Pallet for Home: crate-ive projects

crate-ive projects

Monday, September 19, 2011

There's just something about a vintage wooden crate that I can't get enough of these days. The graphics and lettering on old crates are all unique. Maybe it's the simple, rustic charm that I love or the fact that they make wonderful storage solutions and are great for displaying special items. Every time I’m out and about buying for the store and I run across a wooden crate I usually snatch it up, because they can be used in so many different ways. Here are a few simple DIY ideas using crates.

Roll it: Attach casters and add old book pages

for an inexpensive side table.

Stack it: I have several stacked storage crates around my house including a set in the garage and some in my office. This idea is a great alternative for a bookshelf. Just arrange and secure with screws.

Tote it: A crate turns into a one-of-a-kind picnic basket with the added leather handles bolted to the crate. Old shipping crates carried everything from fruit and wine to ammunition, cokes, and milk.

Shelve it: Make a shoe rack with three crates of identical widths; the heights and depths can vary. Old pine boards are cut to make the side rails, then screwed to the crates. Make sure the back sides of the crates line up so the unit will sit flat against the wall.

Hang it: Start by removing all but the middle partition from a coke crate. Add a mirror and accessories for bathroom storage. Roll with it: A vintage milk crate is used to store toys, just by adding four small casters to the bottom and some chalkboard paint. Carry it: To make a tray, remove the long sides from three different crates, then attach a 1-inch wide board to each end and add handles.

{three crates will make two trays}