A few years at a party I met a very interesting gentleman called Gary Ateyo. For decades Gary had worked as a labourer in the building industry. Over that time, he managed to build a phenomenal house in South Australia. Impressively he discovered a hidden creative skill to make awesome sculptures from reclaimed agricultural machinery parts. Initially this started as a hobby for his own garden and expanded to friends. The nature of his work really resonated with me and I commissioned him to make a 3-metre fish. The result was outstanding, and it now takes pride of place on my living room wall. Similarly English based designer also uses discarded washing machine parts to construct exquisite side tables.
It’s really alarming how we have become a disposable society. Many appliances have a relatively short shelf life and then are discarded as landfill. For that reason, recycling waste is becoming exceptionally popular with consumers. I’ve seen bench tops fabricated from glass bottles, handbags from cycle inner tubes and a watch (BAUME Ocean) created from plastic waste salvaged from the ocean. This type of inventive approach was the inspiration behind Julian Welch’s cool ‘Washing Machine Drum Side Table’. Even though the concept is simple the result is pretty outstanding.
In a previous life Julian practised as chiropractor for 25 years. Candidly he told me he his addiction issues was ruining his life. This prompted him to take drastic measures to avoid spinning totally out of control. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes he discovered a talent for creating refined products from discarded waste. I got the chance to test one of his side tables which is constructed from a reclaimed washing machine drum. To make this piece of furniture really special Julian has added a smoked grey (available in different colours) perspex top. However, the pièce de résistance is the inclusion of LED light strips. This floods through the perforated holes of the drum and creates a mesmerising aesthetic.
Julian trades under the name ‘New Start Upcycling’. His mission is to repurpose parts that otherwise would have been become landfill. The ‘Washing Machine Drum Side Table’ is a great example of his talents. Weighing only a few kilograms and measuring 480mm by 420mm makes it very portable. For a product of this calibre it is also very competitively priced at £199 (approximately $271). The LED lights are powered by a USB connector, which means it can be used universally. I opted to use a small power bank for convenience and flexibility.
To purchase this amazing table follow this link
