Imagine something stashed away in a garage or basement – an article that’s collecting dust and waiting to be junked – or a Value Village find purchased on a whim. Now imagine turning it into something fabulous and chic.
That’s what the owner of Apple Box Design Studio does – and helps others to do.
Prior to starting her business, Leanne Playtor Korsos worked in theatre as an actress and set-designer – until she reimagined herself into a consulting career in Information Technology. And then she reimagined her life again, becoming an entrepreneur of four different businesses in St. Albert and Edmonton.
In the studio, Playtor Korsos, who refers to herself as a chief reimaginer, takes items that otherwise might become throw-aways and repurposes them into cool new things. She calls the resulting designs rustic industrial chic.
As an example, Playtor Korsos was once given a cabinet that had belonged to her grandmother. There were memories and emotion attached to the cabinet – but it didn’t match anything else she owned. As a result, the cabinet was shuffled between basement, garage and anywhere else she could fit it – until she gave it a makeover.
Today the cabinet is a prominent feature in her living room.
From old furniture to knickknacks, whether made of metal, wood, plastic or glass, almost anything can be repurposed. Even projects with fabric. The item doesn’t have to be old – relatively inexpensive Ikea furniture makes a perfect canvas for unique one-of-a-kind creations. A little bit of chalk or milk paint from Playtor Korsos’ store, an appliquĂ© or two, and maybe some new handles, can transform an ordinary item into something bright and beautiful.
“Our products are popular with students going off to college,” says Playtor Korsos. “Parents may not have any more money to spend on furnishing those first apartments than they ever did, but kids are savvier than they used to be. They want things redesigned to fit their personal tastes and younger styles.
“It’s also a great way to hand things down through several children, giving each child the opportunity to personalize those same items.”
Other reasons to repurpose are to find new uses for things that have passed their prime but that you still want to keep for other reasons – like the cabinet from Playtor Korsos’ grandmother. It’s also a way to clear out clutter and make a few dollars by restyling items to sell on Kijiji.
“And here’s an exclusive,” says Playtor Korsos. “We are the [exclusive] Canadian manufacturer and distributor for O’verlays.”
This American company produces flat PVC cutouts, which can be applied to furniture to give it an entirely new look. The overlays are easy to add – and easy to change later. They can also be painted.
For further details, including repurposing workshops offered by Apple Box Design Studio, check the website www.AppleBoxDesignStudio.com for more information.
