8 ways to turn (free) wooden wine crates into functional design elements

There's something wonderfully Tramp Art-y about using wine crates as decor elements, and really, what other throwaway material can look so good in so many ways? We've already covered the $220 designer version of the plain wooden box, so now let's see what creative folks all over the web are doing with the free version (you know, the kind that you sweetly convince your local liquor store owner to give you).

1. Make a pet bed. Lola Serrano of Dolamakes stuffed a cute plaid pillow into a wine crate and Little Lo just can't get enough.
Photo Credit: Lola Serrano via Flickr



















2. Make a pet feeder. (I don't know why the best wine crate projects are for pets!)
Last week, Grace over at Design Sponge posted Julia Custer Norris's d.i.y. feeder, designed to make mealtime more comfortable for her big pup. (This might not be an actual wine crate, but the principle applies.) Read the full instructions at designspongeonline.com.
Photo Credit: Julia Custer Norris via DesignSponge




















3. Make a garden, like the gals at You Grow Girl.
Photo Credit: You Grow Girl/Flickr

















For even more wine crate inspiration, check out these links:
4. Build a midcentury-modern-ish storage unit
5. Add casters to mimic Martha's rolling, under-bed crates
6. Imagine a fully-loaded storage wall
7. Hang wallpapered display shelves like the ones on Design Sponge
8. Try out Readymade magazine's no-assembly-required bookcase



More d.i.y. on Shine:
See how the Ronnybrook Milk Bar turned wooden milk crates into wall decor
Easy upholstery how-to video from Threadbanger
Learn potato printing from Lotta Jansdotter herself
Weekend project: Make a birdhouse out of a gourd