This may be the EASIEST salvaged project I’ve ever done! | Salvaged Window Garden Decor
Hi, creative #sifamily! I originally planned a console table for today’s post, but the weather has been so beautiful I can’t resist taking advantage of my short gardening season. If you’re into florals, fruit, or vegetable gardening, I’m guessing the planting bug has bitten you too. 😉 To inspire some ideas for your outdoor space, I have what may be the EASIEST salvaged project to date… and this project packs a punch! I can’t wait to hear what you think.
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Here are a few of the salvaged window frames I started with. I even found a few more in my furniture painting and styling inventory.
And here is my vegetable garden fence at the back of my property. It’s old and needs a few repairs but is holding on strong. Let’s see if we can make it look more fun and inviting!
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WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Old Window Frames – SALVAGED
Paint Brushes
Paint or Stain
Screws / Nails
Dewalt Impact Driver Set (42% OFF as of Writing this!)
9″ Speed Light Level
MY INSPIRATION
Last week Andrea and I met our sister Marzenna at the cutest garden center in Vineland – The Watering Can Flower Market. We had a lovely lunch and then strolled around looking at all the greenery and colorful plants on display. The first thing that caught my attention as we were heading into the market was the variety of old windows that were hung willy-nilly on the wall entrance. I didn’t get a great pic of them all (I wish I had a full wall picture for you), but it looked super cute and added so much character to the entrance!
SALVAGED WINDOWS
Andrea reminded me that I had some salvaged window frames (some with and some without glass) that I have been using for staging and styling my painted furniture. My back fence is over 50 feet long. I knew I didn’t have enough windows for the entire length, but that’s okay. I think that would have been too much. But a section of this old fence sure could use something cute to draw the eye into the garden.
CLEANING/PAINTING (OPTIONAL)
No cleaning or prepping was required on my windows. I had already painted a few of these frames and the two I picked up at a garage sale in Rochester NY had a fabulous original stain. The one was in much better shape than the other. I used all the window frames AS-IS. It’s a rustic look I’m after so I’m looking forward to the paint chipping and getting weathered.
If you prefer a more modern/clean look, this can be adjusted by cleaning everything up. Staining or painting in a variety of colors and finishes, and then topcoating for protection. This way the window frames will look newer for longer.
GATOR HIDE TOPCOAT (OPTIONAL)
I didn’t topcoat these window frames. I’m hoping the weather will age these windows even more. If you want to protect your windows from the elements, I recommend sponging on a few coats of this Gator Hide topcoat. Another good option would be this Exterior Water Base Varathane Topcoat that seals out water and is mold and mildew-resistant.
TOOLS I USED
To hang these windows on my fence I used –
Screws / Nails
Dewalt Impact Driver Set (42% OFF as of Writing this!)
9″ Speed Light Level
Any type of long wood screw or long nails you have on hand could be used to hang salvaged windows. Just be sure they are long enough to go through the frame and grip into your fence safely.
SECURING WINDOWS TO THE FENCE
I didn’t do anything fancy. I grabbed my impact gun and drilled some long screws into the fence to hold up the lightweight frames without the glass adding a long screw in each corner.
For the heavier windows that had glass inserts, I drilled into the frame and right through the fence. The one that had hinges, I used the hinges to secure the frame. This was so easy to do and I had them all hung within 15 minutes.
ARE THEY LEVEL?
The biggest challenge of this project was hanging them perfectly straight. While I was drilling in the screws, I would start with one side. Then I propped up the window holding it with my knee, and used my level to ensure I was hanging them straight. Once I had it leveled, I drilled in the other side. Make sure you have a level! It’s hard to gauge when you are right up close and can’t take a step back. The level will ensure they are hung perfectly straight every time!
MAPPING A PATTERN
The windows hung at The Watering Can Flower Market were not hung symmetrically. I think this is part of the charm! they were all a mismatched array of frames which in my opinion, made it interesting. If you want to map out where your windows will look best, cut out the shape/size of each window frame using some newspaper and then tape it onto your fence. This will give you a visual of how the windows will look all hung. If you don’t like the placement, you can play around until you find a configuration you do like.
THE FINISHED LOOK
Here’s the finished look…
This old fence has some personality now!
I’m going to look for some larger planters to hang over the fence. These smaller ones I like to use on my painted picket fence but they did the job for styling today.
I hung one of the frames behind my raspberry bush as well. It looks adorable peeking through the greenery when looking at it straight on.
And here’s a close-up of the rustic window I picked up from a garage sale in Rochester NY. This window has so much character and farmhouse ‘grime’ it’s my favorite of all the windows.
It was also used back in 2016 to style this Pretty In Pink Farmhouse Dresser!
Now it’s time to start filling this garden with fresh organic vegetable plants. So far I’ve bought a variety of tomatoes, eggplant, lettuce, kale, cabbage, zucchini, beans, and squash. This is a super large garden! And this year I would like to focus more on gardening vertically. It’s planting time!!! This salvaged window decor is going to look even better with all the fresh greenery growing around it! 🙂
MORE GARDEN INSPO FROM THE WATERING CAN FLOWER MARKET
Isn’t this ‘garden bike’ and welded VW Beetle adorable?
And here’s what they did with some salvaged windows inside of the garden gallery. I LOVE all the succulents growing in and around the frames!
And aren’t sisters the BEST?! 💙
Here’s another look at the before and after.
I hope the rest of your week and weekend goes fabulous! I’ll be back next Tuesday with this gorgeous console table makeover and my Trashy Treasures crew. Color suggestions are welcome because I have NO idea what to do with this yet. See you then!
Let me know what you think of this salvaged window garden decor idea. I always love hearing from you, it makes my day! 🙂
Happy painting my friends!
Denise x
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I love this so much! The windows totally transformed your fence into a work of art! And yay for sisters!! XOXO
Yes, YAY for sisters and thank you my friend! XOXO
How great to have a sisters trip and cheering squad…I love the added texture to your garden. And the table is gorgeous! Seeing sage , cream, gilded touches and a rich wood top😍.
I love a sage and cream combo, I like this idea too! And yes, sisters are the BEST, aren’t they?! Thanks Barbara.💙
How great it was to see your sisters! I’m so glad you all got time to spend together. I hope that happens a lot more often!
Your fence looks wonderful. Your plantings look fabulous–you definitely have a green thumb–or 2! Great idea, great production. Enjoy!!
Thanks Caye and you just gave me a chuckle about the green thumb – or 2!🤣 Good one!👍👍
Such a nice post. I’d love spending time in your garden — welcoming, pleasing and orderly without feeling staged and fussy. I hope you’ll put chairs, a table and lights by your wall so you can enjoy sitting out there as long as possible before the plants get too tall and the weather gets too hot. Also like that you and your sisters keep up with each other and make time for weekend get-togethers at fun places. Keep it up.
I’m glad you enjoyed it Cyndel because I had a lot of fun getting the inspo and creating it. I LOVE your lights idea. That would really draw the eye to the back of the property at night!
I absolutely adore this project. What a fun and clever way to add interest to your garden. 👏🏻 I miss my wood fence. I wonder if this would work on my barbed wired fence. 🤔 🤣
Loved seeing you with your beautiful sisters. 😘 Do
Not so sure what it would look like on a barbed wired fence…😂, buuut if anyone could make it look good on barbed wire – it would be YOU Do!!!
What a great idea. It looks fabulous. You are very talented Denise.
Thank you Jaye!🤗 I had such a lovely day AND came home with an idea… so good!😊
LOVE LOVE LOVE this, Denise!!! This is MY style!!! My garden has no wall area, but has a net solar electric fence. It is about 150 feet by 125 feet. I bought a couple long old shutters, and put them on posts at the entrance to my garden. My plan is to build a couple elevated planters at the entrance, and shape an arch over and between them. I want to plant pink and red climbing roses to go up the arch entrance, in memory of my Mom, who passed 2 years ago, at age 91. She loved pink and red roses! Even when I roll up my fencing, my 4 dogs still all know where the ‘entrance’ is, and enter the garden in that spot. They LOVE the garden! I also have one of my cats that thinks it’s a dog, and he goes out with the dogs, and ‘helps’ me in the garden, or wherever I’m working on my farm. I used 16 foot cattle panels to make garden arches for my ‘wandering’ plants to grow up. I also have a bunch of decorative bird houses scattered around the garden, and hanging from the arches. You are such an inspiration!!! I LOVE so many of your ideas!! Even as an older woman in my 70s, I can still learn new things! Thank you for continuing to share!! 🥰
Susan, your garden sounds AMAZING!!!!… and HUGE!!! I love the idea of creating the elevated planters and the arch trellis for the pink and red climbing roses. That would be such a beautiful (and sentimental) spot. My Gidget tries to help out in the garden as well. They are such good company although I wish she had hands so she could help.😂🐾 I’m so happy you love the post/idea and happy gardening. XOXO
LOVE!! 🥰😘🥰😘🥰
This looks fabulous Denise, wish I had a fence! But maybe a blank wall of the side of my house. Thanks for sharing your backyard, happy gardening!
Thanks for sharing it with me by being here Celia! XOXO
What a great idea, and it looks fabulous! If I were to do it, I’d take the glass out due to MN’s crazy weather.
Thanks Lizzy!💙 We have some crazy weather here in the Toronto area as well but I’m hoping it will be okay.🤞
Super pretty! Everything you do turns to gold! Love it.
awww, thanks Tracy! Means a lot coming from you! XOXO
Looking at the coffee table, I would like to see it painted a color associated with where the design might have come from – maybe the Mediterranean area? And after looking at it for a while, it almost looks like little frogs sitting on a ledge. So maybe a green with a natural top?
I see pineapples!😂 But yes, I LOVE your idea Barb. When I go down and take another look at it, I’m going to look for these little frogs sitting on a ledge!🐸 thanks so much for chiming in! xo
What a great idea, Denise. That really added oomph! to your fence. Clever you to see it, like it, and DO IT.
Sheila
Thanks Sheila!😊 I’m happy my sister reminded me I had those frames in my inventory. She’s always so encouraging saying “You can do that!”😂
wonderful but simple showing – I love it. enjoyed the WCFM tour & your lovely sister pix!!
Thank youuu CC, so happy you enjoyed it. The WCFM was fabulous – and the company was even better.💙
Great job! You can dress it up seasonally, add lights, window boxes, etc. Or not! You’ll have a lot of fun with this project. Let us see how it changes through time, won’t you please?
YESSSSSS, I love your ideas Gloria!😃 I’m guessing once all my vegies and plants grow in I wont even be able to SEE the back of my fence…lol…but yes, I’d love to share.
This is a fun idea and your garden fence looks adorable Denise! 🌸🌸🌸
Super fun, thank you Nicki!!🤗