We don’t really think much about doors, yet we walk through them at least 30 times (at a rough estimate) on an average day. Though our modern doors are kind of boring, there’s something to be said about an old, repurposed door. If you’re a fan of DIY and design, you’re going to love this slideshow. Just be prepared – you’ll want to plan a trip to your local flea market as soon as you’ve finished looking through these designs.
1. Old door clock
Who said that clocks had to be small and round? This door looks great transformed into a clock, and you wouldn’t find a piece like this in any old furniture store. It’s completely original, and we love that these two ideas wouldn’t usually be associated with one another.
There are plenty of clever ways that you can use a door for those routine tasks in your home, and this is one of them. The door has been used as a fold-out table for folding laundry – and could also be used as a handy baby-change table if the situation ever arose! The fact that it folds back into the wall, creating more space when not in use, is an added bonus.
This door hasn’t even been upcycled – but it looks great just how it is. Simply propped up in the corner or the room, it complements the furniture around it and really looks the part. Our younger selves want to check behind it to make 100% sure it isn’t the magical gateway into Narnia.
Rustic old doors look particularly great in the bathroom. You can cut up part of a door and use it as the back to a bathroom organizer, where you can attach a towel rail, a shelf, a toothbrush holder, and anything else that would look the part. It takes seconds to put together, yet looks so expensive.
This person did well to find three of the same door, each from a different house, to use as their bed headboard. The lime-yellow color is really unique, and adds a nice pop of color to an otherwise bland room of decor.
There are lots of ways you can turn an old door into something that’s completely personalized for your family, and this is one of them. Instead of having a hanging calendar on the wall, this person has turned their old door into a customizable chalk calendar, which they can easily add to (or rub parts out) whenever they want.
Everyone loves the look of a barn door. This person managed to get their hands on a couple of rustic wooden doors to suit that very purpose, and turned them into a set of French barn doors – even better! They each have screens, too, to create a nice airflow in the warmer summer months.
We could all do with a bit of extra storage space around the living room, and let’s face it, bare walls are boring. This room looks much more lively with a shelving unit made out of an upcycled door. It’s been painted a shade to match the rest of the room, and it fits right in.
Everyone’s a fan of indoor signage, but if you’re looking for something a little more unique than yet another “Live, Laugh Love” canvas, just make your own out of an old door. You can display whatever resonates with your family the most, and it looks so much cooler than a standard shop-bought item.
Thinking outside the box is how you’ll have the most fun repurposing your old door. This design is great – where there was most likely a pane of glass on the door, there’s now a mirror. With a simple hook for hanging clothes from, this truly is a timeless piece that everyone would love.
We all make so many happy memories with our families that it’s impossible to choose just one photo to hang on your wall. If you’re struggling to narrow it down, why not make a multi-photo frame out of an upcycled door? You can fit up to 15, as shown in this example, or perhaps even more!
Sometimes, an old door doesn’t have to have any purpose other than adding another design element to a room. This person used their door find as an accent piece above their bed. It looks like a born-to-be extension of the wrought-iron headboard – and they’ve even added a floral canvas for a finishing touch.
Nearly all of us complain about our cupboard space in the kitchen. No matter how much room we actually have, it seems that every inch of spare room is filled instantly. If you’ve decided it’s time to put in a shelf for extra storage, don’t go boring! An old upcycled door can look great when painted to match your room’s interior. You can hang things from it, too.
When you have a big, open space, it can be difficult to separate off different areas for different purposes. If you’ve never thought of using a room divider before, now’s your time to make one – out of an old door, of course! This person has separated their office space off from their bed; after all, you’re never supposed to associate work with sleep.
This person used a couple of upcycled doors as an interesting design feature in their home, and gave them a coat of magnetic paint to make them extra unique. If you’ve never heard of magnetic paint before, you need to give it a try. It’s a lot of fun to use, and it’ll get your creative brain whirring like nothing else.
This door was repurposed into an accent table, combined with half a table and a shelf for a country chic effect. Everything has been given the same paint treatment to properly match, even the chair next to the display. Now that’s good design!
Because plain old office tables are so last year. You probably won’t find any of your other workmates who have an old door as their desk. With something this cool, you’ll actually want to get to work in the morning. Maybe.
Working from your home office doesn’t have to be stressful. If you struggle to remember your to-do list, put it right in front of you – literally – with this DIY chalkboard. You just need to hang an old door from your wall and add chalk sections for each day of the week. You’ll never fall behind on work again.
Wall sconces are a pretty interesting home design feature as it is, and they can really add character to a room. If you’re looking to go that extra mile and create something truly unique, get a couple of old doors and attach your sconces to them. Bonus points if you can paint the sconces to give them the same distressed look as your doors.
Kitchens that have a sort of “rough and ready” design are becoming increasingly popular again, and this old door kitchen island would fit right in. You just need to nail a door onto a table frame and paint it your desired color (or leave it as it is), and voila! Your very own kitchen island for less.
Don’t think there’s a limit to how many doors you can use at once in your home, because there isn’t. This person has upcycled not only doors, but also windows and shutters, in their living area, and the result is beautiful. We’re getting light, beachy vibes, and we love that the color scheme completely matches up.
Anyone who owns a lot of jewelry will know the frustration of opening up their jewelry box to discover a tangled knot of necklaces and bracelets. Jewelry organizers can solve that problem, but they often look a bit tacky. You’ll be better off making your own out of an upcycled door with pegs and shelves for hanging.
Garden gates are a bit boring, and they all tend to look the same. If you want to welcome people into your home with a bit of personality, upcycling a door to use as your gates should do it. You could even, as this example shows, upcycle a couple of different doors and pair them together for the job.
An old door is the perfect size for a kitchen table. This is one of the easiest ways to repurpose, too – you just need to lie it flat, attach it to a frame and legs, and paint it or leave it how it is. It’s rustic and unique, and you’re doing your bit by reusing old materials.
If the brightness of the last headboard was a little too much for you, here’s something that might be more your thing. This upcycled headboard door doesn’t look like it’s had much work done to it – and we’re glad! With a shelf just above it, the design blends perfectly with the rest of the room.
Looking for a more interesting way to showcase your summer blooms? You can attach small plant pots onto a painted door and place it somewhere pretty in your garden. You’ll have easy access to your plants, and they’ll look great against the colored backdrop of your door.
You have to look closely to find this upcycled door, as there are so many interesting things going on in this kitchen. The door lines the back of a pretty impressive spice cabinet, with jars of spices hanging from the top portion and a stainless steel table covering the bottom portion, making it look less door-like.
If you’re secretly obsessed with church pews, you’ll love this DIY rustic door bench. The back, sitting section, and arms are both made from the same old door, which has been painted an attractive light blue. It might be simple, but nothing else is needed to complement the design.
Corner shelves are a cute addition to any kitchen or dining space, and they can liven up a room with otherwise minimalistic decor. Making a corner shelf out of an upcycled door is actually much easier than you’d think. You can find the instructions for doing so here.
We love potting tables, for the simple fact that they take us back to our childhood days of making mud pies. This clever design uses a door as the backrest for the table design, with a sink and a shelf for storage. Though there’s a lot going on in the image, there are only a few pieces of equipment that you really need for the job.
If your entrance hallway or front porch is looking a little empty, this entryway organizer, made from a recycled door frame, is exactly what you need. Not only will you be able to keep all your important going-out stuff in one place, you can also give off the right impression to guests and show off your creative flair.
You know those things that nobody really needs in life, but you want them anyway? Drinks stations are one of them. If you can’t justify buying a drinks station, make one out of an old door. It’s the perfect height for storing two shelves, one for hanging your glasses and one for storing your bottles.
One glance at this couch, and you probably wouldn’t realize that its frame is actually made from a door. It’s only the metal rectangle on the front leg that gives it away – that’s the bit you’d usually push to go through one of those swinging doors found in offices and the like. What a great re-use of old wood.
You should be starting to notice a trend with the best items of furniture you can make out of an old door. Storage cabinets of any kind are definitely a big yes. You could put this one in your front hallway, your dining room, or your living space. Add shelves and accessories to give it your own personal touch.
If you have the means of creating a hanging table for your back garden, you really must. They’re totally unique, and have a beautiful effect – and in a practical sense, they stop you from banging yourself on the table legs as you sit down. An old door is perfect for using as the tabletop. Just make sure it’s strong enough to hold all of your dishes!
Bog-standard wooden bookshelves are a bit boring. This one, made from an old door, is much more fun. The blue wash gives it an attractive vintage feel, and the cutouts provide just enough room for storing your favorite novels. Just make sure to find a sturdy enough door to take the weight!
For what they are, you can end up paying an awful lot of money for a shelving unit from your local furniture store. A much more wallet-friendly option is to make your own shelving unit using an old door. You’ll save on money and have a great time seeing your project come to life.
Dislaimer from the very beginning: nothing about this garden shed build looks easy. If you’re better suited to flatpack shed builds, this project might not be for you. But if you’re patient, creative, and willing to put in a bit of elbow grease, there’s no reason why you couldn’t make a shed out of a few old doors.
This door really looks like it belongs in a castle, and we’re slightly envious of whoever got their hands on such a great find. After painting it a deep rust red color, they used it in their kitchen as a sliding pantry door with some rollers attached to the bottom. Great idea!
Don’t want your nosey neighbors watching your every move? Make a unique garden fence out of a variety of different repurposed doors. Because life is boring when everything matches. This person has gone for a brown and white wood theme, and their fence looks one of a kind.
If you have your own little store, you’ll love this idea. Turn your old door into a messageboard by adding a chalk surface to the top portion of it. Then get creative with some chalk, writing friendly words of greeting, thoughts for the day, or anything else that inspires you. If you’re a natural-born artist, even better – you can go to town on your chalkboard!
A few garden doors nailed together can create a beautiful little outdoor nook for your garden. They’ll keep the wind off you on those cooler days, and they don’t necessarily have to match to look good. In fact, the doors’ own unique touches are what make this particular garden nook so beautiful.
Doors look particularly unique when they’re used to make a pergola. You can paint them whatever color you want, and it’ll cost you virtually nothing. Do it right, and you’ll have your very own “Secret Garden” entrance that your kids will love.
You won’t find this nightstand at your average furniture store. The top half of the door has been left bare but a wreath, and the bottom has been attached to a bedside table for a super pretty nightstand. If you managed to find matching doors, one for either side of the bed, even better.
If you want somewhere attractive to store your tools, avoid the boring old flatpack metal jobs you can find at your DIY store. Opt instead for creating a smaller, more attractive shed with easy access and plenty of light to see what you’re doing – and use an old door as your entrance. Much nicer to look at.
If you happen to have an old door, but you don’t consider yourself particularly handy, you don’t have to do much to it at all. Why not use it as a door sign at the end of your yard? This is also a great idea if you have guests around frequently – you could tell them where to park or simply welcome them to your home.
A porch swing is a fantastic excuse for getting outdoors in the evening. Could there really be anything better than swaying back and forth while the air cools and the birds sing in your garden? Instead of spending a chunk of cash on a shop-bought porch swing, switch to DIY mode, grab your tools, and make one from scratch out of an upcycled door.
If you love color in your life, this repurposed screen door is for you. We love that the doors are still very much the same as how they were when they were retrieved – they even still have their numbers on – but each now has its own distinct color. It might be too much for some people, but it’d look great against a neutral backdrop.
You’d think that a random door in the middle of your back yard might look a bit odd, but this person totally made it work. They used an old door as a backdrop to a gravel area with a table and chair, sectioning off the space from the rest of the garden. Everything matches perfectly.
You don’t always need to use an entire door to make something new. This sign has been fashioned out of only a small section of a door, and it still looks really effective. It has a blackboard in the middle, which makes it really easy to change your messages with every passing day. This would be great to have in your entrance hallway.
We’ve already shown you a few “Secret Garden” gateway ideas so far, but this one is beautiful in its own right. It’s giving us miniature old-fashioned vibes that make it truly feel like there’s an exciting oasis hidden just out of sight. Another one that the kids (and adults) would absolutely fall in love with.
There’s something oddly inviting about this door-turned-bench. The hinges and the doorknob are still attached, and really all that’s changed is that the bottom half has been chopped off and used for the arms and seat section. Imagine how nice this’d look in your back garden.
Climbing plants can look really magical when they’re set against your home. But it’s no secret that these plants can often cause issues with construction if they manage to worm their way into nooks and crannies. A garden trellis is a much better option for your climbing plants – and upcycling an old wooden door to make one is a quirky, environmentally friendly idea.
Though it may seem the least creative out of all the options in this slideshow, there’s no shame in repurposing your old door into a new door. This wooden door was still perfectly capable of opening and closing, so it’s been given a new lease of life on a garden shed. We approve!
There are no end of home furnishings you can make out of old doors. Though doors are usually found upright (obviously), lay a door flat and you’ve got yourself a wooden coffee table. This person cut their door to size and used the leftover pieces as the supports on either side of the table.
Here’s one the kids will love! Take four old doors and construct them into a cool backyard hideout for them to play in. The brighter the colors in this case, the better. You now have the excuse to buy those bright red and orange paints from your local hardware store.
Here’s something else for your front hallway that you can construct out of an old wooden door. Just add a bench to the bottom, a shelf to the top, and a couple of hooks for hanging coats, and the job’s done. This definitely beats your under-stairs storage closet full of chaos!
If you loved the last outdoor swing, you’ll love this one too. Made using an old white door as the backrest and base, it offers just the right space for two people. We love the added seat cushions, too – they complement the color of the door perfectly.
We’ve already shown you how to make a multi-photo display out of a door, and here’s another option. This person has kept their door upright and simply strung rope across the width of the door in a diagnoal Z pattern. From the rope, they’ve hung small photos and keepsakes. Simple, yet so effective.
We thought we’d squeeze in one last headboard door design at the end of this slideshow. These doors are particularly special in that they match the bedside table between the two beds perfectly. They contrast perfectly with the deep pink walls, wooden floor, grey rug and pink and white bedding.
It might seem nuts at first but it’s actually brilliant to hang your doors like this
Laura Shallcross
09.16.20
We don’t really think much about doors, yet we walk through them at least 30 times (at a rough estimate) on an average day. Though our modern doors are kind of boring, there’s something to be said about an old, repurposed door. If you’re a fan of DIY and design, you’re going to love this slideshow. Just be prepared – you’ll want to plan a trip to your local flea market as soon as you’ve finished looking through these designs.
