Creative Ways to Decorate With Old Windows and Doors

For a naturally rustic look, it doesn’t get much better than repurposed windows and doors. They already have that age on them you love, no weathering required. And you get to save a piece that would otherwise get tossed or forgotten.

Not to mention you end up with decor that’s totally unique to you.

Here you will find a handful of ideas to turn both old windows and old doors into the beautiful decorative pieces you’ve always wanted in your home.

Old Window Decor Ideas

Windows have so much potential, from the chipping wood to the smudged glass. You can leave them as-is and hang them on the wall or turn them into something totally new!

Take a look at these five fun ideas for decorating with old windows.

Turn it Into a Functional Cabinet

Is your bathroom lacking enough storage?

Create your very own bathroom cabinet using an old window as the door.

Use the window as a measuring stick. Your new cabinet will be big enough to store rolls of tissue, folded hand towels, jars of toiletries, and extra bottles of shampoo and conditioner.

Even if you don’t need a cabinet in your bathroom, this piece will look fantastic in any room of the house.

Pair a Window with Shutters for a Focal Point

Old windows and shutters are a match made in heaven.

Just ask any cozy cottage with window boxes and vines growing up the sides.

Bring a little of that vintage charm into your living room by placing your window on an empty wall and anchoring it on either side with shutters.

Dress your new statement piece up with a few finishing touches such as a wreath, a wooden sign, or some hanging plants to really sell the look. Or leave it as is and let its rustic beauty shine.

Save Memories in a Unique Shadow Box

If you find a smaller window and you’re stumped on a way to use it, we’ve got just the thing!

A window shadow box is not only a lovely piece of decor but also a way to incorporate some of your most treasured mementos. The beauty of a shadow box is its depth, making it possible to store 3D pieces alongside your photographs.

It’s a window through time on your wall.

Make it Your New Mirror

Trying to give your bathroom an upgrade with an old-timey vibe?

Skip the traditional mirror and use your vintage window frame instead!

There are a few ways to turn an unusable window into a brand new like-old mirror. Use looking glass paint to cover the existing glass in the frame for an antique mirror vibe. Or replace the glass altogether with small mirrors that fit each space.

Either way, you end up with a beautiful piece suitable for the bathroom, bedroom, living room, or anywhere else in the house!

Use Windows to Frame Large Photos and Prints

Window frame — it’s right there in the name.

Make your favorite family photo stand out among the rest by blowing it up and placing it behind an old window frame. The pieces across the middle don’t take anything away from your pictures.

It gives them a unique vintage style that turns them into a statement piece.

Art prints, maps, and other kinds of pictures look incredible framed by a window as well. Smaller photos can fit each section for a collage or use the entire frame on top of something bigger.

Old Door Decor Ideas

It’s harder to find the perfect way to use an old door in your interior design because of its size. If you have space, you also have infinite potential for your salvaged goods.

Here are five ways you can use an old door as decor.

Upcycle any Door Into a Shelf

A few extra additions are all you need to turn that old door into a functional piece of decoration. It looks cute and pulls its weight around the house, even if it’s not attached to its hinges anymore.

Some shelves, a few L brackets, and a fresh coat of paint are all you need to create your very own door shelf.

Old doors are sturdy. That’s why they’re still around, which means you can use your new shelf indoors or outdoors with success.

Besides, who couldn’t use more storage options in their lives?

Top off Your Bed With a Repurposed Headboard

Do you lack the perfect headboard to complete your master bedroom?

Not anymore!

Old doors are solid and perfectly sized to anchor the head of your bed to the wall. A door turned headboard is quite the project, but the results are well worth the elbow grease.

And that’s not the only way to create a headboard with old doors.

If you happen to have a set of large double doors lying around, try placing them up against the wall behind your bed. The effect is jaw-dropping.

Create an Entryway Eyecatcher

When your house is home to a big family, the entryway tends to get cluttered quickly.

That old door you’re holding onto for the perfect project may just solve that problem for you!

Create a seat at the bottom of the door, paint the top with chalkboard paint, and add a basket for mail and hooks for keys and other miscellaneous items.

Viola!

You’ve got yourself a catchall message center to keep your entryway, and your whole family, organized.

Use Hinges to Turn a Few Doors Into a Screen

Vintage screens are stunning decorative pieces that look good dividing a room or merely sitting against a wall.

Use three or four slim doors to create a folding screen with spunk. All you need are some hinges and a vision to get this project started. By the end, you’ll have a piece totally unique to you.

Leave your doors bare for a genuinely rustic vibe. Slap on some fresh paint, stencil a design all over, or use wallpaper to create the backdrop of your dreams.

Salvage an old Door for a Coffee Table

Doors are nothing more than a solid piece of wood. So if you lay them down flat, you’re already halfway to a table.

Bring some character to your living room by turning an old door into a coffee table that tells a story. From adding legs to cutting it up and putting it back together again, there are plenty of great options.

You’ll have a place to set your mug in no time. Just make sure you use a coaster!

In Conclusion

Downhome rustic, barnyard chic, true vintage, industrial salvage — old windows and doors suit many different styles. It all depends on what you decide to do with them. And there is no shortage of ideas.

There’s no downside to this trend. You get a new piece of decor, and you save an old part of someone’s home from destruction.

With all these creative ways to decorate with old windows and old doors, there’s no reason not to let your DIY side have at it!

[Author bio]

Dominique Daniels is the Business Manager at The Marq. With over five years of property management experience, she begins and ends each day loving what she does. She finds joy in helping current and future residents and makes The Marq a place everyone loves to call home.