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DIY for Homeowners

Upcycle Vintage Windows with Simple Fairy Lights

9/18/2017

7 Comments

 
​text by Vicki     Sign up to get Mother Daughter Projects updates in your email!
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
If you know me, you are aware that I brake for trash. One Saturday morning as I traveled to yard sales, I spotted an aquarium in a trash pile. I quickly braked to pick it up. I didn't notice at first, but sitting with the aquarium were four large vintage windows with the glass intact. I thought, "what the heck, they might be usable for something", so into the Honda they went. 

That was also the yard sale day that I found several pieces of oak tongue and groove flooring, a large mantle size piece of cedar and a live edge piece of cypress (all for the bargain price of $15). My car was quite full by the time I loaded it all up. I wasted no time dropping off the aquarium for my grandkids (I had been tasked with finding one and what's better than finding a free one!?) and then took the rest to Steph's house.

I'm never sure how she will react to my "finds," but she liked the windows and decided they'd make a great decor for a blank wall in her house! 
Materials:
  • Windows
  • Window cleaner
  • Microfiber cloth
  • Razor
  • Battery powered fairy lights (Amazon)
  • WD-40 (Amazon)
  • Minwax Clear Poly (Amazon)
  • Sander/ Sandpaper (Diablo)
  • Screwdriver
  • French cleat (Amazon)
  • Lace fabric
  • ​Rust-Oleum Frosted Glass spray (Amazon)

A post shared by Vicki & Steph (@motherdaughterprojects) on Sep 18, 2017 at 12:04pm PDT

Watch the video above to see more details on this project!
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
There were two large windows...
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
Cleaning the glass and wood was the first step. A good window cleaner and microfiber cloth got the job done.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
The frames were sanded just enough to remove some of the chipped paint.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
WD-40 does a great job cleaning old hardware and stopping the rust.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
To create a subtle design, we used a piece of lace and sprayed it with frosted glass paint.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
...and two matching smaller ones.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
Tiny spatters of paint were on the glass. After wetting the window with window cleaner, I gently scrapped it off with a razor.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
Hardware was removed prior to sanding and then cleaned.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
We painted the frames with a clear poly to keep the white paint from peeling anymore.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
This is the wall where the windows were to be placed. Deciding how to place them on the wall was challenging.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
We decided trying them out on the ground was our best option. We like this arrangement the best.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
The windows were hung with French cleats. It comes with everything you'll need.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
This part goes on the wall.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
One part of the cleat goes in the wall, the other on the window.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
The lights were randomly taped into place inside the frames.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
Steph made a little cover and painted them the wall cover to hide the battery boxes of the fairy lights.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
The boxes are held in place with velcro.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
Just push the box to control the lights.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
The cover also serve as a light switch.
Learn how to repurpose and reuse old windows. See how to use lace as a stencil for a subtle and beautiful effect. See how to hang them with French cleats and get some ideas on how to use the panes in your living room!
Here you can see the subtle lace pattern on the glass.
Picture
Every once in a while it's fun to do a quick upcycle project. This was one of those. We love the look, as it fills Steph's space but doesn't look heavy or overpowering. Another nice feature is we can clean the lace pattern off the glass if we want to give these a different look in the future.

Please note: We are not sponsored by any of the companies/products that we used. These products were picked and bought by us.

FYI: We are not professionals, and we don’t claim to be. This is what we found worked for our project. Yours may need a little different approach. Safety first!

FYI: Affiliate links are being used on this page. Purchasing via these links help support MDP!

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7 Comments
Darnell M Fugate
1/3/2018 12:33:02 pm

I believe this is the best use of old windows I have seen yet! Turned out beautiful.

Reply
Steph
1/3/2018 08:11:11 pm

Thanks so much Darnell! :)

Reply
Victoria
7/22/2018 08:34:39 pm

Love this idea! My MIL gave us an old window for our wedding gift and I’ve been dying to dress it up a bit. What tape did you use to hold the lights in place? I don’t even notice the tape!

Reply
Steph
7/22/2018 08:51:42 pm

Hi Victoria- so happy you like the idea. What a great gift! The tape is called gaffer tape. We use it a lot because it doesn't leave a sticky residue like duct tape.

Reply
Reba
4/21/2021 09:39:31 am

I can’t tell which part of the French cleat goes on the wall. Drill light is preventing a clear picture

Mary
9/28/2018 10:02:13 pm

These are gorgeous!

Reply
Steph
10/1/2018 09:14:57 am

Thanks Mary!

Reply



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