For a new look, repurpose vintage items

Salvage — repurposing rescued house parts, like doors, windows and decorative elements — is easier than it seems. All you need is a good eye and a bit of imagination.

“It’s really satisfying to able to hang something on the wall that you made yourself and has a lot more character and style than you find in a store,” says Amy Hughes, author of Salvage-Style Projects. “Plus, it’s a lot easier than starting a carpentry project from scratch.”

Here’s a simple project from Hughes to help inspire your own salvaging:

Look for a vintage multi-pane wood window.

Try salvage yards and antique shops. Make sure the glass isn’t cracked and the panes are secure. (If the paint is chipped, strip it or seal it under a clear coat of polyurethane to guard against lead.)

Clean the window.

Measure panes to determine photo mat sizes, and trim to fit with a utility knife, slicing equal parts from the sides, top and bottom so that the mats will be centered behind each pane.

Secure photos.

Fix them to the backs of the mats with flat-back kraft paper framer’s tape. Place each matted shot behind a pane, and tape around its outer edges.

Once photos are in place, tape the inner edges to each other. Thread picture wire through eyehooks in back of the window and hang.