I'm not a guy who believes that you have to make everything you own out of stuff you find in the dumpster,” says Todd Pinzuti, owner of Bungalow 6 Design, an event décor company. “I love expensive, gorgeous things, too. But sometimes it’s fun to remember that you can find interesting, beautiful objects in utilitarian places. You definitely don’t have to be a designer with access to lots of high-end merchandise to have a cool design aesthetic; you just have to keep your eyes open.” Still recovering from the stress of designing the smash-hit Google/Vanity Fair party held at the Walker during the RNC, Pinzuti took an afternoon off to wander the aisles of Fleet Farm to see if he could spot some treasures in the rough.

Red Ear Tags
You or I might not see a cattle ear-tag display and instantly think “napkin rings!” but such is the clever mind of Pinzuti that it took him mere moments to go from the barnyard to the dining table. He loves the numbers and the bright color. Plus, 99 cents. And you can tell your guests all about the experience of shopping in the “udder maintenance” aisle at Fleet Farm. ($0.99 each).

Ammo
Anybody can get out their Crate & Barrel catalog and order up some stylish pebbles to fill a glass vase (eBay has it too; we recently found bags of vase-filler stones on sale for $15–20). But poking around the gun area at Fleet Farm, Pinzuti spotted these copper and silver BBs and knew they’d be perfect for anchoring either a floral or candle display in a glass vase. If you prefer a simple white marble look, wrist rocket all-glass ammo is just the ticket. ($3.99 - 6.99).

Galvanized Metal Poultry Feeder
Pinzuti turned this super-utilitarian feeder into a votive holder in less than 60 seconds. Line up your votives, dump in some river rock to hold them in place, and give it a finished “I know what I’m doing here” look by tying a short piece of twine to each end. Similar-sized votive trays cost $50–60 in many home furnishings catalogs. ($3.95).

Chrome Feed Bucket
OK, Pinzuti admits it: This isn’t a new idea. But when you see a great beverage bucket just sitting there in Fleet Farm’s livestock feed aisle, it’s pretty hard to walk on by. Pottery Barn sells an actual beverage bucket about this size for $44. ($24.99).

14-inch Barn Broom Head
When Pinzuti showed up with this natural-bristle broom head we thought, OK, what the hell could this turn into? Presto, with the addition of a few succulents, some hypericum berries, a scattering of cymbidium orchids and a bit of sheet moss to hold it all together, the broom head becomes a fabulous harvest centerpiece. Use flower tubes to keep the floral fresh and the sheet moss to help hide the tubes. ($14.99).

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Todd Pinzuti
Bungalow 6 Design
bungalowsix.com

Fleet Farm
Four Twin Cities locations: Blaine, Brooklyn Park, Lakeville and Oakdale
fleetfarm.com