10 Traditional Furniture Pieces Made from Upcycled Materials

It’s nice to be nice.  More specifically, it’s nice to be nice to the earth, and today’s roundup of traditional furniture made from upcycled materials is a testament to the fact that there’s always a new way to be thoughtful when you apply a little creativity to a problem that needs solving.  This collection is beyond resourceful; it’s inspiring.  Although a few of today’s entries are things we could never make ourselves — does anyone have access to whiskey barrel staves and enough metalworking skill to pull off the chair below, for instance? — others are actually rather accessible.  To wit, the glass decanter pendant lights could also translate into a do-it-yourself project with wine bottles and an LED light kit from the local hardware store.  With starting points like these, the options are truly endless, just like the far-reaching effects we can have on the environment when we apply a little extra thoughtfulness.

Lampshade Made of Bookpages by Zipper8 Lighting

Desk Made of Briefcases by Maarten De Ceulaer

Lamp Made from Motorcycle Parts by Betsy Ryland

Porch Swing Made from Milk Cartons by Loll Furniture

Rug Made from T-Shirts by Xoelle

Stairs Made from Reclaimed Wood by Jan Korbes

Bookshelf Made of Books by Not Tom

Chair Made from Bourbon Barrel Staves by Uhuru Design

Crystal Decanter Pendant Lights at the Conquine Bar in London

Vase-Turned-Terrarium by Velocity Art & Design

Book pages lampshade found at Zipper8 Lighting.