Cottage style decorating, renovating and entertaining Ideas for indoors and out
  • Design Ideas
  • Entertaining
  • Outdoor/Garden
  • Lifestyle
  • C&B Project House
  • Shopping
  • Brand Ambassador
  • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Single Issues
    • Product Collab
    • Ebook
  • Cottage Destinations
  • Events
Join us for a Cozy Christmas in Connecticut!
45K
314K
19K
Cottage style decorating, renovating and entertaining Ideas for indoors and out
0Login
Cottage style decorating, renovating and entertaining Ideas for indoors and out Cottage style decorating, renovating and entertaining Ideas for indoors and out
  • Design Ideas
  • Entertaining
  • Outdoor/Garden
  • Lifestyle
  • C&B Project House
  • Shopping
  • Brand Ambassador
  • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Single Issues
    • Product Collab
    • Ebook
  • Cottage Destinations
  • Events
0
old game boards, shutters and sports equipment used as wall art
  • Design Ideas

Upcycled Décor: 6 Easy Ideas

  • March 25, 2019
  • Written by Jickie Torres
  • Photography by Bret Gum
  • Styling by Karen Wilhelmsen
Total
218
Shares
0
0
218

Kick up your vintage style a notch by getting inventive with ways to use, display and reinvent your flea-market finds into fabulous new décor pieces. Not only will you wow your guests with your innovative ideas, but you’ll also have a personal piece with a new story to tell. Here are 6 ways to use upcycled décor in your home!

1. Dine In

vintage patio set used inside as a dining table. flea market art hangs on the walls
Blur the lines between indoors and out by bringing common garden and architectural finds inside as wall art. Floral and pastoral paintings add to the effect.

Sometimes being creative doesn’t involve a lot of work, just a new way of looking at things. Here, interior designer Alison Kandler polished up a wrought-iron patio set, leaving the weathered patina intact, and brought it indoors as a dining room set.


Also Read: Divine Dining


2. Shutters for Shut-Eye

vintage bedroom with red shutter and colorful quilt
Shutter headboard

Designer Alison Kandler helped design her flea-market-loving mother’s tiny cottage. Part of packing a lot of style into a small space? Make sure each item speaks volumes of personal style. Here in the bedroom nook, Alison repurposed a fabulously chippy painted window shutter into a headboard.


Also Read: House Tour – An Incredible Cottage Rebuild in Bainbridge


3. Follow the Ruler

old rulers used as cabinet doors
If you’ve amassed a lot of one single type of collectible, think of ways you can use it as a material.

Colorful schoolhouse rulers get a new lease on life as cabinet fronts, transforming a basic cabinet into a memorable décor piece.

4. Salvage Style

Old game boards and vintage sports equipment make great wall art.
Old game boards and vintage sports equipment make great wall art.

Architectural salvage pieces such as shutters, mantels and moldings are flea-market gold. Upcycled as wall art in this living room, they have a big visual impact.

5. Tin Can Gardening

vintage tin cans used as succulent planters.
It’s easy to drill holes in the bottom of cans for drainage when using them as pots for your succulents.

Looking to amp up the vintage style in your garden? Here’s an easy project to get you started: Eschew plain pots for colorful vintage food tins to give your garden some vintage flair.

6. Beautiful Music

Vintage guitar decorated with purple flowers

Upcycled décor doesn’t have to involve much. Designer Chantal LeBlanc hung an old guitar on her wall, doubling the creativity and stepping up the spring style by using it to hold flowers for a gathering.

Looking for more vintage and upcycled décor ideas? Tour this Ventura Beach home bursting with artful vintage creativity.

Of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get your daily dose of cottage inspiration! 

Total
218
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 218
Related Topics
  • flea market
  • flea market find
  • upcycled
  • upcycled decor
  • vintage
Jickie Torres

Previous Article
White dishes with cobalt blue floral accents laid out on rustic wood
  • Lifestyle
  • Shopping

21 Kitchen & Dining Wedding Registry Essentials

  • March 23, 2019
  • Written by Molly Snelson
View Post
Next Article
Cottage style dining room with table and chairs and French doors open to the backyard.
  • Real Estate

Emma Stone Lists Her California Cottage

  • March 26, 2019
  • Written by Molly Snelson
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • Design Ideas
  • Renovation

Cape Cod Cottage Classic 

  • Written by Laura Shimko
  • July 30, 2025
Handmade wooden dining table surrounded by intricate dining chairs, looking out a large wall of windows next to a fold down bar.
View Post
  • Design Ideas

Vintage Decor in a Charming Historic Lake Cottage

  • Written by MERYL SCHOENBAUM
  • Photography by BRET GUM
  • Styling by SHANNON GGEM AND JICKIE TORRES
  • July 30, 2025
View Post
  • C&B Project House
  • Design Ideas
  • Featured

Illuminating Homes for a Century: The Story of Capitol Lighting/1-800 Lighting

  • Kelly McMaster
  • July 18, 2025
exterior view of 1926 Tudor home with floral wreath flag and sculpture of man holding a lamp
View Post
  • Design Ideas

A Timeless Tudor

  • Written by Kelly McMaster
  • Photography by David Sparks
  • June 15, 2025
View Post
  • Design Ideas

Colorful Coastal Cottages

  • by
  • June 8, 2025
View Post
  • C&B Project House
  • Design Ideas

Introducing Southern Crafted Shutters

  • Kelly McMaster
  • June 5, 2025
Retro kitchen with yellow tile and stove and black accents.
View Post
  • Design Ideas
  • KITCHEN
  • Shopping

15 Retro Kitchen Appliances You’ll Love

  • Written by Jickie Torres
  • June 4, 2025
Modern cottage great room with exposed beams, classic blue rug and cream colored sectional surrounded by walls of windows.
View Post
  • Design Ideas

Understanding the Modern Cottage

  • Written by WILL LE VIN
  • May 28, 2025
  • Author Bio
Jickie Torres

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CAPTCHA Image



Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign-up to receive the best of cottage style directly in your inbox!
  • Cozy Elegance:The Final Reveal

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to receive the best of cottage style directly in your inbox!

Cottage style decorating, renovating and entertaining Ideas for indoors and out
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • FAQ
  • Newsletter
  • Do Not Share My Personal Info
Copyright © 2025 Cottages & Bungalows

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

We use cookies to optimise our website and give you the best experience on our website. ACCEPTREAD MORE
X