


Again, Giani White Diamond kit, Homax tub n tile on the sink, painted the cabinets and put new hardware on. Check out more of my re cycles and re purposed treasures!
Here are some ideas to re purpose furniture:
This antique cabinet serves as a handy nightstand with its ample storage, wide counter space and tons of character.
Four old soda crates make a combination coffee table and shadow box. The crates were attached to an old table base, then a piece of tempered glass is laid over top.
This side table brings together many elements and styles. Retro metal legs were attached to an old library card catalog cabinet, then a mirror was placed on top for a little glamorous flair.
An old pachinko game was repurposed into a conversation-piece table. To make the transformation, ornate legs were simply fastened to the bottom of the game.
This pair of accent tables was made using rough-cut lumber and old metal chair legs. Design by Joanne Palmisano.
There’s almost nothing paint can’t fix. Floral patterns were blocked out over the original wood finish while the whole table was painted white. The results are earthy-looking flowers on a crisp white palette.
Old coffee tables are a perfect addition to a front porch. Look for a flea-market special and use a high-gloss, exterior paint that will stand up to the outdoors.
An old door finds new life as a coffee table. The rustic finish is perfect for a family room — you can put your feet up, spill soda on it, not use your coaster – it doesn’t matter – it’ll all add to the natural, rich patina. You’ve seen front doors used for so many projects like headboards and tables.
Old metal typewriter tables can often be found at flea markets and antique shops. These sturdy structures are a perfect height for a bedside table.
Weathered timbers make a solid table and can go with many styles – rustic, old world, contemporary, eclectic and more. The angle cuts on the legs of this table give it an Asian flair.
A little pink paint helps turn an industrial wire spindle into a combination coffee table and book rack.
Two old crates stacked on an industrial cart make a portable shelf. The hinged openings make it easy to hide away clutter.
Did I inspire you? Hope so!!! If you have a before and after project…I would love to see it…as other would….come on…inspire us!



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Published by kelleysdiy
I love creating new ideas. And now that I am happily retired, I have lots more time to create them! Whether its crafts for decorating my home, or up cycling items I find at garage sales, thrift stores, and even on the curb, and turning them into something wonderful.
The creative juices flowing in my head are almost always in overdrive....so many ideas! I love sharing my new ideas with all of you! So please follow me and let me know how I'm doing! I hope I can inspire you.....and if I do....send me a pic. I would love to see your creation.
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I would SO hire you to redo our entire home!
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Ohh, thank you so much, you are so sweet! Are you in California?
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I wish! I was au pair in your country when I was 18, I miss it so much. 🙂
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Your country is beautiful too!!!
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I’m in Denmark. 🙂
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Denmark! How beautiful!❤️️
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Really, I’m so curious, what do you think of when you think of Denmark? 🙂
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Pottery, Windmills, beautiful lands, cool weather, and beautiful people.
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Were my answers too ‘out there’?
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You are right 🙂 Well, beautiful people, I am not sure about, I think it depends who is looking 😉 But yeah!
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I forgot the Dutch influence in modern furniture! And I might add kitchens!
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Those are amazing transformations! I love your color choices too (the blues and greens)! 🙂
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Thank you Robin…blue in any shade is my favorite color! what’s your fav. color?
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I’m all over the place in favorite colors. It just depends on what area I’m working with. I love tropical colors outside, but more earth tones inside. 🙂
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That’s how it has been with me. I disliked pink but now my bedroom is light grey with blush!!! The rest of my home is so different. Tropical colors outside is awesome! Bright, bold colors! I too am more subdued in the home….but lots of light!
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Oh my goodness – you are amazing – love the flower fountain especially !!!!
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Thank you so much! I am so glad you loved it! It’s amazing what you can upcycle…..better than putting in landfill. I love the succulents in there too. Thank you so much for checking out my projects! ❤️️
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Great before and afters! Are these a collection of pieces you made over an extended period of time or do you knock out funky furniture like this every weekend? Very cool… 😍
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Thank you. I wish I could find a ‘curb find’ to work on every weekend! I don’t understand why people sometimes throw out perfectly nice stuff! With some elbow grease and paint, most stuff can become beautiful again. I am still in a cast so I can’t drive, but I do have a friend that takes me cruisin around the alleys. haha.I’m showing how to DIY, and It’s so much fun. She never even lifted a can of spray paint. We found a piece a couple of days ago, broken up, but it could be something special again!
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What a great project! I can’t wait for spring and gardening!
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Thank you Lana, they were so much fun to create! It’s just amazing what people abandon on the side of the street! A little paint and elbow grease and they are beautiful again.
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You have a talent for sure though…
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Oh thank you so much for saying that Lana, I appreciate it so much. I started this site to show others how to upcycle for less with curb finds I found. I am so glad you are enjoying my blog, thank you! ❤️️
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