Formerly known as...

I heard an anecdote that director Robert Rodriguez self-imposes a budget on all of his films. Though he's a bigshot making such fine fare at "Spy Kids" and "Planet Terror" and could probably just film himself rolling in all the money his investors are giving him, he's realized that if he has a strict budget to work around, he's going to come up with something more creative and interesting. (Hear that, James Cameron? Allllll those hundreds of millions of dollars for "Avatar" and you still had a script that was a ripoff of freakin' "Pocohantas." Go back to small budgets and give us another decent "Terminator" film like the first one, whydontcha?) (Also, "Hurt Locker" was awesome.)

My point is that limitation breeds creativity, so if you're working with a small budget and a small space, you're actually at an advantage. Think about all the home decor stores out there, and all the products inside. Yet with no money and no room, you're going to be able to cross off stores and products right away, leaving you to focus on a smaller pool. And if what you need isn't in that smaller pool, that's when you've got to do it yourself.

CasaSugar featured a coffee table the other day that got me thinking about this. They stumbled upon a drum that had been turned into a coffee table by placing a glass top across it. Ingenious! And it looks awesome!

I love the idea of taking something meant for one purpose, changing it just a little, and having it serve another purpose entirely. And imagine the money you could save! One man's trash is another man's treasure and all that. Below, Apartment Therapy found a window meant for the dumpster that was turned into another cool coffee table.

Check out more repurposed coffee tables (click the pic for the link)...

A former clock face (as seen on Apartment Therapy and Design Milk)

A former window shutter on Etsy...

This wooden spool, with a coat of paint and a glass top, could easily become a side table...

... As could this rattan trunk from Target.

Anyone have other examples that they've seen or done themselves? What do you wish you could repurpose? I know one that I'd love to have...

It's Han Solo in carbonite as a DESK! I love it! (I know.)