Upcycling Baltimore

Trash to treasure, broken to beautiful, historic to modern; These are just a few of the ways to describe upcycling. With the creation of Pinterest came an influx of DIY enthusiasts ready to make over the world one project at a time. With a small budget and a little chalk paint ones creativity can go a long way. Here in Baltimore we have several perfect resources for picking out a piece to recreate.

You can start with perusing internet sites like Craigslist or local yard sales and flea markets or you can visit some great little hidden gems like these:

                                                                                          Ryans Relics - With two locations on Belair Road in Fullerton you are sure to find a beautiful piece to give new life or even a small memento that brings back some fond memories. With an ever changing inventory you never know what may be waiting for you at one of their locations.

                                           

K&M Second Chance Furniture - K&M is a true hidden gem; located in Essex on Marlyn Avenue. This small shop has a fast turnover due to their fair prices and personable customer service.They acquire everything from tiki bars to trinkets and everything in between. I have personally gotten quite a few pieces from them for my own projects and I could not be happier with the service and selection and I think my results were pretty good too. 

             

Overstock Baltimore - Overstock is a warehouse filled with upscale hotel and office furniture that still has a lot of life left but has been switched out for newer pieces. If you don't mind looking through the warehouse stock for the best pieces you can find amazing deals on pieces that are ready for use or for a makeover. In addition to the hotel and office furniture they also sell some new pieces and household items that can even be custom ordered if you decide upcycling is not for you.

If you want to make an impact beyond the piece you upcycle then perhaps the following locations would be best fitted for you...

Pigtown - This richly unique town is situated within walking
distance of the Inner Harbor, Camden Yards and Ravens Stadium

Habitat for Humanity - Restore - Habitat for Humanity is taking their charity to new levels by creating a system that brings everything full circle. When renovating homes for deserving families they deconstruct as much as possible to sell the items in their retail stores for profit in order to continue funding the program. They currently have five locations in the Chesapeake region and in addition to selling also take donations to help you "declutter" your space. Each location is filled with pieces that are ready for a new life and you can feel good knowing you contributed to such a great cause.

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The Loading Dock - Established in 1984 before the Pinterest and DIY crazes; the Loading Dock was ahead of the game. For a small yearly membership fee of just $10 for two members you can get access to a 45,000 square foot warehouse filled with treasures galore! If you want to learn more about some projects they even have free workshops and ideas to help get you started. The Loading Dock was created with the concept of supplying affordable housing materials as well as making an impact on the amount of items that could be saved from the landfills. You can load up on great items and good feelings at The Loading Dock.

Second Chance - Perhaps my least frequented but favorite location, Second Chance Baltimore really gives you an opportunity to take a walk through time. With a 200,000 square foot warehouse (yes you read that correctly) it is almost overwhelming to even walk through. There is truly something for everyone at Second Chance. The best part is what they are able to accomplish with not only the retail location but the services they provide. Second Chance has created a program to not only give furniture and materials a second chance but the people of Baltimore as well. Second Chance uses funds from their sales and services to train and educate people who need a second chance. They provide classroom environments for the program participants to learn needed skills from running common equipment to management and construction skills.

So if you are new to the upcycling trends or an old pro there are a plethora of options out there for finding your perfect piece and there are no limits to what you can do.

Reduce - Reuse - Recycle - Dream - Create 

This house has been built from almost 100% recycled and re-purposed materials. It was the vision of my sister and inspired  by The House of Blues .