Try This: Projects for the Kitchen

By Susan Wasinger
Published on September 1, 2003
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The screen can be cut to fit with wire snips and stretched into place using a staple gun.
The screen can be cut to fit with wire snips and stretched into place using a staple gun.
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A dish scrubber from yesterday's trash.
A dish scrubber from yesterday's trash.
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The panels cut fairly easily with tin snips and are secured into the frame with 1/4-inch tack nails spaced every 6 inches.
The panels cut fairly easily with tin snips and are secured into the frame with 1/4-inch tack nails spaced every 6 inches.
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Here's a wall scone that gives maximum light for its watts.
Here's a wall scone that gives maximum light for its watts.
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An old keyhole escutcheon adds artful interest to an inexpensive little wooden knob.
An old keyhole escutcheon adds artful interest to an inexpensive little wooden knob.
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An old Chinese coin with the square hole in the middle makes a graceful, perhaps even lucky, pull.
An old Chinese coin with the square hole in the middle makes a graceful, perhaps even lucky, pull.
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And don’t overlook plain old house keys—they make a fun pull with lots of attitude. You’d be surprised at how many different styles of keys are made, so don’t hesitate to mix and match.
And don’t overlook plain old house keys—they make a fun pull with lots of attitude. You’d be surprised at how many different styles of keys are made, so don’t hesitate to mix and match.
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Keys such as this were used to adjust every thing from skates to the gas flow of radiators. Making them into pulls requires a bit of work, but the result is well worth the effort. The square hole in their base will need to be “tapped” at your local machine shop. This simple process creates a threaded sleeve for the bolt to screw into. Although not an easy DIY project for the home craftsman, tapping is Machine Shop 101, so don’t be intimidated if you find a handsome handful of skate keys.
Keys such as this were used to adjust every thing from skates to the gas flow of radiators. Making them into pulls requires a bit of work, but the result is well worth the effort. The square hole in their base will need to be “tapped” at your local machine shop. This simple process creates a threaded sleeve for the bolt to screw into. Although not an easy DIY project for the home craftsman, tapping is Machine Shop 101, so don’t be intimidated if you find a handsome handful of skate keys.
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Wooden spindles were ubiquitous in the textile industries of old. You can cut off either end for a pull. Some are lined with a metal sleeve, so use a hack saw, not a wood saw.
Wooden spindles were ubiquitous in the textile industries of old. You can cut off either end for a pull. Some are lined with a metal sleeve, so use a hack saw, not a wood saw.
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Iron stars such as this were used to brace masonry in old brick buildings. Put a nut or a stack of washers between it and the cabinet so your fingers have room to grab.
Iron stars such as this were used to brace masonry in old brick buildings. Put a nut or a stack of washers between it and the cabinet so your fingers have room to grab.
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An inexpensive porcelain fixture, available at any hardware store, is the only element that requires hardwiring. This duct work collar was found in a bin at a used building supply yard, but similar collars can be found at hardware stores or heating supply companies. Once the round bulb is screwed into the socket, it holds the collar in place with no screws, welding, or adhesive needed.
An inexpensive porcelain fixture, available at any hardware store, is the only element that requires hardwiring. This duct work collar was found in a bin at a used building supply yard, but similar collars can be found at hardware stores or heating supply companies. Once the round bulb is screwed into the socket, it holds the collar in place with no screws, welding, or adhesive needed.
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The fencing is stretched into place and secured with construction staples. Be sure to secure more than one piece of wire with each staple. Tap the staples flush with a hammer.
The fencing is stretched into place and secured with construction staples. Be sure to secure more than one piece of wire with each staple. Tap the staples flush with a hammer.
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Those little plastic net bags are just too cute (and non-degradable) to throw away. They come in all sizes and varying degrees of softness. Experiment with different kinds and various folds to make a scrubber with the right amount of “tooth” for your dishes.
Those little plastic net bags are just too cute (and non-degradable) to throw away. They come in all sizes and varying degrees of softness. Experiment with different kinds and various folds to make a scrubber with the right amount of “tooth” for your dishes.
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Use less, get more…Changing the cabinets has a dramatic effect on the look of a kitchen. But new cabinets are expensive and often made of questionable materials–glues and preservatives and plastics that can impact the environment and your health. They’re resource-intensive, too–forests of hardwoods fall each year to keep up with the American appetite for the new and different.

Fitting new doors to existing cabinets is an old idea with new relevance. Frame-style doors use relatively little wood and give you the opportunity to recycle materials creatively to put your own stylish stamp on your kitchen. Here are four different materials that easily insert into new or existing door frames for a custom kitchen on your own terms.

Old wavy glass

Recycled glass, once used in a bank for privacy, gives new life to these simple wood-frame cabinet doors. Old glass comes in lots of styles–remember wire grid safety glass or that frosty, bumpy glass on the principal’s door at school? Check in the phone book under “Building Materials–Used” or try architectural salvage yards to begin your search for the perfect glass. Have the glass cut to size at a glass shop. The panels are best fitted in the frames using silicone caulk.

Wire screen

For a clean-lined kitchen, the combination of plain light wood and metal has a contemporary feel. Wire screen, often used in manufacturing, comes in a variety of materials, grid styles, and sizes. Most hardware stores carry a surprising array, or try a metal wire manufacturer (check the yellow pages under “wire cloth” or “wire products”).

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