As an environmentally conscious homeowner, it's likely you look for ways to recycle items instead of throwing them away. Repurposing items yourself can be a fun way to add character and charm to your home's decor. If you have old windows lying around your garage, forget about leaving them out for trash collection. By simply removing the glass and adding a few embellishments, there are a variety of creative projects that can turn your old window frames into eye-catching decorations.
When hunting for decorative wall hangings, your old window frames can come in handy. For a simple look, you can paint and hang them on the wall by themselves, but mounting photos in the individual squares of the frame allows you to create a custom display for a collection of photos. Slip a piece of glass in front of the mounted photos to protect them, and use hooks to hang the frame on the wall. You can also use your old windows to showcase pressed flowers, baseball cards, ticket stubs or any other mementos that you want to display and preserve.
A mirror is a versatile wall decoration that reflects light and can help a smaller room feel larger. However, instead of purchasing one, consider using an old window to create your own custom mirror. Paint the window frame in a colour that matches your decor You can give the frame a distressed look if you prefer a rustic style, or use a faux-finish painting technique, such as sponging or ragging, to give it a textured appearance. Take the frame to a glass shop and have mirrors cut to fit the openings in the frame. Place hooks on the back and hang on your wall for a one-of-a-kind look.
If your old window is long and narrow, or you have several that can be grouped together, you can create a unique room divider. This project is ideal for both an interior room that you wish to divide into two distinct areas or a patio that you want to section off. The added bonus of using windows for your room divider is that the areas feel separate, but you can still see through into the next space. You can suspend the windows from chains anchored to your ceiling or fasten them together to create a standing room divider.
When you want your bed to have a greater presence in your bedroom, adding a large headboard often helps make a statement. Instead of purchasing an expensive pre-made headboard, however, use your old window frames to create one of your own. You can mount a single large window or several smaller windows on the wall behind the bed for an easy headboard, or you can fasten the windows together into a single piece that can stand behind the top of your bed. To give the headboard a creative look, use a bright shade of paint or faux-finishing technique to dress it up. You can also attach fabric squares in the openings of the window frame to give it texture and add a pattern to the headboard.