While searching for unique upcycle design I’m always looking for a designer that hasn’t yet been featured on upcycleDZINE. But this time I couldn’t resist visiting the website of one of my favorite upcycle designers to see if there was something new. I’m talking about T.O.M.T.™, founded by Rodney Allen Trice in 1994 and based in Brooklyn | New York.
For those of you familiar with his name, know the quality of his work. He’s a designer with a stunning collection of upcycle design pieces. A few examples of his unique work are the Kenmore Arch Lamp and another design called Dual Fan Lamps.
Wardrobe functions as a real eye catcher
And now I stumbled upon another amazing item, a Fridge Wardrobe. This beautiful design is made out of using an old refrigerator, wood, steel, and a mirror.
This object has such a great history. Some time ago a shipping company found this refrigerator and sent a few photos to Rodney. From that moment on he knew that he could make something astonishing out of it. And seeing the end product one can tell that a lot of effort has gone into it.
Rodney Allen Trice:
“IT TOOK YEARS! I mean YEARS! maybe a decade of wrestling with it and then covering it with a drop cloth and walking away for periods. It was a relationship I had with this item. We have been wrestling through this fridge’s “reassignment” therapy for a while.”
On the website of T.O.M.T.™ it says that his awareness of our need to conserve the Earth’s resources has grown significantly since his endeavor began more than 12 years ago. As has his concern for a ‘future where no one will be insulated from the need to make the most of the objects around us’.
Rodney Allen Trice: “No object has been neglected too long, been tossed too far or is too ordinary to be a star. I don’t promise to know what to do with every misplaced object out there in the world, but I do believe there is some purpose to everything. Nothing is truly garbage. That’s fundamental to my philosophy.”
T.O.M.T.™ wants us to learn to see more in an object or material than just as it is. For instance, a ‘rain shield’ isn’t just an umbrella. It could be so much more.
If you’re looking for something special, something truly unique for your home, well this Fridge Wardrobe might be something for you. The only drawback might be the price tag. But that’s a minor detail!
Please visit his site to see his collection and check out his new stuff.
Design by T.O.M.T. | Etsy
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