How to Recycle and Repurpose Old Shutters

As shutters become more and more popular and as people get more stuck in to home renovation, many of us will find ourselves with an old set of shutters that are no longer required or need replacing due to wear and tear. But if you are lucky enough to get your hands on a set of attractive antique wooden shutters for example, it would be a waste to throw them away or use them for firewood. Instead you may want to think about how they could be re-purposed and used to add something different to your interior décor?

Building Distinctive Furniture

By taking your shutter panels and adding legs to each corner you can easily give life to your old shutter, turning it into a rustic coffee table which would make a unique center piece in your living room. Obviously a solid shutter would work well here but even if louvred you can use a plate of glass on top to create a solid surface whilst still getting the aesthetic of the louvres underneath. And if you want to add some chairs to go with the table then why not use a shutter panel as a chair back.

Alternatively, shutters can be re-purposed as distinctive storage boxes, such as box ottomans, either by fixing together separate shutter panels or by using a panel as a feature side or top to the box. Again solid shutters would give you a solid frame but for an interesting twist louvred shutters could be used to allow the contents to be ‘posted’ into the box without taking the lid off. Your finished boxes could also then double up as coffee tables to maximize your storage space whilst still being a feature.

Furthermore, the slats on louvred shutters can also be used elsewhere in the house to combine function with style by using them as attractive stands for storing many items such as post, magazines or newspapers.

Room Dividers

Exterior and interior shutters of all shapes and sizes can be reused in a myriad of contexts to form room dividers or separators. With a bit of a spruce up, old tired shutters can be regenerated into characterful features which define the room. Large shutters, such as full height shutters from doorways and conservatories, can be used to build interesting but substantial room dividers and screens to reorganize the layout of a room, whilst smaller panels can be used for screens to hide away unsightly elements such as electrical equipment.

Unique Décor Touches

Shutters can also be reused in many places within the home to create a unique aesthetic, purely as decoration. For example, they can be used to form special displays, either combining a variety of shutter styles if you’re lucky enough to have them, or by using them as a center piece, adding flowers and pictures to compliment them. Rather than holding practical storage like CDs and magazines, these re-purposed louvred shutters could just provide a frame from which to mount or hang pictures or photos in such a display. The displays could then be created by hanging the shutter on a wall or simply by propping it up in the corner of a room. What’s more if you have a piece of wall space which is slightly marked or stained these displays could double as cover for these blemishes.

In addition, shutters can be provide a deceptively cosy look when used as a headboard. Depending on the size of the shutter they may not even need to be fastened to the bed or wall and instead just propped up behind the bed. A set of weathered painted shutters can really complete a coastal or rustic theme in the bedroom.

Sometimes the weathering of external shutters in particular, when simply brought onto the inside of your window space, can give you unique rustic interior shutters that you’d be hard pushed to match with a new shop bought version. They may need a bit of care and attention to patch them up but the distressed look will add something really different to the room

You may already know about all of the practical and aesthetics attractions of shutters as window dressings or doors to cupboards and outside spaces but there really is no limit to the number of ways your old unwanted shutters can be brought back to life within the home. With a little imagination, you can put them to use in truly unique features of which your neighbors will be truly jealous.

The Author:

© Stuart Mitchell 2011

I’m a small business owner. If you are interested in finding out more about incorporating shutters into your interior décor then visit Interior Shutters.

Photo. Hans

Source: Ab