12 Ways To Repurpose Shutters Around Your Home And Garden

Exterior window shutters have been a feature of homes for centuries. Window shutters originated as a way to filter light and insulate windows long before modern advances made them obsolete. They also added a layer of privacy as well as protection from harsh weather, and many homes in more extreme climates still depend on them today to help defend against strong winds. Functional shutters are true assets that add style and practicality to windows. These days, however, exterior shutters are most often an aesthetic choice rather than a functional one. 

As current home trends continue to move away from exterior window shutters, there are luckily several ways to repurpose them, whether it's to elevate your home decor or improve a storage system. Even if home exteriors are embracing a more minimalist aesthetic, shutters are still a lovely décor item that can be reused and upcycled in fun projects around your home and garden. If you are ready to give your shutters new life around your home, here are 12 upcycle project ideas!

If you have an extra shutter in pretty good condition, you can use it as a table top. All you'll need to do is build a simple table frame to attach it to and stain or paint it to suit your style. While the shutter slats add interest, they may not be the most practical table surface. If your shutter slats don't move and won't balance items well, you can top your table with a glass panel to keep the look while adding functionality. Shutters make great coffee tables, sideboard tables, or accent tables.

Shutter décor projects make great additions to a farmhouse-style kitchen. By turning a shutter on its side, you've got a lovely little shelf perfect for showing off a dainty china set. Those shutter slats make perfect plate holders and you can add a few hooks underneath to hang tea cups. Just pair an upcycled shutter with some dainty L-shaped wall-mounted brackets like the Home Master Hardware Decorative Brackets on Amazon, and voila!

If you have some shutters with broken and missing slats, don't throw them out! Instead, turn them into cheap and easy Halloween decorations! Just enhance the spooky look by taking out slats, making some lay diagonally, and painting them to your liking. Cover with cobwebs, and maybe attach a decorative bat or two. You can simply lean them against your home near the windows to give your house a haunted vibe.

If you're short on outdoor space, upcycle an old shutter into a chic vertical garden. S-hooks easily slot into the shutter slats and can support a small planter pot on the other end. You can cut or drill a hole in your pots or attach string to either side to hang on the hook. Just make sure whatever you use will support the weight of your plants, especially after watering.

Shutters make a beautiful backdrop for anything you want to display. The slats are perfect for showcasing postcards, photos, and holiday cards. Slide them into the slats or use clothespins to tack them on. Add hooks to hold just about anything else you can think of, from kitchen tools to jewelry to small baskets, which can hold even more. If you are looking for a cute display and storage solution to go with your farmhouse aesthetic, use a shutter!

This easy DIY puts a fun spin on repurposing household items for holiday decorations. Turn an old shutter into an adorable snowman to greet your guests at your front door. All you need for this DIY is some spray paint and a few supplies to customize your snowman. Paint the shutter white and add a black spray painted top hat with a simple wooden slat brim if you so choose. Large wooden beads or knobs make perfect eyes and buttons, and add a painted wooden slat for a carrot nose.

Another shutter shelf option utilizes the shutter as a décor accent behind a flat shelf. This project is super simple. You can attach a pre-made shelf to the shutter or assemble one from a kit before painting or staining your shelf and shutter to match. Giving this shelf a rustic, distressed look will enhance the shabby chic farmhouse aesthetic even more. Add a few decorative knobs or hooks along the bottom to complete the look.

Shutters can serve as effortless garden bed walls to keep your flowers or produce safe and secure. Paint the shutters a fun color to make your garden bed pop or use the shutters to tie in the rest of your outdoor décor. You can nail wooden shutters together to create your garden bed frame and connect vinyl, aluminum, or other shutter materials with the appropriate screws.

Give your shutters the job they were always meant to have — adding privacy and protection to your space by making a shutter privacy screen. Whether you want to add some privacy on your patio from the neighbors, block the sun's glare, or just help your outdoor space feel a bit more cozy and enclosed, hinge together a few shutters and use them as a stand-alone unit or attach them to your covered patio or deck rails.

This is a great project for hinged shutters, but you can also connect two separate shutters to create this adorable corner display shelf. Just nail corner shelves into the shutters for a quick and easy DIY. You can make shelves yourself or use pre-made corner shelves like the Jorikchuo Solid Wood Corner Shelves from Amazon. Paint the shutters and stain the wood for a rustic two-toned look, or make it all monochrome to add farmhouse elegance to any room.

Upcycle your shutters into a rustic lantern. This is ideal for smaller shutters, and you can simply attach four together and add a top and bottom for an easy DIY project. Give your lantern a door by attaching one shutter with hinges and place an LED light inside. If you use movable shutter slats, you can adjust the light of your lantern to create the perfect ambiance.

Shutters make beautiful side panels to most pieces of furniture. Shutter slats also create functionality if transformed into a mini kitchen island, serving up extra storage opportunities. Add some hooks to the slats and hang dish towels, spatulas, or pots and pans so they'll always be in arm's reach. A shutter island is the perfect addition to your rustic farmhouse kitchen aesthetic.