apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time


How To: Craft a Table Using Old Magazines

magopener081808.jpg

If there's anything we have too many of in our apartment, it's magazines and plants. So we solved the problem by re-purposing six magazines (and that's all you need — no glue or scissors required!) into this plant stand. It took about ten minutes. Here's how...

 
 

magvert2081808.jpg

We were inspired by a project done by our friend Erica. She has the coolest job of anyone we know: she crafts and does the store design for Anthropologie. We snapped the photos below when we visited her home in Portland, Oregon. She was working on the idea at that point, and then the vintage books popped up in stores a few months later.

bookshelf081808.jpg

bookstereo081808.jpg

The concept is similar to cardboard furniture. It's amazing how sturdy the paper can be when it involves multiple layers. We were thinking a single magazine could work as a wall shelf...let me know if anyone tries it or if you have any other uses!

You'll need:
• Old magazines. That's it!

Directions:


  1. Pull out any subscription cards from inside the magazine. (And subscribe if you like it--it's so much cheaper than buying off the newstand!)

  2. Flip open the magazines and leave the cover out to the left. Thumb threw (about) ten pages, then fold them in half towards you, tucking the page ends back towards the binding. The crease should be on the right side, and the loose ends should be on the top.

  3. Repeat for the entire magazine, including the back cover. (It's okay to vary the number of pages a little, so don't worry about counting them.)

  4. Fold the cover to the right, over the first crease, and tuck it in towards the binding to secure the folded pages. You'll have a semi-circle fan shape.

  5. Repeat for any other magazines. Place them back to back, with the flat sides together. If you're stacking two on top of each other, rotate the second layer a few degrees so that they stack like bricks, and not directly on top of each other. This will make them more stable.

magazinelookingdown081808.jpg

Tags

How to..., magazine, plant stand, craft

Related Links

Share

Comments (33)

Clever!
http://xobeau.blogspot.com/

posted by xoBeau on August 19th 2008 at 2:31pm
view xoBeau's profile

I really dig the ones made from vintage books. Can you give instructions for those too?
thanks!

posted by MayaB on August 21st 2008 at 9:05am
view MayaB's profile

WOW! That's Awesome! Thanks!

posted by VeryDelishVeg on August 25th 2008 at 6:13pm
view VeryDelishVeg's profile

She does have the coolest job!

Really wonderful idea.

Wanted to suggest, too, for old mags, to take them to the gym for others to enjoy or a hospital lobby, especially those inner city ones. There's a lot of families who have time on their hands and in need of a distraction while their loved one is being treated. Am sure lots of you are doing this kind of thing already, but it can't hurt to put it out there some more...

posted by kristen verity on August 26th 2008 at 5:39am
view kristen verity's profile

Considering the vast number of old magazines I have that I haven't wanted to throw away, this is a great, great concept. Add a table top, and noone will ever know that your table is made of last month's Vogue! I love it :)

posted by Jennae @ Green Your Decor on August 26th 2008 at 4:34pm
view Jennae @ Green Your Decor's profile

OK...downer alert!

I feel bad criticizing this as I am a big fan of re-using items and craft in general, but....I find this aesthetically hideous!

posted by Thomas on August 27th 2008 at 4:09am
view Thomas's profile

Very Creative!

posted by nikamarie on August 29th 2008 at 4:36am
view nikamarie's profile

Too funny.

This reminds me of an old craft project my mother used to do when we were kids. Take a fat Simpsons/Eatons catalogue, start folding each page down to make a perfect triangle with the bottom of the page acting as one angle. Do this to EVERY PAGE. You will eventually have a cone. Spray paint this gold or green.

There is your Christmas tree.

Whew.

posted by ellakelly on September 3rd 2008 at 7:44am
view ellakelly's profile

Hi Maya B

Erica tells me that it's the same concept, but that she cut the covers out. Happy crafting!

posted by Chartreuse79 on September 10th 2008 at 6:29am
view Chartreuse79's profile

I tried this idea and it turned out great! I used paper clips to secure the folded pages because they would come loose once I stacked them. I placed the finished magazine product in a tall, large vase and placed a tray on top of it. I did two of these and put it in my guest bedroom as side tables. I had a couple of friends over and they thought that it was so cool. I'm thinking that I might spray paint the magazines to make it even more interesting. Very cool and easy project though. Now I just need to figure out what to do with the rest of my 100 magazines;-)

posted by Sashmo on October 6th 2008 at 9:14am
view Sashmo's profile

Wow, this looks like a great idea. Thanks

MikeCrabe

posted by tolo87 on December 30th 2008 at 12:52pm
view tolo87's profile

I LOVE the end table idea. Anyone know where I could get tall vases large enough?

posted by tiandre on January 2nd 2009 at 9:11pm
view tiandre's profile

That's really cool, it'll give me a useful thing to do with all the old magazines I horde. I wonder, though, how do you attach the two magazines together to create the full circle?

I would love some pictures along with this tutorial!

posted by missyfuss on January 19th 2009 at 7:57pm
view missyfuss's profile

You could use a hot glue gun to glue the spines of the two magazines together. It would make it a little more stable.

posted by casey w on January 23rd 2009 at 10:51am
view casey w's profile

Nice pics clever ideas wow thanks

posted by kateb on February 13th 2009 at 10:36am
view kateb's profile

Great Ideas Mate, Thank you very much

Log splitter guide

posted by tolo87 on February 22nd 2009 at 3:34am
view tolo87's profile

Very Cool

I think you need four mags to make a complete fanned table. I used 2 Vanity Fair and 2 Dwell

Love it

Peter Knockstead
Washington DC

posted by MidCenturyDC on March 4th 2009 at 8:07am
view MidCenturyDC's profile

wAY to go...nice
http://officialdeadseasalt.com

posted by dead sea salt on April 24th 2009 at 8:59pm
view dead sea salt's profile

It's a nice work if it is real .
auto insurance quote

posted by auto insurance quote on April 27th 2009 at 12:21am
view auto insurance quote's profile

Interesting. The designs of the overall magazines make an elegant table top for the pot. This is really an unique tutorial that I have not yet seen else where. Great to be unique.
Ways to Make Money Online

posted by AlbertF on June 22nd 2009 at 1:41pm
view AlbertF's profile

Cool, Thanks for the great tip!
Credit Card Terminal| Point of Sale .

posted by tagshow01 on June 24th 2009 at 3:26am
view tagshow01's profile

That is funny, but i must say it does look kinda cool.
premier cosmetics | premier eye serum

posted by Dead Sea Premier Cosmetics on July 16th 2009 at 5:22am
view Dead Sea Premier Cosmetics's profile

thanks !she crafts and does the store China Wholesale

posted by screnn on July 21st 2009 at 2:20am
view screnn's profile

Thank you very much,Anyone know where I could get tall vases large enough? http://www.crazypurchase.com

posted by screnn on July 21st 2009 at 2:22am
view screnn's profile

threw?

posted by linbo on August 5th 2009 at 7:51am
view linbo's profile

"thumb threw" ? ? ?
Who edits this stuff? You threw out the trash last night. You would thumb through a few pages.
Honestly, who edits and hires these bloggers?

posted by King of Arcadia on August 5th 2009 at 2:01pm
view King of Arcadia's profile

I chuckled when I read that, King.

I just grabbed a few old mags and tried this out, too simple really. I stuck one next to my bed that previously had no side table (platform bed with drawers) and another in my entryway with a few coasters on top to level the surface, pretty cute, actually. My apartment is quirky so the idea fits, thanks for the inspiration!

posted by dotsamantha on August 7th 2009 at 11:16am
view dotsamantha's profile

Hey, you have a very nice book collection.

Jaye,
workathometomakemoney.com

posted by Jaye on September 7th 2009 at 11:04am
view Jaye's profile

I have never seen that before! Great idea and a cool way to add a unique look to a room! great stuff!
How to quit smoking

posted by daveb91 on September 12th 2009 at 5:05pm
view daveb91's profile

I cannot believe this is true!
movie download links

posted by longarion on September 29th 2009 at 3:55am
view longarion's profile

Very creative ways of reusing old materials for recycling. If we keep our eyes open, there are more ideas to be implemented.
handicap stair lift

used electric wheelchairs

posted by alphat on October 7th 2009 at 10:57am
view alphat's profile

I can't decide whether aesthetically I like this or not! It's a pretty good idea but not totally sure it looks that great!

James
Web - outdoor fireplace designs, restonic mattress.

posted by Hueyloo on October 9th 2009 at 6:07am
view Hueyloo's profile

WoW!! Great Idea Mate, Thank you very much...

John from kids learn piano

posted by ebudaffo on October 18th 2009 at 1:46pm
view ebudaffo's profile