We all love a good comeback story, right!?
Confession: I am a huge recycler and thrifter. I would like to share a few main focal pieces in our home that we have upcycled. I love the thought of using something that was once disgarded or forgotten in a new way throughout a home. I will save some of my thrifted finds for another day (because most of my home is thrifted), but for now I would like to share how I used old wooden window pane inserts, round baskets, letter trays, pallet wood, and hubcaps in our home décor. I hope you gain a new perspective and find that there is not just a single use for items. If you are open to new ideas, you can create a little bit of magic with something unused and unwanted again!
First up is our window pane insert wall décor. These were discovered among cobwebs and old tools in the back corner of our shed when we moved into our first home together. I knew when I uncovered these 1970’s beauties from the original windows I had struck gold. They were just waiting for their moment back in the sun! When I saw these I immediately brought them in our home and knew I could find a way to use them. I have kept these pieces with me and they are serving the same purpose in our new home as well. You have probably seen many uses for old windows and window panes, especially in farmhouse décor. These architectural pieces are a great way to anchor a space or create a division of space while keeping it open. They also serve as large dimensional pieces of art on the walls. I had multiple pieces in the same size and width so I layered them up, used a little hot glue gun action to hold them together and created a layered textural wall piece for our small conversation area that we just love. It also serves as a great posting spot in our home to hang a wreath in front of during the holidays, but a birthday banner during parties, or hang Christmas cards from our family. I love the architectural look of them and that they are simple and light enough to use in multiple ways that go with many style preferences. I don’t think these will ever go away in our home. Not only do they create a large 6′ wide feature, they remind me of our first home together. So, if you are ever thrifting or find some old construction salvage- give it a second look because it may become one of your favorite feature pieces in your home!
Next on the list are old baskets. There has been a huge trend of using shallow woven baskets and bowls on the wall to create large art features. When I saw large empty wall in our dining room I knew I wanted to incorporate this into the design of the room. This is a cost effective way to decorate the walls because baskets are easy to find in thrift stores of all kinds and usually range from $1-2 each. I collected baskets during my thrifting adventures and was able to quickly put together this wall collage up in our space. I love the warmth and texture it brings. I am also a huge fan of asymmetry in design so this was right up my alley. I went with round shallow woven bowls of different colors and size for this wall, but you can really make this your own depending on your style. Never pass up on a quick run through of the basket isle- I can’t tell you how many treasures I have found there.
I came across a set of vintage letterpress printer drawers one day on Facebook marketplace of all places and knew I could do something with them. These are one of my favorite pieces in our master area because I am able to showcase a collection of shells. The trays create an interesting piece in the bathroom and sets the tone for the theme. I have always been a collector (just ask my parents) from keychains to seashells. Luckily, my mom still held on to a few of my little collections from my childhood- though I don’t think my kids would appreciate my collection of Barbies still in the box! Anyway, these letter trays create a perfect vignette. There are look-alikes being made new and sold on sites like Overstock and Wayfair. Letter trays of any shape and size can be used on the wall to house small pieces or photos instead of a picture frame or shelf!
Pallet wood is near and dear to my heart. One of Ross and I’s very first projects together back in college was creating a headboard for our bed using some pallet wood we bought at a thrift store we found. There are so many project possibilities when it comes to good pallet wood. It’s become so popular now that you can find ready to go boxes in your local hardware store made to look like the real thing. In our home, we used pallet wood to create a headboard that we knew we could take with us wherever we go. I like features like headboards and art throughout a home to be BIG (can you tell), so we over-sized our design to go up most of the wall and really anchor the space. It is amazing what some scrap wood and a little elbow grease can do for a room. This piece ended up being the perfect backdrop for some of our most treasured family portraits. I do recommend giving scrap pallet wood a good cleaning with dish soap water and a little bleach and allowing to dry completely before using throughout your home. It is better to be safe here since you don’t quite know what was stored on it back in it’s pallet days, and remember if you are not comfortable the big box hardware stores do sell look alike sets of pallet wood especially for wall treatments.
Last on this little list is the vintage hubcaps that made one little boy’s room stand out from the rest. If you have ever met my son Cohen, you know he is car obsessed. He is very into details and features of cars, so when we moved to our new home I knew I had to make his room special and speak to his interests. I also wanted it to be something he could grow with and not have to change for years to come. After researching old car parts all over the internet and wracking my brain on how to make a big statement he would love, I settled on hubcaps for one large wall in his bedroom. Cohen loves checking out the tires and rims on his cars. A plus for this simple design is hubcaps are easy to find, lightweight, and make a big statement. Search your local thrift or salvage stores in your area, but if there is no luck you can always search the web on your local Facebook marketplace/Ebay to find some hubcap gold. I think all together this wall treatment costed a whopping $25 and a little patience to search. An installation like this would be great for a man cave, garage, or as you can see- a little boys car dream room!
Designing a space to fit your style and personality should be fun, not expensive. I hope that this post inspires you to take a look around your own home (or your grandparents old stuffed shed- you know what I’m talking about hehe) and think about using things in a new way. Always keep the wheels turning and your home a memorable place to be!
