As an artist and designer, I’m often collecting scraps of wood in hopes of resurrecting them into something beautiful, a new work of art possibly, or maybe something functional for a friend. No doubt plenty of my fellow DIYers have growing piles of mismatched wood just waiting to be transformed into something magnificent. To get you motivated for your next weekend project, here’s a little inspiration to stir your creative juices.

Brazillian designer Brunno Jahara’s furniture is an inspiring testament to repurposing would-be waste into something vibrant and valuable. A series of ten functional pieces, the Neorustica collection is made from brightly painted, salvaged wood scraps. All varnishes are non-toxic and only water-based paints were used. Taking the reuse concept a bit further, the interiors of the cabinets and desks are lined with a laminate made from recycled PET bottles.

Jahara’s use of bright colors and the rustic feel of Neorustica pay homage to Brazil’s rural countryside and vibrant culture. Each piece in the collection is named after a shanty town or “favela” in the designer’s hometown of Rio de Janeiro. The pieces embody both pastoral roots and urban style, an aesthetic intended by the designer to highlight the contrast of living conditions in the countryside to large cities.

View more of Brunno Jahara’s work at his website.

Source: Dezeen

Images: Jahara Studio

Designer Peter Buley has given his Hydroponic Kitchen Island a makeover.

As part of the Models Citizens NYC show last month, Peter Buley (a.k.a Analog Modern) exhibited the most recent version of his Hydroponic Kitchen Island Mk.11. Fully enclosed within a solid maple frame, an ebb and flow hydroponic system grows herbs using LED and CFL lighting.

This version steps away from the original by concealing the plants and system within a drawer. Admittedly I prefer a design which highlights the plants rather than hides them, but the approach is inspiring for homeowners and makers who want to integrate hydroponics systems into their homes or kitchens, without losing counter space or adding visual clutter.

Source: Core77

The Montana-based furniture company Vinoture uses reclaimed wine barrels from local wineries create stunning furniture pieces.

The company sources used wine barrels from wine country in Oregon and Washington state, and craftsman Ian Crawford transforms them into furniture pieces. All of Vinoture's furniture is "service industry quality," which means it's built to last. Think about how much a bar stool, chair, or table in a restaurant or lounge has to stand up to. Service quality pieces are much more durable than something you'd pick up at the big box store, which makes them a more sustainable choice.

Here's a quick video showcasing some of Vinoture's wine barrel furniture:

Crawford got started making wine barrel furniture after he threw a party where he used whole wine barrels as part of the decor. When he was left afterwards with 100 empty barrels (that must have been some party!), he decided to see what he could make from them.

He started out making bar stools but now has a wider range of wine barrel furniture and housewares. You can check out the full line on the Vinoture website.

Image Credit: Wine barrel furniture photo via Vinoture.

Max McCurdo restores and recycles unwanted products into new and well-designed objects, from bathtub couches to washing-machine drum coffee tables. Similar to the work of Ramon Coronado, this cool reinvented shopping cart chair is another great upcycled piece by McCurdo's company, Reestore.

McCurdo's design is not only inspirational, it's atheistically well designed and I suspect quite comfortable. The "Annie" chair takes an ordinary object and gives it a second life, suitable for any living room or office in need of something cute and comfy with a dash of iconic design. Although a bit costly at £550.00, a great inspiration to DIYers and my fellow makers.

I don't know about you guys, but vintage suitcases seem a little bit cumbersome to me for traveling. They're heavy, they're often not on wheels, and for a short gal like me it takes extra effort to keep mine from dragging on the ground when I carry it. That doesn't mean old suitcases aren't useful! They're a great way to add a little personality to your home decor or even add some pop to a craft show display.

1. Use vintage suitcases as drawers in an old adjustable shelving unit to create instant hidden storage.

2. Remove the top, add some legs, and whip up a pillow to fit, and you can trasform your suitcase into a super cute pet bed.

3. A vintage suitcase craft supply organizer looks simple to re-create with reclaimed paper and glue.

4. With a little bit of love, an old suitcase becomes a vertical craft show display. They best part? It's  display piece that doubles as storage, so you have one less thing to pack up when the show's over.

5. I'm loving these upcycled suitcase chairs!

6. Make a vintage suitcase end table by just stacking up old suitcases. This might not work with the curved type of suitcase, so experiment to see what does the trick!

7. Turn a vintage suitcase into a shabby chic ottoman.

8. Use an old suitcase to make a unique floating wall shelf.

Have you guys done any fun crafts with old suitcases? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments!

Need more hidden storage? Hit the thrift stores and track down mismatched vintage suitcases to transform a boring bookshelf into a conversation piece for any room.

I love a good vintage suitcase craft project, and to these suitcase drawers by designer James Plumb are sweet, simple, and functional! You could do something similar with an old bookshelf and vintage suitcases. You'd just need a bookshelf that has adjustable shelves, so you can vary the heights to fit the suitcases. If the bookshelf you're using has seen better days, a coat of paint will spruce it right up!

It might also be cute to make little hang tags for each suitcase, so you can write down what's inside of each one.

Confession: I am an old suitcase fiend! I've got a little collection of vintage suitcases that I use for craft markets and as decoration in my studio. So! You can imagine how happy I was to run across the photo above of a gorgeous vintage suitcase end table at Cupcakes and Cashmere.

It looks like she just stacked these up and put a vintage mirror on top to provide an even surface for her lamp. That's especially cool, because it means you don't have to alter your precious vintage suitcase to make that table. When you're ready to redecorate, you can just unstack and use them for something totally different!