Housing Works auction items: page 1

 AL faux-fireplace

Found: Flushing Ave next to Brooklyn Navy Yard, Oct 1 at 3:15pm

We found a bunch of wood scraps and a nice propane-tank box. With some more wood secured from a construction-site Dumpster on 7th Street between Avenues B and C, we fashioned a monogrammed faux fireplace. It was pieced together using little more than screws and nails, but the effect is very Merchant Ivory peasant-bohemian.

Materials: Saw, hammer, nails, socket and light cord from Home Depot; white Plexiglas from Fantasy Plastic Center (295 Third Ave at Carroll St, Gowanus, Brooklyn; 718-855-5520)

Recommended starting bid: $120

WINNING BID: $150

Found: Fifth Ave at 92nd St, Sept 24 at 6:45pm

These cases were all in working order but were waiting on the curb for their final trip: to the dump. We saved them by using blue painter’s tape to strategically protect certain areas, then carefully painting some custom stripes and monogramming worthy of the Bentley’s shop in London. They look great clustered as a side table, or extra swanky at the baggage carousel.

Materials: Acrylic paints from Artist and Craftsman Supply; blue painter’s tape from Home Depot

Recommended starting bid: $30

WINNING BID: $363

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 TARA task lamp

Found: Wooster St at Spring St, Oct 2 at 6:15am

The clamp was missing, so we attached the stem to a 3/8-inch threaded rod and sunk it into a rock by drilling a hole, then filling it with concrete epoxy.

Materials: Rock from Hudson River Park; drill bit, threaded rod and concrete epoxy from Tony’s Hardware (181 Smith St between Warren and Wyckoff Sts, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn; 718-596-9663)

Recommended starting bid: $75

WINNING BID: $132

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 MEL barstools

Found: 1280 Forest Ave between Jewett and Ordell Aves, Staten Island; Oct 1 at 7pm

These barstools were coated with peeling lacquer and had loose slats. We livened up the design with a sunny yellow-to-orange gradient paint job, then sanded and brushed the legs with metal primer and white sign-painter’s enamel; last, we stuck on some chair-leg caps.

Materials: Sandpaper and leg caps from Lowe’s (118 Second Ave at 10th St, Gowanus, Brooklyn; 718-249-1151, lowes.com); enamel and acrylic paints from Artist and Craftsman Supply

Recommended starting bid: $60 (for the pair)

WINNING BID: $256

Found: E 89th St between First and Second Aves, Sept 21 at 9:12am

The ’50s upholstery made this stool look cheap. We bought a small piece of vintage fabric, unscrewed the cushion and stapled the new fabric to the underside of the cushion, then screwed everything back together.

Materials: Fabric from flea market, Seventh Ave at 1st St, Park Slope, Brooklyn (ask for Bruce)

Recommended starting bid: $25

WINNING BID: $152