Brainstorm #4

Ready for another brainstorm? This one's kind of tricky.

It belongs to Joan  who's an artist.  Joan lives just up the hill from ChinaTown in San Francisco in a kind of a deco chinese edwardian building and she tries to keep some fun references to the neighborhood inside the apartment. 

The box is about 21 by 24 inches and the slats inside don't go all the way through to the back board. Joan's own idea is to somehow hang little gouaches from it.

First we'd like to give Joan an idea of how to hang the gouaches. We suggest cutting a flap of the same art paper that is used for the gouaches themselves which is then attached to the back of the gouache. The flap is folded to go over the compartment. If she wanted to Joan could add he flap at the top of her art paper by cutting the paper in that shape to begin with.

Our second idea is also an artsy one. We're thinking card stock could be bent and stuck into the compartments creating a pattern, as in this case Joan's initial. This one's my favorite.

My mind is already set on the holidays so I was thinking it would look nice with a string of clear tiny fairylights stuck under the dividers and hung on a wall. Actually, the thing on it's own would look stunning on a wall as part of an art wall with different size frames and Joans own art.

I love Martin's idea of having a piece of glass cut to size and adding a base (or legs if you prefer) and using it as an occasional table.

Without the base but still with the glass and added handles on the sides it could be turned into a tray.

And to elaborate on the tray idea and in the I've-had-too-much-wine category we offer a large toast rack.

Any more ideas for Joan? The very first thing that came to my mind when I got Joan's e-mail was to store cards of some sort. I'm thinking business cards, ATC's, other trading cards or even displaying playing vintage cards or (small...) holiday cards.

Any ideas what it's really for? Because of it's sort of oriental color I'm thinking mah-jong tile organizer? Is there even such a thing?

Comments

[Bex]

Oh, I'd hang it as is.
But I'm a hoarder with aspirations of a minimalist so what do I know? XXxx.

[Zewa]

My first thought was, this is a tape rack....you know the mixed tape, prehistoric, pre CD and iPod thing.

[Benita ~ Chez Larsson]

Lets hope Joan has some tapes :) It does sound plausible!

[Angie]

It reminds me of a window with horizontal venetian blinds. I think I would pull the base off and glue a cool poster on it (with odd buildings or even with a photo from another window taken in her house), and then put it back :-) And then hang it on the wall :-)
Xxx, Angie
P.S. I'm enjoy a lot your ideas, specially the drawings :-)))

[Benita ~ Chez Larsson]

Martin will be pleased as he's the one doing the drawings :)

[Dusa]

It's definitely a cassette tape rack. We had several of them at one point. The dividers were flimsier plywood-type material.

[gul]

I am much into fairylights! I think this would perfectly go with ChinaTown concept!

[Emma]

What a fabulous piece! Its utilitarian streak is SO OBVIOUS though - it is a teabag holder! Those little slats are perfectly shaped to hold individually packaged teabags which would look like a collage of deliciousnes on any kitchen wall. And how fun for the house guests to go up to the "tea wall" and select their favorite!

[jencaputo]

Yup, it's first life was definitely a cassette rack. These are getting harder and harder to find, if you find them on ebay they are going for a pretty penny! They were originally made by Napa Valley I believe.
Anyway, I have one as well. I use it in my craft room to corral my ink pads!
See a picture of what I mean here:
http://jencaputo.typepad.com/.a/6a00d834523b6069e201053644afb6970b-pi

[Benita ~ Chez Larsson]

That's a great use for it! I also love your ribbon dispenser! DIY?

[Susan]

Your toast holder picture reminded me that I use an old silver plated toast holder as my cloth napkin holder on my kitchen table...So along that same train of thought, why not use this object to hold a collection of pretty cloth napkins in the kitchen, lovely scarves (or socks or hose) in the bedroom, or scraps of fabric (i.e. fat quarters if you quilt) in the craft room? If you were a gardener, could you use it to organize seed packets?

[Franziska]

I like the occasional table version.

The box also could be used for stamping pads.

[Joan Herlinger]

I love this one since I am a big tea drinker

[Joan Herlinger]

So many great ideas. I definitely could use it for that

[jencaputo]

Yes, indeed it was! I don't recommend it, it took FOREVER! the material of those ikea boxes was not meant to have holes punched in it...

[JenWoodhouse.com]

How about hanging earrings and necklaces from it? It's a jewelry organizer!

[Sophie]

I have one of these kicking around in my basement, still the plain wood color it was when I used it for its intended purpose years ago. You've got me excited about the idea of painting it and giving it new life as something else. I would enjoy seeing a photo of what Joan comes up with, especially if she hangs her art on the rack--that sounds like a really neat idea.