There’s much you can do with old shutters. They can add farmhouse-chic flair to your decor, and they’re fairly simple to transform.
Before you start, think about what colour you’d like your project to be. Next, decide what type of finish you want. You could try a chalk paint method, a classic whitewashing technique or keep it simple by sanding off any old paint and staining the wood. Whatever method you choose, you’ll find everything you need at your local CO-OP® Home Centre.
Sliding Shutter Doors
Replacing a door with sliding shutters will give your space a rustic look.
For this project, you’ll need two larger shutters that are roughly the same width and height of the open doorway you want to place them. Make sure to leave enough wall space on either side of the doorway to accommodate the shutter doors when they’re open.
Follow the instructions on how to install a rolling barn door, but instead of attaching the roller hardware to one barn door, you will be attaching it to two shutters. Since your shutters will likely not be as wide as a barn door, you can attach the rolling hardware to the middle of the top edge on each.
Vertical Garden
You can create an easy vertical garden with a shutter of any size, a few S-hooks, upcycled and spray-painted tins and plants of your choice.
Drill a hole near the top of your spray-painted tins, fill them with soil and plant the foliage of your choice. Attach the S-hook into the hole and hang from the slats on your shutter. You can lean your vertical garden up against your wall or connect wall hangers to the back and hang it. If you decide to hang your garden on a wall, drill into studs or use drywall anchors, and keep in mind how much weight your hooks can hold. You’ll also want to be mindful of sunlight when choosing a spot for your vertical garden – your plants will appreciate it!
For a functional and fashionable DIY project, turn an old shutter into a bench.
Materials needed:
- A thin piece of lumber, cut to the same length as the shutter. This will be used to provide additional support when people sit on the bench.
- Furniture legs
- Wood mounting blocks and screws
- Wood trim
- Finishing nails
- CO-OP® IMAGINE Paint
Tools:
- Electric sander or sandpaper
- Table saw
- Drill
- Hammer or nail gun
Start by sanding your piece of lumber and furniture legs (if necessary); then paint everything the same colour. Make sure to consider if you will be using the bench indoors or outdoors when selecting your paint.
If your shutter has a pull, you may need to cut a hollow in your lumber to accommodate the rod. This can be done with a table saw. Just be sure to set the blade low enough that it doesn’t cut through the lumber.
Next, install the wood mounting blocks into the corners where your furniture legs will go. These should be attached with screws to the underside of your lumber (the flat side, not the hollowed side). If your bench is quite long, attach wood mounting blocks to the centre for added support. Next, attach the furniture legs to the wood mounting blocks.
Once the legs are attached, flip everything right-side-up, lay your shutter (with the slats closed and the pull on the underside) on top of your bench. Attach with finishing nails in each corner.
