The story of the schoolhouse locker room shelving and baskets span 30 years….yes, 30 years.
I have always been smitten with vintage charm, and when vintage pieces have local history it makes it that much more charming.
30+ years ago as a newlywed (and starting my collecting) a friend asked if I would be interested in schoolhouse locker baskets…..well that’s a silly question…..’why, of course!’. These locker baskets weren’t just any baskets….they were from the school house gymnasium of my Husband and my Moms al-ma-mater! They were used thru-out the 50’s and 60’s, possibly earlier, possibly later too.
….mmm, I need to check out my Mom’s or my Hubby’s Parents yearbooks to see if I can spot them!
They are made of wire with numbered gold plates and a few had locks too.
I’ve never really used them for anything, but just knew if I held onto them long enough I would come up with an idea…..and thank goodness I did.
Fast forward to about a year ago, 30 years later…..the locker room shelving for the same locker baskets from the same schoolhouse became available. ‘Why, Yes, I will take that too!’
Do you see how the gold number plates are the same on the baskets and on the shelving? How lucky was this find.
Now, the locker room shelving didn’t arrive all pretty and ready to use….of course, a little DIY was in order to make it work in the Studio. My needs were not for dirty sneakers and smelly socks that’s for sure.
We scrubbed and scuffed the locker room shelving and removed all the hardware, then with a lot of patience my hubby taught me how to spray paint, this is his trade after all. Mixing Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint in ‘Flow Blue’ and adjusting the sprayer was needed for mixed powder paint. The finish is beautiful.
We polished up the gold plates and added the original duffel bag hook to the side of the shelving. Also adding additional smaller baskets painted in gold to each shelf.
We also removed one shelf to fit today’s modern equipment. Repurpose-Reuse.
The Locker Room Shelving and Locker Baskets will certainly be put to good use in the Studio Office.
Making our way around the Studio, completing each project and each ‘room section’ as time allows. It is a hard working Studio with many purposes.
This corner with the ‘new to me’ shelving still has some work ~ painting the printer table (ol’ desk), painting the main desk, and upholstering a chair too.
If you would like to read more about the Studio click (here) a lot has changed since then, even the plan, click (here) and click (here), for other favorites.
Adorable as always! Don’t ever throw anything away–or say no to a great find! I swear, every time I get rid of something, I find a need for it two weeks later! You are an inspiration!
Thank you so much! I often regret things I have done…like selling a hand made quilt, in fact 2 of them, pitching ‘love’ letters, and I am not sure what I did with an Afghan my Mom made 🥴….so now it is hard for me to part with other things thinking of my regret …oh boy!
That looks SOOOO good!!! Wow! They had this setup at our Chicago Park District swimming pool. They would have keys that had the numbers of your basket on them and you would wear your key on your swimsuit. Oh – the memories . . .
The blue is FABULOUS!!! The entire project is as well. Thanks for sharing this with us, Amy. What an inspiration you are! <3
Organizing, organizing and making pretty ❤️…thank you Sheila, happy to see it brought back a fun memory for you!