Repurpose Old Windows to "Wow" Your Prospects

When you’re renovating a house flip, you might need to replace old windows—maybe because they’re worn out or you want to install energy efficient ones. Don’t throw your old windows out yet! You can transform them into unique accents that’ll give potential buyers something memorable to talk about. In fact, you might even want to find other old windows at a flea market or antique store. Below are three home accents you can make out of old windows for a very low price tag.



A Message Board

Turn an old paned window into a charming message board. If the glass panes are still in it, you can cover them with chalkboard paint. If the glass is gone or you want to take it out, you can put pieces of cork board or chalkboard where the panes used to be. You can even alternate between chalk and cork board panels. On the other hand, it can be simpler just to lay the frame over a ready-made chalkboard or cork message board. For an open house, stick brochures or information about the house onto the cork board with some nice-looking push pins, or write about local attractions on the chalkboard. Hang the message board in the foyer, kitchen, or office.

Space Dividers

Old windows can continue their lives as space dividers. You can hang tall windows on chains from the ceiling. A mismatched collection is fine, if you want a vintage look. You can instead create dividers out of shorter windows by screwing their frames together or connecting them with chains. To make a flexible room divider that stands on the floor, attach long panels to each other with hinges. For the panels, you can use tall windows, old French doors, or small windows screwed together. With any of these ideas, you can leave clear glass in the windows for a see-through divider or use stained glass, frosted glass, or fabric for privacy. You may need to spray frosting or paint onto the glass.

Kitchen Racks

A colorful, wooden, paned window can become a kitchen rack for hanging utensils, towels, pot holders, mugs, or pots. Take the glass out first. Then, one way to complete it is to nail chicken wire to the back of the window and screw fancy drawer knobs to the front to hang items on. Another way to complete it is to screw large C-hooks into the thick wood of the outer frame and hang S-hooks over the muntins (the dividers between panes). Hang heavy pots from the C-hooks and light utensils from the S-hooks. Either hang the rack from ceiling hooks with chains, which gives you the option to hang it over an island or a cooking range, or mount it on a wall, leaving about an inch of space between the frame and the wall.

Keep Learning to Improve Your Business

Repurposing old windows is an exciting way to make unique and memorable decorations for your house flip—and to save beautiful materials from being wasted. If you want to learn more techniques to improve your real estate business, register for a free event from Rules of Renovation.