Upcycled furniture conjures images of simple structures, old-fashioned elements recast in new-but-
similar roles. These salvage-born cabinets, shelves and other quirky furniture pieces turn those expectations upside down, sideways and then leave them at a dizzying angle.
Instead of using them in expected ways, the parts of these puzzles are intentionally rearranged to catch the viewer off guard – a door tilted at an angle and wrapped around the side of a cabinet rather than just covering its front, for example.
Front doors, glass windows, scrap trim, paint-speckled ladders and more – everything is fair game for Dutch furniture designer Chris Ruhe, who turns these unsightly antiques into fabulous uniques.?Chipped paint, sunken glass and the occasional splintered wood or outstanding nail add character to the works – nothing significant is added or subtracted from the found remnants reclaimed in their making.
That is not to say there is no rhyme or reason to his craft – strategically-placed voids play critical roles in each composition, and antique window frames allow views into warped display shelves. ?Still, there is definitely more art than science in the way he makes each piece, and the results range from surprising to stunning each time.
