For some of you a bottle (or even 2-3) of wine is just not enough. Maybe you need a whole crate, a barrel, or, heck, even a vineyard – I’m not judging. In fact, this post is for you, below are some ideas for how to repurpose and recycle those pesky barrels you’ve got lying around. And some grand examples of how designers have repurposed wine or whisky barrels and crates into fabulous home design pieces.

Let’s start with the expected. Barrel Designs is a company which creates lovely wood pieces from salvaged wine barrels. My favorites were this gathering table and stool, both really capture the  old world feel of the wine barrel.

 

 

Another application of barrel slats is to create a lovely garden bench. 

 

Taking it one step further, here are a few modern interpretations using wood salvaged from wine barrels.

 

 

And for a totally, out of this world approach, artist Tracey Johnson creates a stunning set of light boxes made from wine crates.

 

Maybe you’d like a quick and easy solution for repurposing your old wine barrels, like splitting a barrel in half to make a planter, or just using a ring of the barrel to create a wine rack:

 

 

Actually, the hanging wine glass rack reminds of this chandelier, I’m certain you could use a couple rings of the wine barrel to create a similar lighting fixture.

 

 Or use whole barrels for a wine bar, like the one here from Wine Wood Creations.

 

 

Custom Bar made of wine barrels, Wine Wood Creations

 

While visiting my family over the holidays, I noticed my Uncle Jack had put his old whiskey barrels to work as a storage option.

 

Like the look, but low on barrels? Never fear, pick up full or pre-cut barrels at Used Wine Barrels. Just look at the wine barrel head that they have for sale. What a great, flat surface to create on! What do you think: wall clock, table top, add handles to make a tray… any more ideas?

 

Hmmm, I know of one place I could score an extra barrel…