What do you do when a piano is too worn for use, but too costly to repair? Here are some ideas!
Check out what how lovely this old bench looks with a fresh coat of paint!
How would you like to sleep in a piano bed?
Or perhaps you’d rather just have a piano headboard (see more here).
How about a piano garden?
How about a fish aquarium?!
This designer created a chair made out of old piano parts. Yes, you can sit in it!
The previous three photos are by the Upright Furniture Company, which specializes in making desks out of old, nonfunctional pianos.
Michelle Stitzlein creates art such as these large butterflies using upcycled objects like piano parts.
Here’s a fancy table created from an old upright!
Someday I REALLY want to do this project! This coffee table was made from the lid of a baby grand. See how this person made theirs here. I would make it taller and use it as a workspace in my piano studio. Can’t you just imagine a group of students happily working on their worksheets around this fun, curvy table?! =)
This bookcase idea is awesome too.
Check out this choker necklace, made from an old piano string!
This Etsy.com shop owner creates jewelry and sculptures from piano parts. I love this adorable pooch!
How about this mailbox?
Or a tool bench!
Classic Pianos in Portland has found some creative ways to recycle parts from old pianos, including artwork (above), clocks (two photos up), and more.
Seeing all these creative projects really makes me want to start a project. =)
Let me share with you one final photo. My grandparent’s piano suffered from water damage a few years ago, and the piano was deemed beyond repair. Before the piano was brought away, my husband and I took the beautiful music rack stand from the piano. I was hoping to come up with something clever to do with it as a rememberance of my grandma’s piano. The following Christmas, my husband surprised me with this:
He made the music rack into wall art! He printed photos of us and created a collage. The collage was laminated and attached to the back of the music rack. There are two small rings that allow the piece to be hung from the wall. I was so surprised and touched when I unwrapped the gift! It currently hangs in our dining room. =)
Do you have any creative piano-related projects to share?
13 Comments
Perhaps the body part of an upright could be used to keep books if a shelf was added to it? Grooves could be made in the keyboard area (once the keys are removed) to keep CDs, or alternatively a CD rack could just be attached to it.
These are brilliant ideas!! I love just about all of them. I would have a house full of old piano stuff, but then I might be accused of being slightly….obsessed? :)
Great post, Joy, especially the very last picture!
Wow! How cool are all those! And your brilliant husband for thinking out of the box and creating a beautiful memory you can enjoy for many many years to come!
Wow! These are all incredible! And what a lovely present from your husband. :)
This is such an awesome post! Thank you for sharing. These are some really great ideas for pianos that are beyond repair. Someday I would love to make my yard a home to a baby grand planter :)
(But first, I want a baby grand in my living room!)
How incredibly fun! Thanks Joy!
I built that coffee table. Thanks for posting this. And I did get longer leggs for when we needed a taller table! Happy to have found this. You made my day.
Thanks, John! Great work on your table!
I am in the process of converting a baby grand into a storage unit for my kitchen. The cabinetmaker and I are working out the design, considering laying on it’s long side and using the hinged piece as a door to expose three shelves. From the opposite end 3 very deep cubby holes are facing, the lid is a facade for the entire unit. Hard to explain but that’s just one idea. Will post the progress and end result. I need a functional storage cabinet for over sized serving trays, water pitchers, vases and such, and thoughts?
You found my mailbox. As a piano tuner I hate to see old instruments die. I had fun “rebuilding” this piano that had been in a fire in downtown Bozeman, MT. Love everything I see on this page.
Love the ideas..Cannot believe what can be done recycling/ repurposing a piano..
OMG! I am floored. I wish I’d seen this photo before my mother gave away the piano I play on as a child. It was too large to maintain in the home. I love your website.Thanks for sharing ideas.