Anyone who has been to the SweisKloss office in downtown Santa Monica knows that we have a materials library filled with a wide array of samples from manufacturers who strive to have their product at the forefront of what we select for design + construct projects. We often receive various materials that range from the most innovative and creative to the simply exquisite.
Our designers love seeing new materials samples, getting inspired, and imagining how they could incorporate these elements into a project to create a design that is unique and thoughtful for our clients. This interiors phase of making selections is an aspect that sets us apart from most design build or architecture firms.
But what happens to all these samples when we no longer use them and need to make room for new ones? We typically donate them to a few organizations, but now one of our designers, Amanda Cavallo, takes samples home and upcycles them into art.
As a child, Amanda had an intense desire to create art. With no funds to buy expensive supplies, she treasure-hunted for interesting objects on the ground, at the beach, or any other random place where discarded items were left behind. Her collection of lost earrings, sea glass, old frames, pieces of wood, metal, and fabric would turn into a one-of-a-kind creation.
Now that she is here at SweisKloss, Amanda says, “It is only natural that I wanted to save all the cool samples and bits of material we no longer needed.” She began a series of upcycled art and furniture, using scraps from jobsites and discontinued finish samples from the office.
Her First Series is upcycled serving trays. She salvaged cabinet doors and added smashed and cut tile samples, leftover stain, and handles from the “returned hardware” box at the hardware store. She had to buy grout, but her plan with the next series is to find ways to make every material used into a completely salvaged/recycled piece.
Not only has this been a creative outlet for Amanda, but repurposing “trash” aligns with her passion for contributing to a more sustainable world. We can’t wait to see more!
