Welcome to Decorating From a Dumpster Redoux Office Tour!

Finally!!!  My Decorating from a Dumpster Redoux Office Tour is ready for its close up. Quick, check out the post before it gets all messed up again!   Manny my dumpster found mannequin with the splatter paint job stands sentinel to my office o’ junk.  

Step inside.  That’s a French Door I am using as a room divider!  It gives a little separation from the outside world (my kids) and defines my office space. By the way, Manny is sporting CeCe Caldwell’s Paints in California Gold,and Destin Gulf Green.  Art work courtesy of Mr. Red.

Below those abs and pecs is my dumpster found bookshelf.  This holds cookbooks, (my kitchen is right on the other side of the door) and a few travel books for Suffering Husband.  

If you look up, you will see I have a semi curtain hanging from the ceiling.  This further defines what is called “Mom’s space”.  The curtain is made from part of an old drop cloth and edged with fabric scraps leftover from other sewing projects of long ago.   I so can sew!  However, the desire to sew comes in fits and bursts.  I haven’t had one in a few months..

drop cloth curtain hung from ceiling redouxinteriors

This is my ode to the book page wreathes that were all the rage in the blogosphere a couple of years ago.  Of course I had to be different and make mine from a road atlas.  It hangs over my head as inspiration for creativity and reminding me to travel out of my office every once in a while.

Coming round the corner and entering the official office space, is my creative wall.  On the far left top, is my vision board, started about a month ago.  The bulletin boards have flowers made from old magazine pages, (more on this in a coming soon post).  My idea board sits below.  Included on this wall is a favorite picture of my children and Rosie the Riveter reminding me that, “We Can Do It!”  I know what my “IT” is, hope you do too, it makes life so much more fulfilling.

Are you having fun on The Redoux Office Tour yet?  Are you jealous you don’t live here in my altar to junk?

More dumpster books shelves. Why pay for shelving when you can just find it in a nearby dumpster? My bookshelf holds my favorite decorating books, kids books I treasure, a few more travel books, personal stuff, and a colorful basket.  On top is my collection of lamps.  Most of them garage sale and thrift store finds, but the two small white ones, yep, DUMPSTER FOUND! I painted them.  Those lamps need shades, I think I might have some…

Shades!  More decorating from a Dumpster! Is that a garage door panel? If you answered yes, you would be correct.  That is a garage door panel made into shelving. I used shelving brackets and sheer will to hang this up high ALL BY MYSELF. Not recommended, but the top of my head and a broom stick were helpful in holding up the panel while I screwed it into place.  Check out my outdoor wall to see how I have used other Garage Door Panels.

Don’t you love wire shelving?  DIY, Crafters, Junk hoarders.  Wire shelving is the way to go. You can see all of your craft supplies (aka good intentions for projects) .

I love my Vintage Dress Form.  Purchased from a good friend, and now used as a 3 dimensional bulletin board.  My DF is wearing a lovely fabric banner made by a sweet friend at Paris Flea Market.  It was inspired by the new CeCe Caldwell’s colors that came out last Spring.  Kailua Coral and Minnesota Lady Slipper Pink.

Everyone needs a place to lounge in their office.  I strongly believe in the principle of decorating from a dumpster.  This chaise lounge was a piece of junk.  I repaired a couple of the legs and threw a drop cloth over it, called it good.  Really it is for my spoiled dog to lay on and keep me company.

Every personal space, especially an office needs mementos that are meaningful.  The little French bowl holds sea glass from a special trip with Suffering Husband, and found sea shells and rocks from other beach trips.  The faded picture in the background is a baby picture of Suffering Husband.

Sea shells and memorabilia redouxinteriors

I bet you didn’t know I am also an art collector.   Don’t gawk, that is actually a Last Supper depiction painted on Black Velvet.  It is one of my most prized possessions and I will leave it in my will to one of my lucky children.  Must make sure this kind of thing stays in the family.  I know my mother is shrieking  as she reads this post.  I did a little investigating as to the value.  I was thrilled to see that at $7.99 I paid below the market value for such work.  Similar works go for $15 on Etsy!!

This is where the magic writing and photo editing takes place.  My chair is in line with my Decorating from a dumpster philosophy.  Several years ago, I literally pulled it from a dumpster with the thought of reupholstering it.  I like the vinyl distressed and flaking off look better.  I made that little pillow.  And might I add, LONGGGG before Toile was everywhere.  Hmph.

Oh how I love this little old chippy brush.  Purchased at a cool store in Nashville when I was there tagging along for a CeCe Caldwell’s marketing meeting.

That’s my gorgeous mom and amazing step father.  Aren’t they cute?  A few other mementos from friends and favorite French Chocolate Vintage Ad on a post card.

Speaking of cute, I have to brag.  These were my kids when Mr. Red and his twin sister were 4 and my oldest (a Senior in High School now, sniff, sniff) was 8.   If only they were that joyful all the time, especially while they were doing their home work!

My children are well versed in the philosophy of decorating from a dumpster.  Rachel, (one of my twins) made this pencil/pen/scissor holder for me several years ago for Easter.  I happen to love Peeps and I love the comic she glued to the can.

This concludes the Decorating from a Dumpster Redoux Office Tour.  By the way, that music stand, Mr. Red’s Bass Trombone and the tower of CD’s are what we call the Conservatory.  See?  We are classy people.

Hope you enjoyed my Decorating from a dumpster Redoux Office Tour.  If you would like to read more about how to decorate your home from a dumpster, check out my three part Dumpster Diving Series, and stay tuned…..Decorating from a Dumpster, the BOOK is coming soon.

Leave me a comment letting me know what piece of junk you liked the most and what you might like to see in my upcoming book.  Merci!!


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Upcycled Treasures

23 Comments

  1. Lamar Lambert

    The tears are falling on Da Vinci’s paint palette.

    Reply
    • GTC

      So true!! I checked Etsy, there is a whole collection of these out there!

      Reply
  2. patty soriano

    Hi Karen ! A book. A REAL BOOK ??? Truly ? Are you pulling our leg ?! The piece I’m most interested in, is the one you aren’t showing. I see one sliver of a yellow cabinet in the picture next to your dress form. Maybe you’ve shown it before in its entirety, but I don’t remember. Can you share a picture of it ? What are you storing in it ?

    patty

    Reply
    • GTC

      It will be an ebook, hopefully out by January. Yep, but it doesn’t write itself! I KNEW someone would ask about that yellow cabinet. That was a curbside shopping piece I used to store all the craft stuff I got rid of this summer. I had a major paint technique fail on that cabinet and finally got sick of looking at it, plus the inside was falling apart. Long story short, I never did a post on it because only because I would have had to hide the side where I had the epic fail.

      Reply
      • patty soriano

        Is it something you can correct (the failed technique)? It looks like a great size. It could be a new before/after for us to see! Have a sweet dump-diving day!

        patty

        Reply
        • GTC

          What happened with the paint fail was I was practicing doing a “chippy effect” using canning wax. You rub your piece with a bar of canning wax, then paint over. When the paint dries, you use a plastic trowel to scrape away the wax, and you get a chippy effect. I put it in the sun to dry……Not thinking about the wax. The wax melted underneath the paint, leaving a huge oily stain. I would have to sand the whole thing off and start over. Since it was free, and I was experimenting with it, I didn’t feel too bad after two years to get rid of it.

          Reply
          • patty soriano

            ah, so you got rid of it. Well, I guess we don’t learn if we don’t make mistakes. Luckily, most of our stuff is from the curb or dumpster, so we don’t lose a lot of financial input. Maybe you should have showed us the boo-boo, so we’d know not to do the same! A learning experience from The Master!

          • GTC

            You are so good for me ego Patty! O.K., if I can dig up those pictures, I will show them when I FINALLY get around to sharing a more in depth post on how to do that finish. It was one of those moments where I couldn’t believe how dumb I had been.

  3. Ellen Persik

    Love the black mannequin.

    Reply
    • GTC

      Thanks Ellen. He has a special place in my office. It is one of my favorite Dumpster items! I couldn’t let him end up in al landfill!

      Reply
  4. debi beard

    well well well… A BOOK!!!!! I can’t wait!

    Reply
    • GTC

      It’s out there Debi. You made me do it.

      Reply
  5. Kirsten Jensen

    What a great way to start the day/week! Thanks for the creative inspiration and the hilarious commentary! I too love to decorate from my heart and have special mementos in my creative space

    Reply
  6. Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co.

    A book, how cool is that! And your office is fun, creative and about as thrifty as they come! You are the dumpster diving queen!

    Reply
    • GTC

      Thanks so much Sharon. The book. It doesn’t write itself!! Thank you so much for coming by and checking out my junk, hope all is well in your part of the country!

      Reply
  7. Claudine

    I LOVE IT!!! Every detail, oh my God!! You are funny, too!
    Yes you re classy people and so resourceful!!!
    I guess your IT is to inspire people, while making a wonderful space to live for yourself and your family???
    Lots of love,
    Claudine

    Reply
    • GTC

      Oh thank you so much Claudine!!! Yes, everybody has to figure out their “IT”!!! Love to you to:)

      Reply
  8. Betsy

    Wow Karen, what a fabulous junky space you’ve created. I’m loving all of it, but my favorite is the mannequin you’re using as a bulletin board. Leave it up to a flea friend to creates something so pretty. Thanks for sharing at the Vintage Inspiration Partay.

    Reply
  9. Nancherrow

    I love it! What a fun and creative space. But my friend, I think you have a lampshade hoarding issue. And I love them all randomly stacked on that shelf. Just pinned it and thanks for sharing at Fridays Unfolded!

    Alison
    Nancherrow

    Reply
    • GTC

      Thanks so much Alison! I have a lamp shade hoarding issue as well. I always think I will find homes for them, but I just like to look at them, something fun and whimsical about them I think.

      Reply
  10. patty soriano

    Karen, there was no way to reply above but just wanted to add one more comment. Would love to see the pictures of the yellow cabinet failure since you did take photos. Our job IS to fluff up your ego so you keep going! 🙂 Whenever you get around to it, I’m waiting with bated breath! Thanks, K!

    patty

    Reply
    • GTC

      O.K. Patty, you are persistent!! I have to go find it on my husband’s computer (which is my old computer….)

      Reply
  11. Global

    Wonderful! I love reading stories like this, you must have been so proud. Hope you’re all doing well now! Mary S. Hernandez

    Reply

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