Laurent Corio designed this new take on an old piece of furniture. The trestle legs, reminiscent of a saw horse, give this old table a whole new aura. As an antique fanatic (maybe a strange pastime for a 28 year old male) I see mountains of decent furniture that just looks tired and lacks that vintage panache. Mr. Corio sparks creativity with his Leg-acy table and give hope of a new life for grandma’s kitchen table.

Reusing materials, with some creativity and skill, is a cheap way to add furniture to your home with character. On any given weekend there are countless flea markets, estate sales, garage sales, garbage on the curb, or even in your basement where you can find perfectly functional furniture to rework. Personally I appreciate the sense of history that comes with antiques or hand me downs. With some artistic touches of your own a dingy chair or cabinet can be a new show piece with its own story.

I found a perfect example of the potential for reworked, reclaimed, or refinished furniture with an edge right here in Boston. Chroma Lab is a two person operation run by Alicia Cornwell and Tony Bevilacqua.

In 2008 we began transforming neglected but promising pieces of furniture by repairing and repainting them for ourselves and for our friends. It was a lot of fun, and it turns out other people like vibrant and repurposed furniture and accessories, too. We started Chroma Lab for anyone whose home needs a shot (or a lot) of pick-me-up color in the form of high quality furniture and unique, hand crafted clocks and durable floorcloths.

They set up their studio in the Boston area, will make local deliveries, and set up an Etsy shop for those curious.

Chroma Lab and Laurent Curio set the bar for artistic creations from repurposed furniture. Hopefully they can inspire others to try their hand at this rewarding hobby!

Check out some more Chroma Lab creations on the next page.

Check Chroma Lab

Check Laurent Curio