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If you're planning a green home makeover, you've probably looked into the neat, but often pricey, options out there for eco-conscious furniture and decor. But what are those of us on shoestring (or even half a shoestring) budgets to do? Well, if you're in the NYC area, I highly recommend you check out Build It Green, a warehouse in Astoria that's like a Home Depot for environmentalists. BIG is chock full of very reasonably priced lumber, lamps, chairs, toilets, tchotchkes, doors, and pretty much anything else you might need to spruce up your pad and the awesome thing is that they're all reclaimed from places around New York. I was lucky enough to pick up 2 huge panels of frosted plexiglass from an Oscar de la Renta showroom for only $35 each, and next week I'm heading back to try to pick up some carpeted platforms scrapped from the Conan O'Brien Show! Click through the slideshow to see more sweet stuff I encountered on my tour through this trove of trash treasure.
If you've ever had a hankering for a giant Diner sign in your apartment (and really, who hasn't) this one might still be available.
There were a ton of cool, vintagey chairs available - starting at only $15! All they really need are a nice coat of paint.
I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw these beautiful vessel sinks. These were a bit more pricey, but still a cheaper and cooler (considering these may have ended up in a dump somewhere - can you imagine?) alternative to purchasing these from a designer showroom.
So...not exactly sure what this is but if you're in the market for a very jolly mannequin amputee or a leaf-covered bike, you know where you can find 'em.
I thought this was really smart. If you don't need a whole can of paint, why not buy a partially used one for just a fraction of the price?
Need a place to take your old books or want to pick up some new favorites? Build It Green has a library section with paperbacks starting at $1.
Sadly, this little guy wasn't for sale.
None of these items match my own personal taste but toupee, the right owner for you is out there somewhere.
BIG has some great finds for set designers and interior decorators too. These newspaper dispensers would be great props or display cases for an avant garde living room.
Wouldn't this blast from the past vintage school desk make a great addition to your apartment? It's only $25!
Need a loo? They've got that too!
Build It Green has kept 450 tons of building materials of out landfills and saved New Yorkers nearly $1 million on purchases. Plus all proceeds go to environmental education programs at Solar 1. + Build It Green NYC
