Monday, July 26, 2010

Pulley Fixation

Lately I've had a fixation on vintage pulleys. Heavy, rusty, metal, wood, useful... how could I not be fixated? (Above pulley from twoartdirectors.) I saw a ton of old pulleys this weekend at the Big Flea, and managed to come home with a few, which I added to my small collection gathered from Ruckersville several months ago. I will have to sit down with them, and decide which ones I can't bear to part with, and will list the rest in the shop. I've been thinking about useful purposes to pull these workhorses out of retirement. String a light fixture through one, rig up a line for hanging clothes or fresh artwork to dry, suspend a potted plant with style... Most of these ideas involve hanging them from the ceiling, which got me to thinking about sturdy ways to install a pulley. This thought experiment led me down another favorite path - ceilings with wood beams. I found a few examples on the Etsy There's No Place Like Here pool on Flickr. Below, Maya's kitchen. Below, mosey handmade.
Below, johnny&stacie.
Below, from absoluutly.
The next image is our den. We have a slanted ceiling in that room, and I've long thought that I would like to install some wooden beams in the ceiling, running left to right. Then I would have the perfect mount for a pulley or two.
I've collected my favorite vintage pulleys from Etsy, in case you can't wait for me to list mine (assuming I can let go of any of them!). CampHobachee, below.
solsticehome.
RuggyDesign.
QueenLondonsCarriage.
OldTimePickers.
MonkiVintage.
ModishVintage.
ingenuityondisplay.
heavyhunter.
funretro.
everyeskimo.
dkgeneralstore.
chocolateforthesoul.
AMradio.
Thinking about all of this has gotten me inspired to even throw some pots that can be paired with a vintage pulley. Handmade and vintage together, for the purpose of using nature to decorate - perfection!

11 comments:

p said...

those are the coolest things i've ever seen...wow.

Unknown said...

My husband made me a pot rack from black pipe, and I have my old pulling hanging from it. The other old one is hanging in the bathroom, with small pail, and flowers. Once you start using them you find out you do not have enough!

Lisa at lil fish studios said...

Oh I'm right there with you. Love the combination of the worn wood and metal. I've passed over several at yard sales, simply because I just can't start another collection, but it took A LOT of willpower to do it. I do have one old hay pulley I found at the Sal. Army store though, which I love, and I'm still trying to figure out where to use it.

The Vintage Cabin said...

I love pulleys too! My favorite use for them is to hang a chandelier/large dining light. If you attach the light to an old rope and swag it through the pulley, it looks awesome. Thanks for including me in this great post. :)

Anonymous said...

it is so hard for me not to be attracted to anything industrial. the styling pairs so well with rustic modern, minimalist and cottage decor. super versatile!

thank you for allowing my pulley to contribute to this fabulous post! i am a huge fan of your shop as well...

Ingenuity On Display said...

I absolutely love your post! Pulleys are so fascinating. Different shapes, sizes and colors. Thank you for showing us all these beautiful pictures!

Camp Ho-Ba-Chee cool vintage finds said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Camp Ho-Ba-Chee cool vintage finds said...

Wonderful article, wonderful pullies, wonderful blog. Thank you for including our barn pulley and for turning us on to your great blog. You have curated a great collection.

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for including my pulleys, although you're making me want to "pull" them from my shop and sue them in my home! :) I love all the other ones you've picked as well. They are all from among my favorite shops!

monki said...

Great post Tracy! I love pulleys and I'm with AMRadio - industrial elements go so well with other styles. I'm not a purist when it comes to any style, but I do love incorporating rustic and mid century and industrial and cottage pieces. Thanks for including MonkiVintage.

OldTimePickers said...

Pulleys are so versatile and so fun! They can be incorporated into any design style and fit quite comfortably. Great post!