DIY An Affordable Picture Frame That Doubles As Storage Using An Old Window Pane

If your home is feeling extra drafty by the time winter rolls around, it may be time to replace your old window panes. This is especially true if you're trying to cut back on your electricity bill, because even though windows take up a relatively small portion of your home's wall space, they're responsible for nearly half of its heat gain or loss. However, before you take that old window pane to the dump, you should consider repurposing it. There are so many ways to repurpose old windows into home decor, including turning them into chalkboards, mirrors, and even mini bars. However, one of our favorite ways to repurpose an old window pane is to turn it into an adorable picture frame that doubles as extra hanging storage for your home.

This DIY picture frame project utilizes a window with multiple decorative grilles on it, but that doesn't mean that you can't also use a window pane that doesn't have them. To replicate the look, you can try creating a crosshatch pattern out of ribbon or another material to divide the window up into quadrants. You also don't have to go for the exact same look and could instead use a window pane without divided panes to display a singular large painting or photo. However, if you love the vintage look of the grilles, you can take a look at your local thrift store or flea market for old window panes with grids to use for this project.

To off kick this DIY, start by cleaning your old window pane, as the last thing you want is for all your pretty photos to get covered in dust or dirt. Then, flip the window, and arrange your photos in each of the grids of the window pane if it has them. It's important to flip it around during this step because you want to make sure that the photos are attached to the backside of the window, so they'll be protected behind the glass when the decorative side is facing out on your wall. Once you have the photos where you want to display them, go ahead and flip the photos over and tape them to the window pane, and you'll be all finished with the picture frame portion of this DIY.

After the photos are secured, you can get to work adding hanging storage to the picture frame. All you need for this part is a drill and some utility hooks to install into the frame. From there, the process is quite simple, as you'll just need to drill the hooks into the bottom of the window pane, hang your new picture frame wall hanger in the hallway, and enjoy your new unique and functional wall storage. You can also take further steps to customize the picture frame and make it your own by painting it or choosing more decorative or ornate hooks.