The thrift store gods smiled down on me favorably the day I spotted a $9 brass thingy-ma-bob on an overpacked, dusty thrift store shelf. It looked a bit like a giant brass candlestick. Maybe a lamp base. Probably was a lamp base. Although it could have been part of a table, for all I know.
What I did know was that I was not going to waste this precious gift.
Without a moment’s hesitation, I grabbed that brass thingy-ma-bob off the shelf and walked nonchalantly away. We all know you have to act quickly before someone else notices what you’ve noticed and swipes it out from under you. All’s fair in love and thrifting.
I might have acted calm on the outside, but on the inside, I was mentally cha-cha-cha-ing my way toward the checkout counter because I knew this brass thingy-ma-bob was going to make a killer plant stand.
Ooph. Wrong adjective to use. No plant killing is happening here. Maybe an accidental death or two, though.
What isn’t going to be an accident is how we made a table out of this brass piece without damaging it. How do you attach anything, particularly wood, to brass?
This is the most inspired part.
In this case, the brass piece is hollow. That meant a dowel would fit down the center, but not just any dowel. This is us, and we repurpose anything and everything. It was a reluctant participant in this DIY, but with a bit of hammering due to the snug fit, into the center of the brass thingy-ma-bob went a wood closet rod. Don’t know why we had that, but glad we saved it!
Then it was just a matter of attaching a wood base and top to either end of the dowel with a screw.
I did have to do some wood finishing trickery to fill in the screw hole and make it blend as best as possible. It’s not perfect, so no one look too closely.
You’re going to look now, aren’t you?
I knew it.
We used pine for the top and base of the plant stand because pine makes up the bulk of our scrap wood stash.
Pine and fine furniture are two terms that are never, and I do mean NEVER, used together, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. I will go to great lengths to get the champagne look on a tap water budget.
In my biased opinion, the routed edge detail, dark stain, and glossy finish make up for the rustic nature of the pine.
But feel free to tell me if you disagree.
If you’re curious about scale and dimension, the plant stand’s top has a 10-inch diameter. The base has a 12-inch diameter. It’s 24.5 inches tall.
What this means is that there are plenty of nooks and crannies in our home where this upcycled wood and brass plant stand can fit.
The hard part has been deciding where I want to use it.
This is partly because I want to display it somewhere front and center so I can stare at it all the time. Not joking.
So far, I’ve ruled out smack dab in the middle of the entryway because that seems a little impractical, but most everywhere else near a window is fair game at this point.
I could also use the stand as a drink table. You know I love a little spot to set a drink.
I’m dying to know, what do you think of my upcycled wood and brass plant stand? What would you have made with this brass find?
Please, tell me everything. Don’t hold back, unless it’s unkind. Kind comments really do make my day. You can comment on this blog post, email me here, or reach out via direct message on Instagram or Facebook.
Happy decorating!
Room Sources:
Sofa (similar)
Art – all thrifted
Other small tables and plant stands – thrifted
Thanks for spending part of your day here with me. If you’d like another post to read, try one of these gems. There’s a theme.
Another Brass Table Mash-Up We Made
A 3rd Brass Table Mash-Up but With a Live Edge
Blanket Ladder with DIY Brass Leg Tips
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