Wood Pallets - The (im)Perfect Design Feature

When we first moved into our office/shop space here on 90 Street, there wasn’t much we needed to do to improve the place but there was certainly an opportunity to put our stamp on it. We needed quick, economical ways to freshen the space up and make it functional and ours in a short amount of time.

First, we added a fresh coat of paint.

A new, lighter colour brightened up the main office. Not only did the light grey on the walls also help to make the space feel bigger, it gave the clean and cohesive look that we were aiming for.

Paint can change the theme but also add character so we went with our signature red for an accent wall and the doors in the main office. It is an intense colour to choose but it is also invigorating and certainly never boring!

Second, we created a pallet wall.

To add even more character to the main space, we transformed the drab corporate looking feature wall into an exciting, unique wall made from wood pallets. The imperfections of each piece provides interest, movement and certainly makes a statement.

Why use wood pallets?

Wood pallets have gained popularity in design, especially amongst DIYers. They are easy to work with, light and thin but strong (since they are actually used to easily transport goods). Usually free, repurposing wood pallets eco-friendly and a resourceful way of keeping them out of the landfill.

The unique, rustic look of used pallets comes from exposure to the elements. The natural patina that emerges gives each piece individual character that is hard to recreate by hand. The very definition of patina from the Merriam-Webster dictionary is: “a surface appearance of something grown beautiful especially with age”. This natural beauty and versatility opens up a world of design options: a feature wall, mantels, garden decor, picture frames - the list could go on. A quick Google search will produce a mountain of design ideas and inspiration using the irregularity and non-uniform nature of wood pallets.

One thing to keep in mind when gathering wood pallets for a project, particularly indoors, is to check for any markings from chemical or food spills. Recognizing certain markings will determine which pieces are safe to use. This article on pallet safety is particularly helpful.

We used wood pallet pieces that were clean but also that had a distinctive character to them, particularly with red highlights or safe markings to tie in our branding. With our vinyl sign added, the end result presents a dynamic first impression which Archive as a company, strives for.