John Warren Designs: 2011

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

reconditioned factory cart

We got this out of a wall paper sample book factory in Newport NH last year. It had several inches of hot glue all over it and a particle board top with 10 layers of cardboard stapled to it.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Stephanie inspired cabinet

I was at an impasse about halfway through this one. Stephanie came down and said "put this ceiling tin here and add fleur-de-lis. After that it worked out great.

For this cabinet I used "SUNSHINE" from an old cookstove I picked up at a flea market. The sun is fashioned from ceiling tin. About 10 years ago I was trash picking in Manchester NH when I found a dumpster with remnants of an old Victorian house. Besides a lot of great wood and trim pieces there was about 500 pounds of ceiling tin. It took 3 trips in my Toyota station wagon but I got all of it.

"Anchor Brand" cabinet

I had this anchor for awhile hanging in my shop, it has HOPE embossed on it. The "Anchor Brand" words are from a turn of the century clothes wringer.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

horse nightstands - found a crate of the horses in the factory

Breathing new life into an era passing us by

We've been mining this old pipe organ/solar products/repository for a lot of old things for almost a year now. Soon it will be razed to make way for more condos like the ones across the street.
After spending a lot of time there you start to notice little signs of the workers and people that inhabited it since the 1860's. In one of the basements someone cut out a Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman campaign photo and nailed it above an old drill press. Next to that a Vargas pin up was tacked above a long work bench. The more you get tuned in to it the more you see and find.
That's what it's all about for me. Less than six degrees of separation from this old stuff now to the original owners. When Steph and I find old cool stuff or I build something from reclaimed materials I'm trying to keep what they did going for future generations.

table top or counter top organizer

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Factory Finds

We have been American Pickers in an old factory slated for demolition in New England for the last few months.
It originated in the 1800s making a variety of products until current day. Each iteration of this factory's life was stored in layers throughout the various buildings. From pipe organs to infant coffins to solar panels, this place was full of bizarre stuff.
We spent a lot of time digging.
And I've been at work designing and turning our factory finds into one of a kind furnishings for home + studio.
I've been selling the medium sized cabinets to be used as end tables and night stands.
Brilliant.
The small cabinets, many, fit on the counter under most kitchen cabinets. Or on a shelf. We like using them for organizing small stuff we need to stash.

Check out what I made: