Repurpose an Old Window into Wall Art
I stumbled upon some old windows on my way to a traveling notary appointment. The appointment was a bust but I was rewarded for my efforts anyway. Driving on Wisner Street, I passed a house where the windows were being replaced. Stop the car! I’m not that shy. The workman allowed me to help myself, so I did. To repurpose an old window, you have to find one and it is not always easy.
If you are like me, walls and furniture are mostly neutral colors. I select color for things that are easy swap out like wall art, pillows, home decor and accents. The strategy allows me to change the look of the room when ever I want without spending a lot of money or doing a lot of work. High color wall art is perfect for this.
Choosing a Poster
It takes me hours pouring over art to choose THE one. Most repurposed windows have seascapes. The very first one I created was a seascape but really any fine art landscape might be very attractive this way. I imagine what kind of scene would be pleasant to see looking out from a window.
This one below features 1910 “Tegernsee Landscape” by August Macke, impressionist painter in Germany. The vibrant colors caught my attention as well as the landscape content.
I buy my posters on AllPosters.com. The quality choices there are important to me. Inexpensive posters have a glossy finish and colors are not true. Whites tend to be gray, etc. Spending the extra money for the better quality, where white is bright, is worth it in the long run.
I learn about the artists at the same time. The one above, “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” originally ridiculed, became the most famous work of Georges Seurat (1859 – 1891). I didn’t know that!
How to Repurpose An Old Window
Make sure the window is in good shape, not falling apart, and the glass is still stable. Take the hardware off and clean it from splattered paint and years of dirt. For distressed styling, I sand the window frame. USE A FACE MASK, some of the underlying paint might be lead based. Reveal the colors of previous paint layers and get down to bear wood especially in corners and edges. Otherwise, paint the frame with a matching color. That works too!
It is simple and easy to finish the project by placing the poster on the back of the frame with painters tape. Cut out to size a piece of corrugated to use as a backing. Staple it to the window frame. I trim the edges off with another round of masking tape over the edges. Window art tends to be heavy, so use D-rings and 30 pound hanging wire. Re-install the hardware exactly where it was.
