Jacob Fox
Time to hit the flea market for your favorite vintage treasures!
These decorating ideas give new life to common flea market finds.
Get inspired by our vintage DIY projects that transform antique scores into fabulous decor.
Credit:Jacob Fox
Thread yarn through the racket strings to form a letter, and hang one above each cubby area.
Mount wall hooks above for added function.
Shine On
Gather a collection of small antique mirrors to create agraphic wall arrangement.
Credit:Jason Donnelly
Search flea markets for frames with interesting shapes and pretty details in a similar finish.
Hang the grouping above a bar cart for a touch of vintage glamour.
Tea Time
Vintage eggcups, pitchers, and teacups make pretty planters for succulents.
Credit: Ann VanderWiel Wilde
Use quick-drying cactus potting mix to prevent the plants from becoming too waterlogged.
Swing Shift
Carson Downing
Reimagine a retiredporch swingas a different kind of seat.
Remove the chains and use pine boards to fashion a base that matches the swing’s dimensions.
Credit: Blaine Moats
Adistressed paint finishgives the new bench age-old charm.
Pretty Pillows
Repurpose vintage tea towels and flour sacks as pillowcases.
Stitch the textiles together, leaving an opening on one side.
Credit:Carson Downing
Slip a pillow inside and sew the pillowcase closed.
This retro Atlantic City linen towel was the perfect size for a lumbar pillow.
Box Tops
John Granen
Put fruit boxes to work asentryway storagecubbies.
Credit: Carson Downing
Mount the boxes on the wall with the top opening facing out.
Vary the sizes and orientations to accommodate items both big and small.
Cut holes in the backs of the boxes for electrical outlets to keep devices juiced up.
Credit:John Granen
Rooted in Time
Vintage timepieces make great houseplant hosts.
Use a jigsaw to cut away a section in the top of the clock to create space for planting.
Place a plastic pot inside and mount your now-flourishing flea market find on the wall.
Credit:Jason Donnelly
Creative Accent Wall
Scour antique shops and flea markets for embroidery hoops in a range of sizes.
Attach faux greenery or flowers for a touch of organic texture.
Use nails to mount the hoops around your headboard in a layered arrangement.
Credit:Jason Donnelly
To hang, install two metal monkey hooks in the wall, spaced about 1-1/2 inches apart.
Then rest one row of the rake’s metal supports on the hooks.
Fill with more adhesive as needed.
Credit:James Nathan Schroder
Let dry and then hang and tuck in air plants or succulents.
Giddy Up
Neatly corral a collection of frames with a well-worn horse harness.
Mount the harness on the wall using a single-prong robe hook screwed in with wall anchors for strength.
Credit:Jason Donnelly
Use twine to connect two large picture frames to the harness’s leather straps.
Then secure the frames to the wall with picture-hanging strips.
Fill in open wall space with smaller frames.
Credit:Jason Donnelly
Drill holes into the ends of each shelf board and secure them inside the sifter with drywall screws.
Give the shelves a worn, vintage finish using a combination of gray and brown stains.
Old-Fashioned Favor
Whip up a bookend from an antique butter churn and reclaimed wood.
Start by removing the lid of the churn from its glass jar.
Discard the paddle and repurpose the jar as a vase.
When the epoxy is set, stain the dowel if desired.
Hang the towel holder from a nail.
To get the sack to lie flat, trim off the hems and sewn edges.
Working one drawer at a time from the bottom drawer up, coat each drawer face with decoupage medium.
Credit:Jason Donnelly
Use a sharp utility knife to cut off excess fabric along the top edge of the drawer.
Smooth out any air bubbles, then apply another layer of decoupage medium on top.
Repeat this step for each drawer.
Credit:Jason Donnelly
Load the boxes with collections, painting several of the interiors a light hue to better showcase treasures.
Arrange the crates on the floor to perfect your layout before you screw the pieces into wall studs.
Use old wooden sewing cabinet drawers to sort and hold glasses upright.
Credit:Jason Donnelly
Employ an old wire locker bin to corral extra drink supplies on the bar cart.
And pack a vintage suitcase with cocktail accoutrements.
An added bonus: The whole shebang can move to wherever the party’s happeningeither inside or outside.
Credit:Laura Moss
Color Suspension
Create a headboard with global-infused moxie by hanging a tapestry above your bed.
Set the long pole on top and secure to the anchors with screws.
Wrap the pole with felt so the tapestry or fabric won’t get snagged.
Credit:Jacob Fox
Use simple pins to hold the felt and fabric in place.
Use clipboards coated in chalkboard paint to label each hanging zone by family member.
Gather four or five trays in different shapes, including some with rounded edges for greater visual impact.
Credit:Laura Moss
Then mount them on the wallsuch as above a bed or sofawith press-on, pull-off hook-and-loop picture hangers.
Thread a string through the hem.
Cinch the string at the table base and tie.
Credit:Laura Moss
Pretty Pedestal
Make your own industrial-chic patio table for less than $5.
Dress up the pedestal with decorative paper napkins or paper applied with a decoupage medium.
Paint the recessed panels with chalkboard-style paint and change the message as the season or the spirit dictates.
Credit:Laura Moss
Hang a teacup or metal creamer from a cup hook or the doorknob to keep chalk close at hand.
Just poke drapery hooks into the screen and slip jewels onto the hooks for tangle-free storage.
Need to store more?
Credit:Jacob Fox
Stash additional baubles in a vintage bowl elevated by an overturned tea cup.
Secure the cup to the bowl with epoxy.
Wave Runner
Revive an heirloom dresser with paint and a stencil.
Credit:Laura Moss
To start,paint the dressera smoky blue.
Then fill in the untaped portions with white paint.
Remove the tape when dry.
Credit:Laura Moss
Sand the dresser’s edges lightly to mimic natural wear and tear.
Turn one on its endinstant end table!
Or add a cushioned top to a crate to create a cozy footstool.
Credit:Laura Moss
Attach wooden stretchers across the crate opening to form a support ledge for the cushion.
Watch and learn how to add them to DIY art canvases!
Measuring Up
Step up your decorating game by lining stair risers with vintage yardsticks.
Credit:Laura Moss
To impart age to new yardsticks, wipe the young wood down with diluted brown paint or stain.
Secure a piece or two of jewelry to the top of each charger with hot glue or metal glue.
To complete the setting, use clip-on earrings to prop up place cards.
Credit: Laura Moss Photography Corp
Gather three different-size wire wreath forms, twine, paper clips, and a light pendant cord kit.
Slip the coiled part of the paper clips over the wreath forms, layering until the forms are full.
Use twine to secure the wreath forms together, then tie the wreaths to the pendant light.
Credit:Laurie Black
When it’s time to plant, you’ll have everything you need, ready in a portable container.
Art on Tap
Transform a collection of colorful plumbing valves into a 3-D work of art.
Arrange the valves in shapes or letters and secure to wood backing with screws.
Credit: Scott Little / RJT LLC
To enhance the valves' historic flavor, suspend the art onreclaimed wooden boards.
Place the tub inside the bed-frame portion of the buggy, and you’re ready to roll.
It should fit snugly into the openingno additional attachments required.
Credit:Scott Little
Vintage Ephemera
Dust off penned notes from the past and bring them out into the open.
Use a photocopier to enlarge the letters and print the results on pretty paper stock.
Form dust jackets for books from the paper and display the wrapped books on tabletops or shelves.
Credit:Laura Moss
Improved Shelves
Scott Little / RJT LLC
Tired of tall, dark bookshelves?
Highlight collectibles in the cubbies by lining the shelves with vintage maps.
Add flair by using salvaged corbels as bookends.
Credit:Kritsada Panichgul
Salvaged Headboard
Rework architectural salvage intoa headboard design.
The peekaboo headboard style is ideal when you have a patterned wall you want to show off.
Movie Magic
Bring the allure of old Hollywood home via vintage film reel cases.
Credit:Laurie Black
Removable adhesive strips easily hold the lightweight lids on the wall.
Apply spray adhesive to secure the cork to a sturdy piece of corrugated cardboard.
Use four flathead tacks to hang each small frame on the corkboard.
Credit:Laurie Black
Glue the flathead portion of the tacks to the back of each frameone tack in each corner.
Let dry, then push the frame into the cork.
Lovely Lamp
Fashion a showy lamp from a peacock-style Victorian fireplace screen.
Credit:Laurie Black
Love this shade’s map motif?
Replicate the look by adhering parts of a map to the shade with spray adhesive.
If the map has crease lines or you want to preserve it, make color photocopies instead.
Credit:Laurie Black
At the seams, allow the vertical edges of the map pieces to overlap by 18 inch.
Stitch Happy
Crewelwork and needlepointwere once a common pastime for women.
To freshen the handiwork, ditch the frame and work the needlepoint into an accent pillow.
Credit:Laurie Black
Credit:Scott Little / RJT LLC
Credit:Scott Little / RJT LLC
Credit: Scott Little / RJT LLC
Credit:Scott Little / RJT LLC
Credit:Kritsada Panichgul
Credit:Kritsada Panichgul
Credit:Kritsada Panichgul
Credit:Kritsada Panichgul
Credit:Kritsada Panichgul
