Transform Old Windows Into A Stylish And Affordable DIY Room Divider In A Snap

Room dividers are a smart way to separate your space in style. Getting creative and recycling a couple of tall windows or glass doors joined together with a set of door hinges makes a DIY room divider that still lets the light shine through. If you find three windows, even better; with an extra panel, two accordion folds made by the three hinged windows will have a sturdier base. If your search for tall windows comes up fruitless, smaller windows hinged together and set atop a counter or shelving unit — or even separate and hung from the ceiling — can become an adorable room divider.

Once you've located your windows, make sure they'll be safe to use before launching into your DIY. Check that the panes are intact, of course. But more importantly, old windows may expose you and your family to dangerous amounts of lead. So if you know or believe that the window came from a house built before 1978 (when the US government banned the use of lead-based paint), you may want to err on the side of caution and exclude it from your project. With two or three muster-passing windows, some sandpaper, paint, and two to three door hinges per connection (depending on the height of your windows), you're on your way to a handsome and handy room divider.

Give the wood on your windows a good rub-down with sandpaper before coating it in your paint color of choice. If you're taking a risk with older windows that may be covered in lead paint, take it outdoors, and don't simply dry-sand the wood. The New York State Health Department Center for Environmental Health advises wet-sanding by hand or using a power sander fitted with a HEPA filter vacuum attachment.

Your windows might look chippy-perfect already; seal that coveted shabby chic finish with a topcoat to make it last. Why not update them with a faux painting technique you've always wanted to try? Or you can try tricking out your piece in a bold tint that will add unexpected color to your room.

Once you're content with your paint job, screw the hinges at even intervals onto one tall side of each window. If your window frames have any damaged edges, you can hide them by placing the hinges on these surfaces. For a three-window version, make sure to attach the second set of hinges folding in the opposite direction of the first set. This way you'll have an accordion effect to help the windows stand sturdily. Set your creation anywhere you'd like to carve a nook out of a larger room.

Clear glass room dividers let lovely light seep through to other parts of a room. However, they do little in the way of providing privacy. Enjoy the classic window look as part of your decor with added seclusion by getting creative. Hang a curtain or some fabric panels to one side of the window(s). Or try painting the panes with a faux stained glass effect. Sticking on some decorative privacy film will go a long way too. You can even coat each pane with chalkboard paint to eke one more use out of your divider.

If you find the most perfect window, but it has cracked panes, you can still make the best of it by carefully removing the glass pieces. Wearing heavy gloves, slide large pieces out of the frame. You may have to break very large pieces into smaller ones in order to remove them. Take out small bits that are stuck in the frame with a pair of pliers. Fill the open gap with a piece of painted plywood or even a fabric-covered piece of cardboard. For vintage windows with rows of separate panes, you could end up with a random yet charming checkerboard clear and opaque look that brings in the light but also gives a bit of added isolation.