7 Upcycling Ideas for Old Things

Those crisscrossed strips of wood can do more than support a climbing vine. Try putting them to work indoors to give unfinished wood frames a playful cottage look. Pry leftover lattice apart or buy new strips at a lumberyard, and cut lengths slightly longer than the sides of the frame (one with a flat face works best). Miter each end at a 45-degree angle, or make two opposing cuts to give each corner a charming picket shape. Dry-fit your design, secure with wood glue, and add a colored stain that won't hide the grain. Then fasten with hooks and chains for a display that really hangs together.

Harp-back chairs are frequent finds at used-furniture stores and flea markets—ripe for a DIY reinvention. This sleigh-style bench takes advantage of the chairs' graceful contoured backs and gets its new seat frame from home-center 1x3s and plywood. A couple of coats of exterior latex paint, plus upholstery in a water-resistant, fade-resistant fabric, and you have a porch-ready perch.

Orphaned desk or dresser drawers—often spotted curbside—can enjoy a second go-round as decorative shelves. To make ones like these, cover the bottom of the drawers' interior with spray-adhesive-backed wallpaper in a colorful graphic pattern. Cut interior shelves to fit. Paint and let dry. Install shelves by tacking brads from the back and sides of the drawers. Hang the drawers using a metal French cleat kit. Then you'll have a shelf display that really stacks up.

Give a display ledge an unexpected edge: Prop up your favorite volumes by using vintage C-clamps as bookends. Pick up a pair of these well-worn woodworking tools at a local flea market or salvage yard. Whisk off any loose rust with some steel wool or a wire brush. Twist the clamps in place just snugly enough to keep the books upright without denting the shelf's surface—or, if you're using them on fine furniture, protect the wood by gluing small pieces of felt to the clamp ends as padding.

You may turn a small bookcase into the drinks station in a few steps. After coating it with glossy red paint, you may install a rack for stemware and a towel bar so that spill relief is never far. Adding casters allows for wheeling the party into any room. Let the good times roll!

A vintage chicken feeder requires only drainage holes to keep roots from getting soggy, a bag of cactus soil, and a topping of pebbles. Along with contributing color and texture, this living tabletop accessory is practically self-sustaining—unlike most potted plants, it soaks up this month’s dry heat.

While looking for a way to add personality to the new custom fireplace, why not to use the same unique tin tiles that adorned your kitchen backsplash for the surround? First of all, chose the design, then cut to fit from large panels. Cover the surround with cement board and fix the tin with a heat-resistant construction adhesive. In total, the project takes only a few days—but the result will look cozy all year long.