Enterprising reader Nate Anderson, who contributed to our recent uploader, impressed everyone with a DIY project that could have come straight out of a 1956 Popular Mechanix: Marry an old washtub to hairpin table legs and plant it up to make a fabulous midcentury modern style planter.
This project actually started with trash-picking, which I prefer to call dumpster-diving, even if a dumpster is not involved. Sounds classier, don’t you think? Nate uploaded the photo above, writing:
This spring I found a couple turquoise fiberglass laundry tubs curbside.
Then, he got creative:
Attached a few hairpin legs and I ended up with some custom atomic planters. 🙂
I especially appreciate how Bate varied the height of the hairpin legs to create even more drama. And he also knows how to design a container garden: Tall stuff, flat stuff, and stuff that grows to sweep down — nicely played!
Update: Originally, Nate was identified as “mystery reader” in my blog post, because he hadn’t included his name with the uploaded photos. When he came forth to take his bow, I clicked over to his website — Avocado Green — and guess what: No surprise whatsoever at the beautiful execution of this idea, because Nate is a Registered Landscape Architect!
Thank you for this great idea, Nate, although I don’t know how many of us are going to be so lucky as to find scrumptious vintage turquoise fiberglass laundry tubs out on trash day! But here’s an idea: Use spray paint that’s made to paint plastic to get just the retro color you want!
Hmmmm…. what else could we
put hairpin table legs on
to make planters like this?
- See our story 9 places to buy hairpin table legs. I think quite a few readers do the Amazon thing, because I see some affiliate dough-re-mi come from them every month. Merci beau coups — helps keep the blog boat afloat!
Nate! Thank you! I will change “Mystery reader” to Nate!
Nate, and all, I’ve learned to my chagrin, that if your eyes light on it or you touch it/pick it up, it’s best just to bring it along and figure it out later. If it turns out you can’t figure out what to do with in a “reasonable amount of time” (snort!), you can always give it away. But if you DON’T take it, it will be to your eternal regret…
There are only 2 caveats to this: I can’t afford it/pay that price or I don’t have transportation. Pickups and fold-down seats are our downfall.
Thanks for all of the Mad Mid Mod ideas. I have a 70’s side table I wanted to do something with. The hairpin legs will look great with it. What a great way to “modernize” any fab table top.
Those hairpin legs looks great on the planter. I have also been thinking of getting a wicker planter for my garden. I found a model from wicker emporium http://wickeremporium.ca/outdoor/planters and I am planing on making one soon.