FINAL PORTFOLIO – BEN HARMING

Upcycle Project:

For my upcycling project, I designed and built a Western saloon-style cabinet dartboard using a reclaimed cabinet from Resource Central and a mix of thrifted materials. The idea stemmed from wanting something useful and entertaining for my house, and the aesthetic direction clicked after thinking about Western bars with pool tables and dartboards. I stained the cabinet a dark “Early American” tone to match the rustic saloon vibe, added Western trinkets like a toy bull and mini gas lantern, and mounted the dartboard inside. While I faced challenges—like door alignment and hardware issues—I embraced the imperfections, which ended up adding to the old-time feel. I’m especially proud of how cohesive the aesthetic is, and the result is something both functional and full of character. This is a piece I’ll use and move with for years, and I love being able to tell people I built it myself.

Main Project:

For my main project this semester, I designed and built a retro-inspired ski boot warmer—a functional yet highly personalized device that uses a 12V PTC heater and fan to blow warm air into an enclosed wooden box and out through two PVC pipes to warm up and dry out ski boots. My vision was to blend practicality with aesthetics by creating something that feels like it came out of an ’80s ski lodge: bold colors, sharp mountain silhouettes, and neon design elements. The final result came together almost exactly as I imagined it, and I’m proud of how it reflects both my technical and artistic growth. From sketching and fabrication to painting and documentation, this project challenged me to think deeply about the intersection of design and function—and pushed me to create something I’ll actually use for years to come.