Try This for the Bathroom
Elegantly simple, infinitely practical absolutely doable projects
July/August 2004
By Susan Wasinger
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Because the lumber was free scrap from a construction site, the only costs for this shelf were the round mirror ($18 custom cut at a local glass dealer) and about $2 for 12 finish nails and 6 wood screws. The shelf took about two hours to complete.
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Scrap heap Chic
SHELF LIFE: As much as a quarter of all waste in the United States comes from construction and demolition debris. On the typical construction site for a three-bedroom home, wood—much of it scraps and leftovers of perfectly sound lumber—accounts for 20 to 35 percent of the trash hauled away*. The construction industry is slowly implementing recycling policies that will help, but in the meantime we decided to get creative with that building-site trash heap. The result: a Zen-like vanity shelf for the bath made from a few pieces of scrap 1-by-6 pine. In addition to a bit of Dumpster diving, you’ll need a few tools and minimal woodworking skills to complete this project. We chose beeswax as a natural wood finish, but it could be painted or stained for a nice effect.
*Statistics from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.
Pillow Talk
BEFORE YOU THROW IN THAT TOWEL
Tattered towels can reincarnate as a pillow. For this easy sewing project, find the best parts of old, frayed, stained, or mismatched towels and washcloths and turn them into soft, fluffy, inviting pillows. Throw them on a chair next to the tub or use them to cushion a bench seat. We used a mix of Styrofoam peanuts, plastic shopping bags, and scraps of toweling to make an eco-friendly stuffing. (It’s not as soft as down, and it rustles a bit more than foam, but it’s waterproof, dries quickly, and lets you recycle and reuse waste materials otherwise fated for the landfill.) If you can’t bear the thought of sitting on peanuts, rest assured that at least you’re recycling your old towels while giving your bathroom all the panache of a spa.
Sew simple
Soap on the Rocks
RAISE THE BAR
A soap dish should never be a “dish” at all. Soap ends up a soupy, goopy mess if left in a vessel without drainage. Keep your soap high and dry with this simple project. Next to the tub near the bathroom sink or in the shower, this practical accent piece safeguards your soap with style.
A Recipe for Clean
CLEAN TEETH, HEALTHY GUMS, DELICIOUS BREATH
Even dentists recommend baking soda and salt as a great way to clean teeth. In addition to whitening teeth and deodorizing the mouth, baking soda helps neutralize acids from plaque to fight gum disease. Salt has been used for centuries to reduce tartar build-up and soothe gums. This dentifrice is simple, cheap, and free from the usual detergents, bleaches, and chemical preserving agents used in commercial toothpastes. Baking soda and salt don’t taste very good, so liven them up with subtle flavor by adding natural aromatic ingredients to the mix.