I never knew I was into upcycling and unique local finds – until I had a yard to fill and a dream to build. That means either investing time or money. In my case, I chose time because that’s what I had more of. So, if you are like me and you want a rustic functional style in your yard, here’s a few tips I learned along the way.
Craigslist
Craigslist has become a main source of finding hardscape or upcycling materials. I have often jokingly remarked that I am a craigslist stalker. For those of you that wonder how I have time for that – you may not know that there is a phone application for that! The one I like for Android is Craigslist Postings (or try iphone craigslist tips). The reason I love using it is because it will notify me when there is a new posting for my specific item I am looking for.
A great example of using craigslist app is my long term search for bricks. Sometimes not even a specific brick was in my mind, but a post that appeared sparked an idea. This idea sparked an adventure to a strangers house to haul these bricks. On one specific adventure, I arrived with a truck and realized that the online estimate was well under what I was expecting. Upon enlisting my husband’s help – and THREE truck loads later – we now have our beautiful patio under our pergola! My other favorite story is the morning I got a notification about stepping stones that were free for the first taker. It just so happened to be be Easter morning – and we were singing at church that morning. So, we picked up bricks in our Sunday clothes at 6am, much to my husband’s laughter (and semi annoyance). That’s how we got our path that leads to the pergola. I just love that our yard is full of these stories.
Reusing Materials
Our other source of upcycling has been reusing materials in our yard. When we first moved in there was an old deck that was near the master bedroom. It was previously used for a hot tub. However, the area was very dark and in a corner that we did not really use. So, my husband got creative and used the boards to build the top of our pergola. It looks loved but not out of place in our yard as that is the look we are going for.
My other recent favorite upcycle idea was a flower bed that used to be fire pit. This idea came about when I had a table making fail. The top did not work and rotted in the sun. So, we took of the table top and replaced it with the inside of the fire pit. An unlikely perfect fit! Add flowers, and magic happens!
Shopping Locally
I have loved finding local stores to shop at that share my same desire for upcycling. My two favorites in our area are sister stores: Walnut Creek and Vines Vintage. Their marketplace is home to individual vendors sharing their unique style. Therefore, if you don’t like one small shop the next one may suit you. I often find that I have to come prepared to look for one item or I can get swayed or overwhelmed by fun items I don’t actually need. For instance, my most recent trip I searched for outdoor interest. This was broad enough for me to be creative, but narrow enough for me to find something unique. On this specific trip I found the lanterns for the pergola! How perfect that they used to be on posts and now I can reuse them as hanging lights. These beauties are just what we wanted for our night lighting as well!
I have enjoyed my process of creating, building, and searching for the right items for our garden. Let me know if you have any questions or stories of your adventures!