Lumber up

Pallet plate holder
At first glance, wooden pallets used to schlep goods from trucks to stores can seem ugly. But with the right treatment they can become the focal point of any room.

How to: Attach eye hooks to the top of the pallet (it will hang from two corresponding S-hooks on the wall) and secure a few nails in front of each opening to hold the plates in place.
Find wood: These wooden pallets are admittedly tricky to find. There isn’t one designated spot to pick these up, but if you go to industrial areas or really big supermarkets (call ahead whenever possible), you’re likely to score one. We’ve recently spotted some at: 35th Street near Eighth Avenue; outside of Fairway (2127 Broadway at 74th St; 212-595-1888, ); and Eighth Avenue and 65th Street in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

Toothbrush holder
“This is a two-by-four oak beam from an 18th-century roof truss,” says Bailey.

How to: Simply drill a hole in the middle and you’re done. “You don’t even have to waterproof it, as the weathering that will occur from use will give it even more of an aged look.”
Find wood: M. Fine Lumber Company (1301 Metropolitan Ave between Gardner and Scott Aves, Bushwick, Brooklyn; 718-381-5200, ) specializes in antique beams from demolished buildings in NYC and all along the Eastern Seaboard, starting at about 25 cents per foot.

Utensil holder
“I like the balance of modern slicers and strainers with old-timey wood,” Bailey says of this storage unit made from scaffolding planks.

How to: Once you’ve measured and made your cuts, just sand down the edges, glue them together and hammer the seams with a few nails for added security.
Find wood: Sourced from Sawkil Lumber Co. (212-460-5798, ), premeasured and precut pieces are available at Sustainable NYC (139 Ave A between St. Marks Pl and E 9th St; 212-254-5400, ) for about $40 (includes four pieces).

Paneled backsplash
The pieces pictured here came from porcelain factories: “The boards were used to carry unglazed pottery,” explains Bailey. “But any big pieces of wood would look good.”

How to: Just prop boards against the wall to create a backsplash, headboard or any other decorative backing. Secure to the wall with wood screws if necessary.
Find wood: Through the same deal, Sustainable NYC offers boards of all sizes, colors and textures. Pick some up at $25–$50 per board, depending on the length.

Crates on casters
“We use these all over our house,” says Bailey. “They’re great for storage or even just to hold recycling before you get a chance to take it out.”

How to: It’s as basic as screwing four casters onto the bottom of a crate.
Find wood: The fine folks at Scotto’s Wine Cellar (318 Court St between DeGraw and Sackett Sts, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn; 718-875-5530, ) get—and give away—about ten hard-to-find crates every month.

See more in Real Estate

Time Out New York / Issue 708 : Apr 23–29, 2009

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Comments

1. Posted by lauren on Thu, Apr 30, at 02:02pm

   These are such great ideas and I am so excited to try some out! People are giving away free wood pallets on craigslist ALL THE TIME! Thanks!!!

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