Head out to your local flea market, antique shop, or garage sale and you can pick up old windows at a steal. Many people simply don't consider reusing them for other purposes, but there are so many exciting ways to recycle them. By finding other uses for old windows, you can help keep them out of landfills and help the environment. Plus, they look pretty darn good when used for decorative purposes. Here, we've listed 10 of our favorite ways to use old windows.
The best type windows to use for the ideas we've listed are discarded wood-framed windows. They don't have to have glass attached for them to be useful, either. If needed, sand down the surface and repaint the color of your choice. Then, use the decorative uses for windows we've provided to create a country, rustic, or eclectic feel to your current home décor.
Mirror - Remove the window and replace it with a large mirror, or use several small ones behind panes. Try painting the frame with a Shabby Chic Paint Technique or an Aged Crackle Finish for a unique look. Then, hang your new mirror on the wall.
Garden accent - Accent the beauty of an outdoor flower garden with a set of old windows. Place the windows behind a colorful bed of flowers, a showy bush, or a shimmering birdbath to add something unexpected to your outdoor display.
Pot rack - Create a gorgeous pot rack out of an old window by attaching four large hooks to each corner. Anchor the window to the ceiling with heavy-duty chain and attach additional hooks to hold the pots and pans in place. This is a great idea for either a stained glass window or a plain glass window. For safety reasons, do not place any objects on top of the glass.
Faux window - Have a windowless basement, garage, or office? Use an old window to brighten things up and give the illusion of a view. Simply remove the glass from the window and replace it with a mirror. Then, hang the window on the wall. Hang a set of pretty curtains above it, or a set of old shutters beside it.
Garden trellis - All you'll need for this project is the frame of an old window, so you can likely find a discarded one absolutely free. Take the frame and insert it behind a flower box, or directly on the ground in front of a climbing vine or flower.
Room divider - Attach eye bolts to the top of a large window and suspend from the ceiling. Use it to divide the space of a large room, or as a barrier between an open living room/dining room combination. This will help to define two distinct areas, without closing off the space completely.
Table - Take a long narrow window and attach four table legs to the bottom. Paint the legs the color of your choice and refinish the frame of the window, if needed. The window will act as a tabletop on this one-of-a-kind piece of furniture. For a coffee table, use short table legs. For a dining room table, use long legs. A short window can be used to create a side table, too.
Side table - Take a small inexpensive standing shelf or bookcase and turn it into a unique side table by attaching a window to the front with hinges. The window will act as a swinging door, and will look great with any décor.
Refresh kitchen cabinets - Change the look of your kitchen cabinets by removing the doors and replacing them with old windows. The windows act as cabinet doors, but allow you to attractively display dishware, cocktail glasses, and more.
Message center - Remove the glass from a discarded window and sand and paint the frame. Insert a blackboard behind the frame, and voila - You've created an instant message center for the kitchen, or for a teen's bedroom. Go a step further and add a few cabinet knobs below the blackboard to hang keys.
More from Jennifer Wagner:
12 Decorative uses for ladders
Fix up flea market finds of any kind
12 Decorative uses for shutters
Source:
Personal knowledge
