DIY Home Improvement Therapy - Rusty Towel Rack Revived & Reclaimed Wood Hanger

Life is confusing. Especially on this here blockchain. Things change so quickly we rarely have the time to stop and think and experience the moment. I've discovered that I can only find this time when working on my porch garden (worth its own post!), and while creating or up-cycling things with my little hands. 

Recently, I've taken a step away from renovating furniture (that I've previously showed off here) to explore rusty metals and reclaimed wood.

Rusty Towel Rack Revived

I haven't invested much thought or time in decorating my living space before this apartment. I don't really know why, but this place makes me want to decorate and renovate. When I first looked at this apartment, one of the first (and only) things to make me frown were the ugly rusted tower hangers in the bathroom. They were just yucky.

To bring them back to life, I unscrewed them from the wall (with @poet's help), washed and scrubbed them, then went wild on them with some rough sandpaper. I must say, there are few things I find as satisfying and therapeutic as watching the rust just fall down in little flakes, leaving a shiny surface underneath.

I didn't need to be too thorough with the scrubbing as the paint I purchased claims to be safe to spray directly on rust. So my goal was to remove the loose bits (and a bit more) to make it smooth.

Next up - I covered the porch floor with a plastic sheet and proceeded to spray a few layers of the Rustoleum Hammered paint onto the racks. It smelled very chemical even through my dust-mask and the cats did not care for the fumes at all. Note that the smell stays on the renovated piece for quite a while, and my bathroom still smells a bit of fresh paint.

Cost:

~$10 for 1 can of Rustoleum spray paint

~0.2 for sanding block

Results:

Bedroom Wall Clothes Hanger

My love for reusing and recycling means that the majority of the furniture at the home I share with @mrlightning is 2nd hand (at least). The closet we recently (and finally!) found for our bedroom had a color scheme I would not normally consider for a bedroom (red, black and white). But I decided to go with it.

The wall across the room from the closet seemed sadly blank. In addition, I found myself hanging my clothes at the end of the day on the edge of the bed with no better place to hang my robe and "work clothes". Having recently installed Pinterest (it's therapeutic), I found some interesting ideas for wall decorations that can also serve as hangers for my clothes.

With some reclaimed wood @poet brought me and some (very very very) old acrylic paints @mrlightning had from his art school days, I put together a colorful and asymmetrical board. With a few hooks from the local hardware store, and some help from @poet hanging it up, it makes for a nice addition to the room.

Cost:

~$10 for the hooks (would be cheaper if I had the patience to wait for ones from AliExpress)

~$1 for the black paint (the one I had was dead)

Results:

I am not sure what my next project will be (possibly some planters for my balcony garden), but life sure is giving me reason to seek balance and inspiration in sanding, painting, building and renovating. One thing is certain - I will share the results with you. And have @mrlightning take better photos of my work.