Krrb Blog, Neighborly living

Made from car and bicycle parts by The ReCycler, a two-person team based in Goderich, Ontario, Canada, known for their one-of-a-kind creations.

The 25th annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) ends its run in New York City tomorrow but not without showcasing the latest and greatest in contemporary design. Taking place at New York City’s Javitz Center, this premier design event has grown to embrace cutting edge home wares, plumbing hardware and toys, from its original focus (although still prominent) on modern design in functional furniture. A Saturday afternoon at the ICFF had us really appreciating the interesting seating creations. Hey, what can we say? We’re suckers for cool chair design …

Enamel decorates teapots, bowls, cups and even fireplaces. Photo: http://runningwithsisters.com

Welcome to the daily series “In Search Of”, where we look high and low on Krrb for one-of-a-kind items that we must have now! Today, it’s all about “enamel” and we’ve got loads of items covered in it.

Colorful, glossy enamel is created when powdered glass is heated and fused to a surface. The hardened enamel can be found on everything from jewelry to bowls to tabletops and offers a shiny protective coating. We’re seeing it in just about every shade all over the Krrb classifieds …

Professional vintage “hunters” Michael and Cassy Coyne of Wednesday’s Pick Up find old, beat-up furniture at estate sales and auctions and restore them. With almost a decade’s worth of restoration experience, this power couple knows how to bring back life into beautiful vintage finds.

After recently picking up a set of 10 dining chairs with hand-carved detailing, Cassy set up shop in their East Williamsburg studio to update the deteriorating seat cushions. Krrb joins Cassy as she works her magic on reupholstering the dining chairs. With plenty of tips, Cassy’s how-to should have you ready to go about retooling your own dining chairs …

Popular in the 1960s and 1970s, swag lamps are making a comeback. Photo: Houzz.com

Welcome to the daily series “In Search Of”, where we look high and low on Krrb for one-of-a-kind items that we must have now! Today, it’s all about “swag lights” and we’ve got loads of them.

We love retro lighting, especially the funky 1970s look of a hanging swag lamp. Effortlessly cool and casual, swag lights are easy to install because of the chain that allows you to hang the wiring from the ceiling. Read on to see swag lamps in all shapes and colors available on Krrb …

Photo: Mattakers.blogspot.com

The chair is perhaps the most reimagined piece of furniture. Historically, designers have tested their skills and creativity by putting their own spin on the chair. Just about every great thinker from Albert Einstein to Henry David Thoreau had something to say about chairs. Read on for thought-provoking declarations on the almighty chair …

Photo: Brooklyntowest.blogspot.com

Dining chairs, office chairs, arm chairs — chairs are the most basic, useful piece of furniture. But you don’t have to settle for basic when it comes to your seating. We’ve rounded up plenty of ideas to bring your old, tired chairs back to life. Check out these 25 ways to update a chair and get inspired to tackle your own seat …

Photo: Thedaintysquid.com

All the best scavengers always mention estate sales as a good place to find secondhand treasures. And rightfully so, estate sales rank up there with flea markets as a source for unique vintage goods. We chatted with Dave Gindlesperger, owner of Curiosity in North Carolina for some insider tips on estate sales. With over 25 years of finding, renovating and selling vintage finds, this shop owner has some great advice on how to make the most of your next estate sale …

Let’s be clear: lucite is big this spring. Photo: Stacynaquininteriors.com

Welcome to the daily series “In Search Of”, where we look high and low on Krrb for one-of-a-kind items that we must have now! Today, it’s all about the material “Lucite” and we’ve got loads of it.

You’ve heard it called “plexiglass” or “acrylic glass” and seen it in everything from furniture to airplanes to jewelry. Developed in 1928, Lucite is a lightweight, chic, shatter-resistant alternative to glass. In the “Mad Men” era of the 1950s and 1960s, furniture makers loved the material because of its space-age aesthetic. We’ve found it in both vintage and modern pieces throughout Krrb …

This vintage rustic fire starter was originally used to carry a flame to light fireplaces and gas lights before electricity.

A series featuring new Krrbies in new towns across the globe who are breaking unexplored territory. Find out what they have to sell, trade or give away.

For years, Laura of Rustbelt Treasures has been collecting vintage industrial items made of wood, iron and leather throughout the northern midwest, upstate New York and Baltimore. The name of her shop is a nod to the nickname of the area between the Midwest and Northeast, where local economies have historically been tied to industrial products, the transportation of raw materials and large-scale manufacturing.

Laura sells a little bit of everything. “Since I can’t resist a vintage item with character, the style of the shop has become more of an eclectic theme,” she says. Read on to find more about how Laura reworks her finds and when she leaves the original character intact …

No chair is more familiar than Dad’s old recliner. Photo: Alilmoresbetter.blogspot.com

Recliners have stubbornly withstood the test of time. A prominent fixture in American culture (and living rooms), these chairs have often put comfort over aesthetics since their invention in the 1920s. Their pop culture relevance may have peaked in the late 1990s with shows like Fraiser and Friends, but they’re likely to remain a familiar source of comfort, albeit at times unseemly, for years to come …

We love a good Salt N Peppa pairing.

Welcome to the daily series “In Search Of”, where we look high and low on Krrb for one-of-a-kind items that we must have now! Today, it’s all about “Salt and Pepper” and we’ve got loads of them.

The most common of food seasonings, salt and pepper, usually come as a twosome. Decorative salt and pepper shakers are a flea market staple and a collector’s prize. Whether you’re into kitsch or sleek lines, everyone loves a set of shakers on the dinner table. Take a look at these incredible duos we found on the listings today …

Emerald is Pantone’s color of the year and we see its brightness everywhere we look.

Welcome to the daily series “In Search Of”, where we look high and low on Krrb for one-of-a-kind items that we must have now! Today, it’s all about the color “Emerald” and we’ve got loads of it.

Bright, fresh and so ripe for spring, emerald is the color of harmony and well-being. That’s why color experts Pantone named the hue color of the year for 2013. We’ve found the hue on items for sale throughout the site — from pillows to pendants to tumblers and lounge chairs. You’ll see the radiant jewel tone everywhere this spring …

This weekend stop by the sixth annual Go Green! Greenpoint Festival in McCarren Park. Held on Saturday, May 11 from 11 am to 5pm, Go Green! is celebrating Earth Day-practices on an everyday level. The outdoor event offers a variety of ways to keep the neighborhood eco-friendly.

Make sure your old cellphones and laptops never end up in a landfill by taking advantage of the festival’s free electronic waste recycling. All broken and unwanted electronics will be recycled locally in Greenpoint by Green Chip, a company with a zero landfill policy. Also in mix will be gardening demonstrations by local businesses, recycling stations, eco-goods for sale, and craft projects for children.

Photo: Waukesha.uwex.edu

Get ready to shower your mama with love (if you don’t already!) because Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 12! If you’re tired of the yearly flower arrangements, we’ve got a beautiful way to honor your mother. Make this year all about the presentation with a beautiful bowl.

Get a bowl. Buy, swap, re-use or craft a bowl that your mom can use and will love.

Fill it with something meaningful. Gather her favorite fruit, a homemade pasta, a garden-picked salad or tiny slips of paper with reasons why you love your mom written on them. Just fill it with something your mother will enjoy.

Give it to your mom. Take it to her, enjoy the contents with her, and then let her keep the bowl. Keep it simple and loving, and your mother is sure to love it.

This gift idea is really about spending time together. If your mom lives too far away, send her a beautiful bowl and a recipe and tell her you can’t wait to make the meal together next time you see her. We found a few treasure worthy bowls and treats to inspire your Mother’s Day gift …

Drinking Straws: Artist Scott Jarvie designed a chair using 10,000 drinking plastic straws. Photo: cubeme.com

As we study the chair, we have to give credit to those who find unique ways to reinvent a piece of furniture as old as time. We’ve gathered 25 chairs made from repurposed materials — some so shocking that you may need to sit down. So settle in and peruse this fascinating collection, who knows, you just might get inspired to tackle your own throne. And for the record, we’d sit on any of these upcycled chairs. Well, maybe not the one made from forks …