This upcycled industrial metal cart sold recently but I wanted to share the project with you anyway. I’m not actually sure you can consider this an upcycle project since I didn’t do much to it, other than clean it up. That said, I think I found a fun way to reuse this vintage cart and I hope it inspires you to look for the potential in old discarded items.
I love anything that has an industrial vibe! Rusty metal that's heavily worn is right up my home-style alley. I spotted this cart at an estate sale a couple weeks ago and knew right away it had potential. It was in a pretty sad state though. Sitting outside, covered in leaves and debris, with a shallow pool of water resting on top from the previous nights rain.
I have to admit that when I spot items I think can be repurposed, I don’t typically have a very wild imagination. I usually don’t envision things being painted or stenciled or rebuilt in a drastically new way.
When I saw this metal cart I thought it was pretty awesome as is! I simply thought that with a little clean up it could be repurposed in a number of ways. I collect a lot of vintage barware so of course the first thing that came to my mind was to turn it into a cute industrial style bar cart.
I got it home, cleaned it up with a hose and brought it right into the house. Styling my finds is ALWAYS my favorite part of hunting and gathering!
After posting styled photos and offering up this cart on Instagram, it sold immediately. BTW...if you want first dibs on estate sale finds that I am passing along, definitely follow me on Instagram @mendezmanor. The best items go fast!
If I were to keep this cart myself I'd probably go an extra step and seal it with some kind of clear matt finish to keep the rusty bits from coming off. Other than that, I love the aged patina and wouldn't do too much more.
I hope this post encourages you to consider the possibilities of an abandoned piece of furniture. Sometimes, if you look closely, you can see them for more than what there are in the moment. Thanks for reading! -Nicole Mendez, Curator
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I am loving this idea for upcycled vintage chandelier crystals via Two Purple Couches blog. She has a step-by-step tutorial posted for turning old chandelier crystals into beautiful necklaces using suede cord and a few standard jewelry-making supplies.
