Call it an unconventional commentary on our society’s dependence on crude oil, but these upcycled oil barrels definitely spruce up a space! The furniture is designed by Hamburg-based studio Lockengeloet, using oil barrels obtained at the Port of Hamburg. The barrels used by Lockingloet are often discarded as a result of overproduction, and instead of them going to waste, the studio upcycles them, turning them into durable furniture with an urban industrial appeal!

Designer: Lockengloet

Lockingloet’s catalog of furniture comes in a whole variety of options, from coffee tables to nightstands, and even minibars and dry bars. The designers at the studio get to work by cutting the door elements out, adding protective gaskets around the edges, overlaying wooden discs to create tabletop surfaces, and even attaching wooden or metal legs wherever necessary. Practically no metal goes to waste as square cutouts that need to be discarded are turned into rather quirky-looking wall clocks!

The barrels acquired by Lockengloet are either rejected for minor defects, or as a result of overproduction, making them perfect for upcycling. Lockengloet mentions that these barrels have never had oil stored in them, and this allows them to be upcycled easily without needing to be meticulously cleaned and treated.

The studio sources the barrels directly from the factory, which come powder-coated in three standard colors (white, red, or orange). For other colors like olive green, blue, red, yellow, etc., Lockingloet applies the colors at their Hamburg-based studio. About 80% of Lockingloet’s product portfolio is made from recycled/reclaimed materials, and the studio even relies on renewable energy from Greenpeace.