36 Ways To Repurpose Window Shutters Into Something Better

Even if they’re not popular anymore, window shutters are not completely useless. They may not be needed today anymore for their intended purpose but they can definitely be used in other ways. Wood shutters can be repurposed in a lot of awesome ways. We find the subject fascinating and we really want to share with you some of the ideas that we found.

Custom bathroom shelves

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

If you already have some wooden shutters you can repurpose, then every project you choose to make is instantly easier. Let’s say you’d like to make a shutter shelf for your bathroom. Go find a wooden board and some plywood and also get ready some wood glue and a staple gun. You’ll then be able to make something as useful and as charming as the design showed on simplicityinthesouth.

A photo display piece

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

Even if you don’t have your own wooden shutters which you can repurpose, you can probably buy an old pair for a very low price. There may be no need to even cut the shutter or to make any big structural modifications. If you’d like to repurpose a window shutter into a photo display piece, you can just clean it and stain it or, if you want to preserve its character, to leave it as it is. Put it up on a wall or lean it against one and attach the photos with mini clothespins. {found on westfurniturerevival}.

Shutter organizer for all sorts of things

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

But why display only photos on a wooden shutter when there’s so much more you can use it for? Consider turning an old shutter into a wall organizer for things like your mail, keys, sunglasses and other small items. You can keep this original organizer on the hallway. Check out thethings-we-do to see how it’s done.

A wall organizer and decoration combo

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

Now that you know how to turn a shutter into a wall organizer or at least a nice piece to display on the walls of your home, you can focus a bit more on the way the shutter looks. If it’s an old shutter you can preserve it its worn finish but if that’s not the case you could intentionally distress the wood as shown on craftsbyamanda.

Vintage vertical garden

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

If you’ve gotten to the point where you managed to repurpose a vintage window shutter into a wall piece, you can pretty much display anything you want on it. You could even turn it into a vertical garden. This can be an interesting project to try for the kitchen where you could have fresh herbs planted in jars, as suggested on sheknows.

A cute mantel piece

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

There’s more than one way to display a photo holder, even if it’s one made of a repurposed window shutter. If you have a fireplace, for example, you could keep the shutter on the mantel. Vases, framed photos and other decorations can be kept on the mantel too. {found on madincrafts}

Stylish shutter shelf with hooks

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

Some transformations are a bit more complicated, although not at all difficult. Let’s say you want to turn a wood shutter into a shelf. There’s not much to it as long as you have all the necessary tools and materials. OnConfessionsofaserialdiyer you can find a few useful tips along with some instructions.

A hanging storage system for fruits and veggies

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

An old window shutter can be repurposed in lots of useful ways and one of the ideas is described on myrepurposedlife. Here you can find out how to transform a shutter into a hanging produce bin system with a lot of farmer’s market charm.

Shutter cart with casters

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

A pair of window shutters and a discarded drawer can go a long way. You can use these things to make a small kitchen island like the one featured on Beyondthepicket. Install casters so you can move it around as needed and paint the shutters and the drawer if you want to give them a fresh look that matches the rest of the decor.

An organizer for your kitchen

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

A fresh coat of paint can really change an old window shutter so this would be a great starting point if you want to repurpose and revive one. Paint it white if you don’t want it to stand out much. On designsponge you can see how such a project can end up in a kitchen where the shutter can serve as a casual organizer.

Entryway wall piece from an old shutter

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

We said it once and we’ll say it again: a repurposed shutter can make a great organizer for the hallway. You can use it as a mail holder, the design being perfect for that without the need of modifications. To make it even more practical, add a few screw-in hooks at the bottom so you can hang your keys. In case you’re not very clear on all the details, check outsamanthaelizabethblog.

Console table with a shutter top

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

A single window shutter (or actually half of one) can be easily transformed into a top for a console table, assuming that it has suitable dimensions. If you want to find out all the details about building a shutter table, check out this tutorial on hgtv. It includes a complete list of materials and tools needed for the project.

Double shutters turned into a Christmas card display

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

One idea suggested on Prettyhandygirl is that a wooden window shutter can be transformed into a display board for Christmas cards. While that seems practical and pretty, we’re actually more fascinated by the point job on this thing. The secret is to dry brush the paint onto the shutters, skipping over the slats.

A freestanding headboard made of shutters

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

Shutter doors, as it turns out, are perfect if you want to build a coastal-style headboard. The idea comes from HGTV. Check out the project to find out what you’ll need if you decide to pursue it and to make your own headboard with coastal charm. Keep the colors light and neutral.

A stylish magazine rack

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

If you remove every other slat from a window shutter you’ll be left with a structure that would serve perfectly as a magazine rack. Removing the slats is actually the most important part of the transformation. Once this is done, you can focus on the aesthetics and paint the rack or decorate it in various ways. It’s all right here on Myrepurposedlife.

Stained shutter decorated with bunting and pictures

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

For the project featured onKaminskiscreations it would actually be best if the shutter didn’t have any missing slats. The idea here is to either stain or paint the shutter so it can serve as a backdrop for the bunting and photos that you’ll be hanging on it. That’s why a dark color would be good in this case.

Unique backdrop piece for the living room

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

Similarly, the shutters showed onAglimpseinsideblog act as backdrops for the framed photos and the other decorations that they hold. In this case, however, the shutters were not repainted but actually only cleaned and preserved as they were.

A shabby accent table

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

In case you’re interested in ways to use old shutters for something a bit more practical, check outGoodhousekeeping. The project featured here shows how to turn four shutters of the same size into a side table. You’ll also need a few other things for this project so be sure to read all the details and instructions.

Wall-hanging magazine and book holders

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

A repurposed wood shutter can hold magazines but also books. Since books are usually pretty small, you might not need to remove slats from the shutter which means the transformation is a lot easier and quicker. Just paint the shutter and find a good place for it on a wall. Maybe the kids could use something like this in their rooms. {found on homemadebeautiesbyheidi}.

Magnificent window planter made of shutters

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

Here’s a really cool idea: repurposing old window shutters into a beautiful window box. The idea comes from Sandflatfarm. You’ll probably need two shutters to make such a box but that depends on the size of your windows. The box showed here was painted blue, a beautiful color that helps it stand out.

Coastal-themed storage tower

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

There’s more than one type of window shutters and each one can be used in various types of projects. The long and narrow ones, for example, are great for building things like headboards or, asPurehunnybee, shelving units. Use two shutters to make one unit and consider a coastal themed decor for it.

Something cute for the hallway

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

The struggle to make a hallway practical and space-efficient without making it seem too small and cluttered is something a lot of us are familiar with. Of course, there are a lot of inspirations sources you can use to overcome the challenge, one of which isGoingalittlecoastal where you’ll find out how to repurpose window shutters into a hall tree.

A way to use shutters in table décor

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

So far we covered some really interesting projects but few of them were aimed at the dining room. We’re now adding one more to the list, a project that we found on Zestitup. The idea here is extremely simple. A shutter becomes a table runner and all that changes is its look but even that is optional.

Christmas-themed decoration

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

There’s this nice project idea for Christmas that also uses repurposed shutters. You could make a few modifications to the design and adapt it for other events if you’d like or you can just follow the exact instructions on Funkyjunkinteriors to make something Christmas-related.

Old shutter turned into a jewelry holder

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

Moving on to something less holiday-specific, we found this lovely jewelry holder made of a repurposed shutter. As it turns out, the transformation is very simple and the best part is that you get to customize the shutter with your preferred choice of paint color. You can even use two or more shades to create eye-catching patterns and effects. {found on Seven-Alive}.

Patriotic shutter flags

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

In the mood for something patriotic? Maybe for your next 4th of July celebration you’d like to make a flag out of a window shutter. There’s not much you’ll need for the transformation: just some painter’s tape, red, white and blue paint and paintbrushes. {found on Dianasdiyden}.

A new top for the coffee table

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

This table is made entirely of recycled materials and among those there’s also a wood shutter. Some scrap wood was used to build the frame of the table and the shutter had to be cut down to size. It was topped with glass and four legs from an old furniture piece were added to complete the design. {found on Scavengerchic}.

Shutter headboard with a simple design

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

The transition from shutter to headboard is a fairly easy one, even if the project starts with an old and worn down shutter. The first step is to sand it down to get rid of the old paint and ruined finish and then you need to paint the shutter. You can match it to the frame of the bed or you can try something different. Check out Thediydreamer for a few more details.

A practical wall shelf for the entryway

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

If you can manage to accurately cut a window shutter in two, you can then use the pieces to make a nice coat rack for the entryway. It’s a relatively simple project. You can customize the design however you want, depending on the type of shutter you use but also the type of hooks, the color, the placement and the surrounding decor as a whole. {found on Thediydreamer}.

A kitchen organizer with character

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

We simply love the idea of an old window shutter repurposed as an organizer for the kitchen. It’s not only a useful and practical addition to the room but also a great opportunity to add some warmth to the space in a less traditional and common manner. Check out Cdscountryliving to see how such an organizer could look like.

Single shutter organizer for the entryway

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

Apart from the kitchen, the entryway is probably the area where a repurposed shutter could be most useful. We already mentioned this and now we’ll show you one more example of how that can work out. This is a project that might also encourage you to take things a step further and to combine various elements to create unique accessories. This is something that we found onTheharpsterhome.

Something to decorate the corner with

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

Even if you’re not turning the shutters into organizers or furniture pieces, they can still enhance a space simply by being there. Their presence can influence the decor and the ambiance in a room and that means that the shutters are meant to be merely decorative. In such a case, you should focus on their look so be prepared to paint, scrape and decorate. {found on Annecharriereeng}.

Wall organizer for your office

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

Maybe your office could use the warm and charming touch of a repurposed old shutter too. You could turn one into an organization station. Clean it, paint it and mount it on the wall. Then add a separate shelf just under it. It’s something that we learned from Theendearinghome.

Another shutter organizer but with accessories

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

You don’t have to limit yourself to cleaning and painting the shutter if you want to turn it into an organizer. For example, you could take out some of the wood slats and fill the gap with cork board. This way you’ll have a pinboard built into the organizer. The idea comes from Homeroad.

A perfect dish rack for the kitchen

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

Turning shutters into furniture is a bit more difficult, but not so much if you choose to use the shutter as a simple shelf. Consider adding it to the kitchen where it could serve as a plate rack. It’s actually perfect for that and if you add some hooks to hang mugs and cups you gain a lot of storage space. The project is featured on Lauriennas.

An entire hall tree made of shutters

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

Now that you have some idea of how old window shutters can be repurposed and transformed, perhaps you’d like to try something a bit more complex, like this lovely hall tree/ vanity featured onLifeatthecottage. The shutters in this case come from closet doors and they’ve been combined with a small desk.

Shutter wall art

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

You don’t have to use the whole shutter to make something cool or useful out of it. You can cut it down to size or take it apart and reuse the pieces. That’s especially useful when making decorative items like this lovely flamingo art piece featured on flamingotoes. It has an eclectic vibe and it stands out in a really elegant way.

Small shutter and wreath design

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

There’s all sorts of cool uses for old shutters as decorations. They can even be used as additions to classic ornaments such as wreaths. Check out this beautiful fall wreath with its wooden shutter frame. It’s a bit like a door inception when you see it from a distance. You can find more details about it on petticoatjunktion.

Farmhouse shutter décor

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

Among other things, an old shutter can be displayed as a decoration in a farmhouse-inspired sort of environment. If you have a front porch that would actually be a perfect spot for something like this. You could simply lean the shutter against one of the walls and maybe hang a sign from it. You can find more creative ideas on creeklinehouse.

Shutter turned into a flag

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

In case you’re wondering how a wooden shutter could possibly be turned into a flag, the answer is simple: with paint. That’s how a lot of decorations are made, including these 4th of July-themed ones from hoosierhomemade. Keep this in mind next time you plan to make your porch look festive.

Shutter wall display for the nursery

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

As you’ve probably realized by now, you can integrate shutter into any room of the house, whether it’s as decorations or useful accessories. Here’s something adorable that you can make for the nursery room. It’s a wall display made from small wooden shutters and a few cute decorations like a mini banner made from paper doilies and some pictures. Check out thecraftingchicks if you’re interested in the tutorial.

Decorative shutter made from a pallet

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

This time it’s not the old shutter that has been repurposed into something else but a wooden pallet. It was actually turned into a decorative shutter which is a rather interesting idea. The barn-style design is a perfect fit for the fall-themed display featured on hollygrace. The wreath, the lantern and everything else really help to make this theme come to life.

Simple shutter headboard

DIY shelves over the toilet from shutter windows

By turning old shutters into a headboard for your bedroom you achieve two things. You obviously get to have a headboard which is a practical use for the shutters but you also add more character and style to the room. You introduce texture and pattern into its design and you make it look more welcoming and cozy. Check out gingersnapcrafts to learn more about the transformation.