Rachael Ranney

Rachael Ranney

Rachael Ranney is the host and one of the creative forces behind the sustainable design and home décor series {Re}habitat on Buildipedia.com. This environmentally friendly how-to series focuses on repurposing salvaged, vintage, and recycled furniture and house wares in your home and garden.

As a lifetime treasure hunter, Rachael grew up scouring Midwest flea markets and thrift shops for unique and beautiful pieces. Raised among tinkerers and artists to value sustainable design, she is constantly pushing herself to see the beauty and possibilities within forgotten things.

Constantly inspired by the online green design and DIY communities, Rachael never stops searching for new projects and materials, discovering how to apply green practices everyday to her home and life.

Upcycled Upholstered Headboard

Mon, Dec 19, 2011

Find out, step by step, how to upcycle a sturdy wooden door into an upholstered floating headboard. Watch {Re}habitat, Rachael Ranney’s online video series, to learn how adaptive reuse can add fun and function to your space.

Few furnishings add opulent coziness to your bedroom the way upholstered headboards do, but such pieces come with hefty pricetags. Rachael shows how to make an inexpensive and luxurious upholstered floating headboard with a salvaged wooden door, decorative wood trim, and upholstery materials.

3 Amazingly Simple Handmade Holiday Gift Ideas

Fri, Dec 16, 2011

Let Rachael Ranney, host of {Re}habitat, help you to upcycle some humble materials into gifts this holiday season. Here are three ideas for inexpensive gifts you can make in a few hours.

In the past few years I have begun to make almost all of my gifts by hand. Not only has it saved me from fighting feverishly through the madness of the pre-holiday mall crowds, it has kept my bank account in good standing. I also manage to give creative, personal, and thoughtful gifts to all of the people on my list.

Upcycled Bathroom Storage

Thu, Dec 01, 2011

Find out, step by step, how to upcycle an old door into a unique bathroom storage unit. To see Rachael in action, watch {Re}habitat, her upcycling and repurposing video series.

Most bathrooms could benefit from added storage and a splash of color. An old wooden door, some knobs and racks, and a fresh coat of paint will help you to keep your bathroom organized and give it some character. This storage unit is perfect for bathrooms and other small spaces, but it can add functional, funky vertical storage to any room of your house. Join Rachael as she demonstrates how to turn a salvaged wooden door into upcycled bathroom storage.

Vintage Suitcase Side Table

Thu, Dec 01, 2011

Creating a multifunctional side table to augment your living room furniture is easier and more affordable than you think. Join {Re}habitat host Rachael Ranney as she turns a vintage suitcase into a useful and chic addition to her living space.

Vintage suitcases are one of my favorite ways to keep clutter hidden and my home organized. Buried deep in the dark corners of my closet and all around my office you will find piles of them. I use old funky suitcases to hide my crafting supplies and photos and to store my out-of-season clothes.

The Best DIY and Eco-Friendly Xmas Trees 2011

Thu, Nov 24, 2011

As the holiday season approaches, Rachael, the host of {Re}habitat, has been focusing on eco-friendly alternatives for some of the traditional elements of Christmas.

Living in a small, busy, crazy, constantly evolving, pet-filled apartment has kept me from having the 12’ Douglas Fir of my dreams twinkling in the window. I fear the mess, the drying tree lying out on the curb… and, perhaps most of all, our cats taking it all down in one loud SMASH! In hindsight I feel like I’ve cheated myself out of the full holiday experience by not having a proper Christmas tree.

Assembling a Basic DIY Toolkit

Fri, Nov 18, 2011

You can get the tools you need to complete almost any upcycling, repurposing, or refurbishing project at your local hardware store. Join Rachael, the host of {Re}habitat, as she shares her tips on assembling the simple tools you need to get started.

Your local hardware store has thousands of tools on display, but you only need a few basics in your toolbox. Rachael tells us what to look for when choosing tools, how to keep sustainability in mind, and repurposing tricks of the trade.

 

Vintage Doily Table Runner

Wed, Nov 16, 2011

Set a fantastic and festive table with vintage doilies. Rachael Ranney, host of Buildipedia's {Re}habitat, takes you step by step through this easy project, perfect work for a chilly evening.

Create a beautiful table runner using vintage linen and cotton doilies to bring some unique flair to your holiday dinner parties. I have often come across large collections of these linens at antique malls and flea markets. You may have to begin acquiring them one or two at a time, but try to buy them in bulk from an individual dealer: you’ll probably get a better deal.

Auctions 101: Preparing for Your First Auction

Tue, Nov 08, 2011

Don't be afraid to try your luck at an auction. Rachael Ranney, host of Buildipedia's {Re}habitat, shares some insider tips for making your first auction experience a successful one.

Let me start by admitting openly that I love, love, love auctions! The moment I score a great deal on that one-of-a-kind, beautiful piece is an unassailable thrill. Listening to a great auctioneer generate buzz and excitement about the wares he is selling will never cease to entertain me.

Swanky Leather Belt Lounge Chair

Wed, Nov 02, 2011

Find out, step-by-step, how to make an old chair new again with a small investment in second-hand leather belts in this DIY project that anyone can do.

A sturdy old chair, $70 worth of thrift store belts, and a little upcycling resulted in this lounger, a truly unique eye-catching piece that looks good from any angle. Rachael Ranney, the host of {Re}habitat on the Go Green channel, shows how she gave an abandoned chair an entirely new lease on life.

Reclaiming an Outdoor Firepit

Tue, Oct 18, 2011

Find out, step-by-step, how to make a firepit for your backyard or patio by using a salvaged metal stove. To see Rachael in action, watch her {Re}habitat video series on adaptive reuse and upcycling.

It doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg to create a unique place to entertain in your backyard. A salvaged woodburning stove can become a stylish outdoor firepit in a few hours, with a few simple tools, for a couple bucks. Join Rachael Ranney as she demonstrates how she took a rusty stove and turned it into the pride of her garden.

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