Stepping in to Recycled Lane in Northcote will most probably make you wish you’d picked up that wooden crate you saw on the side of the road, painted it red and rescued it like they would have done. Yet it’s not just about sustainability; the functional operation of the piece is something that co-owners Barbara and Con value too.

In their uncluttered showroom space, timber is the material of choice; often aged with a clean finish and united with metal for that preferred industrial feel. Creative reinvention sees castor wheels attach conveniently to natural timber benches and old doors turn into new and workable tabletops. Wooden ladders, vintage dressmaking stands and beautiful enamel-coated signs decorate the space in a style not too dissimilar to a cafe, and suddenly the word ‘recycle’ seems a little pejorative.

Handmade and with a plan to attract more Australian artisans, each piece is lovingly made, supporting a quality that shies away from mass production runs and favours uniqueness with a little bit of personal history.