Hamptons Epicure: Upcycling with The Repurpose Project

Joanne Paluck says that her husband Michael doesn’t understand her—but he has come to respect her talents. Paluck is the creative force behind The Repurpose Project on Pike Street in Mattituck. The store specializes in one-of-a-kind creations that repurpose old furniture into new.

Paluck says, “I love refinishing and recreating. I don’t like to throw a good thing out. A lot of furniture can just be adapted to a new use.” Paluck has been realizing her unique creations for over 20 years. Michael, the master carpenter in the family, is in charge of the more technical aspects of the repurposing.

Paluck says that to date their most unusual collaboration involved converting a church pulpit into a kitchen island. Michael prepped it and added a butcher-block top. Paluck says, “tables and dressers are hot,” adding that their most common undertaking is the conversion of dressers into sink vanities. The couple is also often called upon to make tables larger.

Some of Paluck’s favorite pieces include a “Zen table” that features a sort of frozen stream of gravel in its top, a porch swing—made from two old doors and a headboard, and a mini bar made from a sewing machine cabinet, its countertop includes a waterproof bucket for ice. Currently you can see the porch swing in the store’s window. It was featured in Cutchogue’s Designer Show House last year.

The Repurpose Project shop also offers a number of novel accessories. Paluck says, “I know when we have customers out front because I hear them laughing.” Patrons are greeted by a display of kitchen towels that bear adages such as “Sorry about the mess, but we live here” and “Maybe broccoli doesn’t like you either.”

Though she works with older furniture, all of Paluck’s projects begin with sturdy pieces that she sources from estate sales upstate and across New England.

The Palucks, who make their home in Yaphank, had a shop in Calverton but relocated to Mattituck last May to better connect with customers. The Repurpose Project is part of a growing number of funky-cool retail outlets on Pike Street just off of Mattituck’s famous Love Lane. These include Agora the Little Greek Market, which is right next door to Repurpose and Goodfood just across the street. In fact, Michael Paluck did some of the carpentry work for Goodfood’s display shelving.

Good things are happening on Pike Street!

The Repurpose Project, 610 A Pike Street, Mattituck, 631-886-1946, therepurposeproject.com.

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