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Storage Unit Up-cycle No more Red Plastic

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I have kept old furniture from a lifetime ago, always trying to re-use it over the  years.  I had this particular piece for over  22 years.  It was a storage unit for my kids’ toys and such.  But after so many years I had grown tired of the look.

Έχω φυλάξει παλιά έπιπλα, προσπαθώντας πάντα να τα επαναχρησιμοποιήσω όλα αυτά τα χρόνια. Είχα αυτό το συγκεκριμένο κομμάτι για πάνω από 22 χρόνια. Ήταν μια μονάδα αποθήκευσης για τα παιχνίδια των παιδιών μου. Αλλά μετά από τόσα χρόνια είχα βαρεθεί την εμφάνιση.

Storage unit updated using twine
As you can see, it would have been perfect for a kids room, but I have teens.  Anyway it was time for a change.  I wanted to put it under a desk  I have and use it for storing boxes and things, but it had to be nice enough to match the black and wood decor of the room.  I also wanted to remove the top shelf so that if I needed to store bulky items there would be room for that on top.

Όπως μπορείτε να δείτε, θα ήταν ιδανικό για ένα παιδικό δωμάτιο, αλλά έχω έφηβες. Τέλος πάντων ήρθε η ώρα για μια αλλαγή. Ήθελα να το βάλω κάτω από ένα γραφείο που έχω και να το χρησιμοποιήσω για την αποθήκευση κουτιά και πράγματα, αλλά θα έπρεπε να είναι αρκετά καλό για να ταιριάζει με την μαύρο και ξύλινη διακόσμηση του δωματίου. Ήθελα, επίσης, να αφαιρέσω το πάνω ράφι, έτσι ώστε αν χρειάζεται να αποθηκεύτουν τα ογκώδη αντικείμενα από πάνω.

Storage unit updated using twine www.theboondocksblog.com
detail of red plastic storage unit, upcycled using twine
Here is what I did.  I found a few pieces of wood, and had the hubby cut them to size.  Then he drilled them into the back of the storage unit. They would provide much needed structure to the piece. 

Βρήκα μερικά κομμάτια ξύλου, και είχε το σύζυγος να τα κόψει στο σωστό μέγεθος. Τότε τα βίδωσε στο πίσω μέρος της μονάδας. Θα παρέχουν την αναγκαία δομή για το κομμάτι.

adding wood to the back of the storage unit for support
Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links and link to Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission, that way I can continue to provide you with lovely content.  There is no extra charge to you for purchasing through my affiliate links.

AntiqueFarmHouse
detail of added wood to the storage unit for support
I then removed the top shelf.  Here is what it looked like so far.

Στη συνέχεια αφαιρέθηκε το πάνω ράφι. Έτσι  έμοιαζε μέχρι στιγμής.

removal of the top shelf of storage unit
I then proceeded to paint the wood a black color, to coordinate with my desired scheme. 

Στη συνέχεια ζωγράφισα το ξύλο μαύρο χρώμα, για να ταιριάζει με το επιθυμητό σχήμα μου.

painting the wood black Storage Unit Upcycle www.theboondocksblog.com
painting the wood black, Storage Unit Upcycle www.theboondocksblog.com
At this point I knew I would have to do something about that red plastic.  I have been wrapping everything up with twine lately and I figured let’s give this a try.  It may be crazy but it just might work.  So slowly, very slowly I began to wrap the shelves up in twine.

Σε αυτό το σημείο ήξερα ότι θα πρέπει να κάνω κάτι με αυτό το κόκκινο πλαστικό. Έχω τυλίξει τα πάντα με σπάγκο τον τελευταίο καιρό και σκέφτηκα ας το δοκιμάσω. Μπορεί να είναι τρελό, αλλά αυτό ακριβώς θα μπορούσε να λειτουργήσει. Έτσι, σιγά-σιγά, και πολύ αργά άρχισα να τυλίγω τα ράφια με σπάγγο.

Storage unit updated using twine Storage Unit Upcycle www.theboondocksblog.com
Needless to say, it was a long and tedious project.  And it took me a while to find some sort of system on how to do it so that it would look uniform. 

Περιττό να πω, ήταν ένα χρονοβόρο και κουραστικό έργο. Και μου πήρε αρκετό χρόνο για να βρω κάποιο σύστημα ώστε να φαίνεται ομοιόμορφο.

 twine details Storage Unit Upcycle www.theboondocksblog.com
twine details, Storage Unit Upcycle www.theboondocksblog.com
This went on for quite a while, until I ran out of twine… A trip to the store, and back to work….

Αυτό συνεχίστηκε για αρκετό διάστημα, μέχρι που έμεινα από σπάγκο … Μια βόλτα στο κατάστημα, και πίσω στη δουλειά ….

 More twine, Storage Unit Upcycle www.theboondocksblog.com

​I figured I would take many pictures of this, because it was not going to happen again any time soon!!

Σκέφτηκα να τραβήξω  πολλές φωτογραφίες, γιατί δεν επρόκειτο να συμβεί και πάλι σύντομα !!

twine wrapped around the plastic shelves of storage unit, Storage Unit Upcycle www.theboondocksblog.com
Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links and link to Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission, that way I can continue to provide you with lovely content.  There is no extra charge to you for purchasing through my affiliate links.

And then one day …. I finally finished!!

Και μια μέρα …. τελείωσε!!

Storage unit updated using twine Storage Unit Upcycle www.theboondocksblog.com
Initially I styled it like this, but it was too bland. 

Αρχικά το διακόσμησα έτσι, αλλά ήταν πολύ βαρετό.
attempt at styling the storage unit Storage Unit Upcycle www.theboondocksblog.com
But then I came up with this idea.  I had previously covered all the boxes in this lovely black/white fabric.

Αλλά τότε κατέληξα σε αυτή την ιδέα. Είχα προηγουμένως καλύψει όλα τα κουτιά σε αυτό το υπέροχο μαύρο / άσπρο ύφασμα.
Storage unit updated using twine thebooondocksblog.com
‘m sure that by the end of this post you will not remember the horrible red plastic.  I think it looks much more rustic and chic at the same time. Now it will not be an embarrassment if I choose to put it in the living room.   What do you think?  Was it worth all that work?  I think so!!  Let me know your opinion.

 Είμαι σίγουρη ότι μέχρι το τέλος αυτού του post δεν θα θυμάστε το φρικτό κόκκινο πλαστικό. Νομίζω ότι φαίνεται πολύ πιο ρουστίκ και κομψό ταυτόχρονα. Τώρα δεν θα είναι μια ντροπή αν επιλέξω να το βάλω στο σαλόνι. Τι πιστεύετε? Άξιζε όλη αυτή η εργασία; Εγώ νομίζω πώς ναι!!

Storage unit updated using twine to hide the plastic underneath, #upcycle #furnituremakeover #storageunit #usingtwine #DIYproject Storage Unit Upcycle www.theboondocksblog.com

If you like what you see, share it with your friends, or save it on Pinterest. If you really like what you see subscribe to my blog and get my adventures twice a week in your mailbox.

Αν σας αρέσει αυτό που βλέπετε, να το μοιραστείτε με τους φίλους σας, ή να το αποθηκεύσετε στο Pinterest. Επισεις μπορείτε  να εγγραφείτε στο blog μου και να λαμβάνετε τις περιπέτειες  μου δύο φορές την εβδομάδα στο e-mail σας.
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This blog is for entertainment purposes only; my DIY tutorials are not professional advice. Read my full disclaimer here.

I love it when I get your comments and I will reply to each and every one of them. ​
Μ ‘αρέσει όταν παίρνω τα σχόλιά σας και θα απαντήσω σε καθένα από αυτά.

  1. Lacie Ring says:

    Great idea for cute storage! I’ve been in the mist of a craft room cleanup so I feel your pain! Thank you for linking up at Funtastic Friday!

  2. I love your upcycle project. You certainly did have a great finished shelf. Thanks for sharing your post at the Over the Moon Link Party.

  3. Betsy says:

    Wow, what a creative repurposing idea! Great idea to use the twine to cover the red platic, it was well worth all your effort. Thanks so much for sharing with us at Talk of the Town.

  4. Jessica says:

    This looks like a completely different piece entirely! I cant believe how much more expensive it looks now, too!

    • Mary says:

      This was one of my earliest attempts. I spent so much time on this and the truth is it has held up remarkably well.

  5. Keri says:

    Mary, you’re a genius! This was such a smart way to upcycle this piece! I like your use of the twine to cover the shelves. Your covered containers are also very pretty with their color coordination.

    • Mary says:

      It took me quite a while to do this but I wanted a unique piece that would hide the red plastic. It was so worth it in the end.

  6. It’s always nice when we can repurpose an item. I also like the repurpose of the dish rack, so neat.

    • Mary says:

      Celeste I have nicknamesd myself “the twine Lady” lol. I love working with twine, it adds a special touch instantly.

  7. Great upcycle! Would’ve never thought of adding twine to make a whole new piece of furniture. Great vision! Visiting from Morning Cup of Joe party.

    • Mary says:

      Thank you Victoria. It was definitly a strange thing to do. Glad I did it when I had the time.. because now I’m in SM all day…lol

  8. Laurie says:

    Mary, Great makeover for that old storage unit! You can’t even tell it is the same piece! Love the twine on the shelves. I can imagine that took some time! Thanks for sharing with us at Brag About It!
    ~Laurie

    • Mary says:

      Thanks Laurie. That thing is over 20 years old but it still had life in it, it just needed some new clothes.

  9. Lynn Spencer says:

    Holy cow Mary…that’s fantastic! Your patience surely paid off because it looks flat out perfect and I know you are loving your new storage solution. I love how you repurposed that old shelf and made it fit the decor in your office.
    Well done!
    Hugs, LYnn

    • Mary says:

      Lynn, it was still sturdy it just needed a new look. And I really liked the twine look. Thank you.

  10. Rebecca says:

    Wow, that’s a wonderful transformation. It must have taken forever to wrap all of that twine, but it was definitely worth it. You turned a kids’ wired storage into a piece of furniture. It’s beautiful!

    • Mary says:

      Rebecca it took about a month, because it was tedious work. But it looks so much better now and it is surprisingly strong. Thanks for your sweet compliment

  11. All the hard work paid off! The twine wrapped shelves turned out lovely. I admire all the hard work and time you put into this project.

    • Mary says:

      And the best part Audra is that it is so sturdy. I don’t think I could take it apart now even if I tried!

  12. jemma says:

    This is so cool! I would have never have thought of doing this!
    It looks great and is so functional too.
    Thank you for sharing this amazing DIY with us at Thoughts Of Home On Thursday!
    Jemma

  13. Florence says:

    Hey, I like it! Love the addition of the twine, but I can imagine how tedious that was. It does look very chic now! The twine will keep objects from dipping & falling through cracks.

    • Mary says:

      Florence it was time consuming but I had a vision and I just had to follow thru with it. I’m so glad I did. It is still standing and looking great!

  14. Mandy says:

    What a creative use for the storage rack! I love the look of the twine! You completely changed the appearance of the storage rack. I’m sure it will look lovely wherever you put it! And the decorative boxes make it that much better!

  15. MAria says:

    Wow thats a great job! Never would have thought of that!

  16. Carol says:

    Great transformation, Mary! A great way to repurpose!

  17. Kristen Kirk says:

    What a great upcycle! I love what you did with the twine wrap.

  18. I know it took a lot of time to create this but it did turn out so great. Like you I am a sucker for anything with twine.

  19. Amy says:

    Oh my gosh, Mary. What a great use for the twine! I would have never guessed it was the same piece! Definitely something worthy of display now. 🙂

  20. Gail says:

    The twine added a very nice touch.

  21. Jenny says:

    What a great upcycle to use twine and to add the wood. I love reusing things. Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday

  22. Debbie says:

    Hi Mary, you’d never know it was the same piece! It was well worth the trouble to transform it… I did just have a funny thought… Did you move back to the US because you were all upcycled here? A bit like starting with a new canvas?… When we moved here we had some bits bought over and one was an old draw/ shelf unit I had as a child. My husband tunred it into separate drawers and a book shelp for what was going to be the childrens room. The shelves are still going strong over 40 years later, but the drawers sort of past the point of no return.
    xx

    • Mary says:

      You are so funny Debbie. I think that we could have upcycled forever. There was a great big metal gate that we had and I wanted to turn it into a foyer ornament and a table attached to it. I still wish I could have done it but no time. You see how even your husband has the right idea!

  23. Jelica says:

    Oh, I love this shelf so much Mary! The twine-wrapped detail is so beautiful. You’ve given me some great ideas to try at home.

  24. Julie says:

    You’d never realise it was the same piece, it’s a total transformation.
    I love how you too all the twine wrapping photos as it won’t be happening again. Is it like childbirth, when you say never again straight away but then after some time has passed you might reconsider and go for it again!?

    • Mary says:

      Julie you are right! Time has passed and I’ve done a few twine projects but certainly not to the extent of this one. This one is for the books. Of course twine is still my favorite way to dress anything up. (I even have a category just for twine.)

  25. Michelle says:

    It’s completely unrecognizable Mary. Wow what a transformation and a labour of entwined love.

    • Mary says:

      Haha! Michelle you have such a way with words. That is exactly what it was “a labour of entwined love.”

  26. Trudy says:

    Great repurpose. The twine was worth the time!

  27. Ginny says:

    I love the way you have wrapped the shelves in twine. Very clever.

  28. vicky Myers says:

    A total transformation – I love the use of twine. In my mind I thought you were going to spray the metal but the twine takes the project to a whole new level. Visiting from #handmademonday

    • Mary says:

      Vicky it was metal coated with plastic. I wanted a warmer look than just paint and this was the way to go.

  29. Michele says:

    That is quite an improvement! I like twine too, it is so useful for so many things, especially in the garden.

    • Mary says:

      You can see how I am so rebellious I use it for weird things like this, because I like to torture myself. Haha!

  30. DebbieE says:

    An excellent result. Using twine is time consuming. And, much twine is needed, too. But, look at the final shelf. It is a beautiful texture.

    • Mary says:

      Yes Debbie and it looks like a new piece entirely. I really hated the red and wanted to tone it down.

  31. Mary, what you do with that twine of yours! Great stuff! I love the idea, it looks awesome like this. And the different black and white boxes just complete the look! Great re~use and I’m amazed that you kept the piece for such a long time!!!

    • Mary says:

      Katrin it is always fun when you visit. Yes, I kept it because with 4 kids I needed all the storage I could get. Anyway it was solid just ugly.Now it’s so much better.

  32. Great job as always! I admire how you come up with ideas 🙂 Thank you for sharing with Thursday Favorite Things! Have a great weekend!

  33. Anne says:

    Hi Mary,
    This creation is great! I just love it. You actually gave me ideas for my next storage.
    Anne.

  34. Amanda says:

    Mary! Yes Please! I want you as my teenage mom. This project is so simple yet has a great transformation. Thanks so much for some much needed DIY Inspiration. I’m so glad you joined us over at #LFEO yesterday! I hope you have a great weekend and a Happy Halloween!

    • Mary says:

      Amanda thanks for your sweet words. I am always happy to dispense inspiration and recieve also. You have a great Halloween too.

  35. Mary, you really transformed this unit & I really like how you used the twine! Thanks so much for sharing @Vintage Charm! Blessings, Cecilia

    • Mary says:

      Thanks so much Cecilia. I love this piece so much after all I spend so much time on it, we have become inseparable.

  36. Great project! Turned out really nice. Love turning old into new and useable items 🙂

    • Mary says:

      Maria nothing makes me happier than to restore something old and useless. So much more satisfying than spending money at the mall. We speak the same language.

  37. Jess says:

    This turned out really neat! 🙂
    Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!

  38. Suzie says:

    What a fabulous idea. I love that you used the string to make the shelf look amazing! great job!

    • Mary says:

      Thanks Suzie, it took forever to make because I didn’t want to burn out on twine wrapping but it was so worth it. Thanks for your sweet comment.

  39. What a cute and creative way to give new life to an old piece of furniture! I love the twine!

    • Mary says:

      Celest this thing took me two months because I did it a little at a time. It was a lot of work, but well worth it in the end to get rid of that red plastic which I hated. Thanks for the visit.

  40. Debbie says:

    Another interesting project for our #tiptuesday.
    Thanks a lot for sharing it, Mary!

  41. Life Loving says:

    What a great project. You’ve taken something, shall I say, not that pretty and made it into something really quite nice looking. Well worth your hard work.
    Thanks for linking up to #LifeLovingLinkie I’m sure other will love having a look at the before and after photos.
    Sally @ Life Loving

    • Mary says:

      Sally thanks so much for your truthful words. It was a mess before and one that I had for many years. It was time to bring it into the 21st century!

  42. Mary, you amaze me! A few pieces of wood and twine, well a lot of twine! LOL And this is a beautiful rustic piece to add to your decor! And added storage? Priceless! I love the look of the twine and although it took quite a bit of time, you did it beautifully!!!

    • Mary says:

      Nikki, back then I was young and ambitious 😉 A babe in the blogger woods. Now I know better than to work for so long on a project. Now, I could easily make it 3 or 4 posts… you know, wrapping, and wrapping and … well, you get the idea lol!

  43. Uwe says:

    Its a great transformation !
    many greetings
    Uwe

  44. Mimi says:

    Totally worth it Mary! Your ingenuity astounds me! Thanks for sharing at Five Star Frou-Frou last week. Mimi xxx

  45. Eleana A says:

    Μαίρη μου μπράβο για τη μεταμόρφωση και χαράς το κουράγιο σου με το σπάγκο!! Είναι πολύ ωραίο να χρησιμοποιούμε τα παλιά έπιπλα!! Εσύ το κατάφερες μία χαρά! Καλό Σαββατοκύριακο!

    • Mary says:

      Ευχαριστω Ελεανα μου. Ήταν πριν καιρό αλλά ακόμα αντέχει!

  46. Pili says:

    That’s a great furniture flip, Mary! Wrapping the shelves in twine was a smart idea, and it looks lovely… life is better with twine!

  47. It was totally worth it, Mary! It is beautiful! I never ever would have known what it was or looked like in its previous life. This was a very creative upcycle. #OverTheMoon

    • Mary says:

      Thanks Regina. It was one of my first projects. Little did I know what I was getting into when I started this one! I w on’t be repeating this any time soon. But I have developed a habit of wrapping different objects.

  48. Your shelf turned out great Mary. Love the twine on it, bet that did take a long time. But it was worth it because it turned out really nice. It always fun to reuse something and give it a new use or look.

    • Mary says:

      Linda it took way too long, but that was by choice as I didn’t want to wear myself out by doing it qickly. However I have really come to appreciate the beauty of twine and all the ways to use it.

  49. Mary Gilbert says:

    Thank you for sharing with us at #JoyHopeLive!

  50. Kate says:

    This came out awesome!
    Kate | The Organized Dream

    • Mary says:

      If nothing else Kate, it has to be original. I don’t think anyone else would spend so much time wrapping twine. Thanks for dropping by.

  51. Wow.. That is amazaing! It is barely recognizable! Thanks for sharing on You’re Gonna Love It!

  52. You do a great job of turning something people would over look into something pretty and useful! Thanks for sharing at Your Inspired Design.

    • Mary says:

      Holly thanks for such a lovely compliment. I always try to salvage something before giving up on it. I see it as a challenge. Thanks for stopping by.

  53. Christine says:

    Wow! Talk about patience! Looks great! Thanks for linking up at Your Inspired Design Link Party!

    • Mary says:

      Christine, that’s exactly what it took. But well worth it in the end. I figured it can’t get any worst.

  54. You certainly did a great job transforming it. As I went through the photos, I began to think, Yikes, that’s a lot of twine. And then you ran out. It’s very creative and wonderfully useful. I saw your link at Friday’s Furniture Fix.

    • Mary says:

      That’s exactly what happened. I ran out of twine, but not out of patience. It turned out to be very useful and looks much better than before.

  55. KIM says:

    What a great idea & makeover~ Thanks for linking up to Merry Monday! Sharing on G+! Have a great week!
    Kim

    • Mary says:

      Thank you Kim. It better last forever because I won’t be doing it again any time soon!

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