When Amy Hughes , an editor of This Old House magazine, found a cabinet door trashed but in excellent condition on the street where she lives, she asked thousands of her fans from Facebook what they would do with a door like this. After some imaginative answers from on THOHers on Facebook, the winner for the most “liked” was a cabinet-door coffee table.

Needing a new coffee table, and with this door having rounded edges and already “broken in” made this do-it-yourself” project a win-win situation for a house with a toddler in it. Amy decided against adding glass or plexi-glass to the top of the table in favor of using the level areas as individual trays. Prefab steel legs and adding a second shelf below made out of left over tongue and groove flooring made this project practically free.

According to Amy Hughes, “”Lots of people have trouble wrapping their head around the notion of salvage, because again, they have the idea that it’s junk.  You can’t help but develop an appreciation for historic styles and the quality of materials.” Redecorating using salvaged materials is not only green it will give a unique feel to your home. Keep this in mind next time you see your neighbor clean out their garage.