via Country Living

Yesterday we celebrated Earth Day... This weekend many towns will carry on the celebrations to bring awareness to saving and caring for our precious natural resources. There are many things we can do to save our planet and reduce our carbon footprint... conserving water and energy and buying locally is just the beginning. Recycling and re-purposing the items you no longer use is another savvy option. Donate or consign your gently used items. Or find completely new uses for them! Many of us are sitting on treasures waiting to be discovered. An old piece of furniture may no longer fit your home, your lifestyle or may even have seen better days. Sure, you can pass it along to your college-bound kid looking to furnish his off-campus home, or you can find a way to incorporate it into your home with a minor face lift of paint job. Old furniture can be refinished or stripped and repainted. A large dresser makes a wonderful and stately kitchen island. It can add personality and elegance to a bathroom, find a new home in your dining room as a sideboard for food service and as storage for your place settings. Your old dresser is perfect for everything, including the kitchen sink!

I'm all about individuality and uniqueness. I'm drawn to those items that dare to be different and dare to stand out. While there is a place for Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware, there's so much more out there. We too often look to what's quick, easy and immediately. To create a home that is truly spectacular, no matter how large or small, we need to think outside the box, or - outside the catalogue...