Ideas for Crate Furniture

Using crates as furniture is economical and stylish. Various types of crates, such as wooden crates and milk crates, work great for a variety of uses. Since crates are relatively lightweight, you'll want to avoid using crate furniture for TVs or other heavy items, because the weight can break the crates and cause the items you place on them to fall and possibly break. Does this Spark an idea?

Coffee Table

Create a low-height coffee table with storage from crates. For maximum storage, all of the tops of the crates should face outward to store items such as books, music records and CDs. Use a piece of wood for a flat and functional table surface to accommodate drinks, knick-knacks and magazines. A crate coffee table can be any size, depending on the size of your space.

Bookshelf

Crate bookshelves are practical for vacant walls. Shop around at flea markets, antique stores, thrift stores and garage sales for crates you can use as bookcases. For a slim bookcase, stack one crate on top of another until you've reached a desired height. If these are freestanding cases, fasten them together with wire or braces and place heavy books or items on the bottom. If you want to install milk crates on a wall, securely install them into a stud, or use anchors if not directly installing into a stud.

Seating

Many types of seating can be made from milk crates; some seating ideas include small, single-seat chairs and large chairs. If you have an old chair with a seat that needs fixing, replace the seat with a milk crate. A foam padding with any color (or pattern) material can be used as a cushion cover. By stacking crates in the shape of a chair, a large seat can be made for a living room or game room. The crates serve as the frame for the furniture piece, so stack them according to the design you wish to make. Place foam on the seat, back and arm rests for comfort, then use fabric as a finishing touch.

Light Fixture

A less common but interesting approach is to use milk crates as light fixture accents. These are ideal for dorm rooms, game rooms or basements with little light. A large milk crate light fixture spreads light out through the crate holes and illuminates a ceiling well. One way to do this is to build a square or rectangular crate design around the light fixture. Hang a crate light fixture from the ceiling by frame wire with at least two to three hooks in the ceiling to hold the wire in place. Any type of secure hanging wire or line will suffice.