Category Archives: Bedroom Design

Things We Like: Reclaimed Wood

Post by Kyle St. Romain.

I recently rediscovered my interest in furniture made with reclaimed wood. I always knew I liked it, but needed a reason to rekindle that flame. My reignited interest began when my girlfriend and I started looking for a piece of furniture for the bedroom. We needed something to keep the decorative bed pillows off the floor at night. Since we have a one-year-old Pembroke Corgi who sheds his weight in fur, every night is a challenge in trying to find space for the pillows to rest off the floor and free of dog hair. My nightstand is the usual suspect, which is fine, but it leaves little room for my phone, water, wallet, and eyeglasses. We also needed something to sit on to put our shoes on in the morning, so finding this piece of furniture quickly took top priority!

Reclaimed wood is the best of many worlds, all rolled up into a single piece of furniture. What I like about most about reclaimed furniture is its history and creative elements. Case in point is this bench I found that is made from old bowling alley floor. The bench pictured below was built by John Mihovetz, who is based out of Pomona, California, and it is definitely is one of the coolest pieces of reclaimed furniture I’ve come across yet. He has a shop on Etsy, as do many reclaimed craftsmen, where you can check out some other reclaimed works of art if you’re interested.

Besides coming with an interesting story and looking great, reclaimed furniture is often built to last. Its mere existence is already a testament to the wood having withstood the test of time, which is partly due to the fact that much of the wood used in reclaimed furniture is old growth. Old growth wood has tighter grain patterns, which apart from being strong is also quite beautiful. Also, many craftsmen use welded steel as the structural elements for their furniture, bolstering its longevity.

Furniture made from reclaimed wood is also environmentally friendly. Instead of chopping down new trees to make your new side table, the materials are salvaged from existing timber that may have otherwise been slated for the landfill. Some sellers label their reclaimed furniture as “upcycled,” and that term is often used to describe furniture made from everything other than wood.

Do you have any reclaimed furniture in your home, and if so, what’s the story behind it? Or have you seen any interesting reuses of old material? Share with us in the comments below.

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Bedroom Design: A “Bright” Father’s Day

Post by Laura Cheng.

For the father who has one too many ties, here are some “bright” ideas to replace the stereotypical gift this year. Swap out the outdated lamp sitting on his nightstand with these cool, novel lamps. These gifts are technologically advance, but unlike the iPad or Kindle, no setup is required. That means he might actually put it to use sooner than later. And he won’t be calling you in the middle of a client meeting asking you how to sync his data.

As a neat freak, this light made me do a double take. Get a towel, quick! Someone spilled my drink! This Pouring Light lamp is designed by Yeongwoo Kim. The cup serves as a lampshade while tea is suspended in time, defying gravity. You can’t see it in the picture, but there is a tea bag hanging from the handle that operates as the on/off switch. The lamp uses LED lights that are situated in the bucket, and with the help of phosphorescence in the “water”, it lights up in an interesting way.


Source: http://www.yankodesign.com/2010/09/21/pour-me-some-light/

Now, for my next trick, I, Houdini, present you with the Silhouette floating lamp. “The Silhouette design is based on the iconic table lamp. It contrasts ultramodern technology with an almost antique appearance”. Designed by Angela Jansen, a classic, handcrafted lamp is brought into a realm of magic and mystery. The high gloss black finish adds charm and shine. The lamp is supported on a wooden base and illuminated using LEDs. It is able to float using electromagnetic components in a sophisticated control system. The intensity of the light is dimmable with the touch of a finger. So if dad doesn’t want it, it would be perfect in a nursery. Brookstone and Spencer Gifts have nothing on these lamps.


Source: http://www.gizmag.com/silhouette-floating-lamp/20360/picture/146368/

Or let’s go back a few centuries, and just stick with timeless light bulbs. They never go out of style. As much as I enjoy the latest gadgets, I always end up back to classic pieces like these. Just as Thomas Edison had envisioned, this decorative vintage factory bulb sits on a 3.5” walnut base. It’s easy on the eye, and offers no illusions or games. The lucidity of the bulb openly conveys the mechanics of how electricity works.


Happy Father’s Day!

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