Hardware Style

Book excerpt: It's the most creative how-to book to come along in years! 100 great ideas and projects will change the way you look at your local home improvement center. With a layout inspired by the store's floor plan, this abundantly photographed guide leads a tour through the different departments, from plumbing to hardware, electrical to lawn and garden, suggesting a whole host of imaginative ways to use what's on the shelves. Many of the projects take advantage of the latest decorating trend: repurposing, where items conceived for one function are used in an entirely different and original way. Craft curtain tiebacks from welded chain, transform glass or metal screens into coasters, turn copper plumping pipe into candleholders. With almost no effort at all, a tool holder becomes a bud vase, a grill tray takes new life as a cool retro TV tray, and standard millwork lumber becomes a Post Coatrack. Only basic do-it-yourself techniques are needed at most.