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Monday, October 24, 2011

Homemade Shutters

For the last several months I've been on the look out for shutters whenever I go to an estate sale, antique stores, or garage sales. I have come across a few, but they were priced pretty high. Since I haven't had much luck, my husband and I decided to make our own from an old bi-fold door he picked up for free! He just cut the doors down to the size I wanted the shutters and then I gave them a good sanding.

 After the shutters were cut and sanded, I stained them with a coat of Dark Walnut Minwax stain.

I let them dry over night. In the morning I took Vaseline and smeared it on different areas, focusing on areas that would typically show wear, like the corners.  

Next I painted them with a coat of light gray paint I already had around the house. 

Once the gray was dry, I painted on a coat of white.

After the last coat of paint was dry, I took steel wool and had fun heavily distressing. The areas where I put Vaseline easily peeled away and gave me just the look I was going for. I wanted them to look extremely worn and weathered.

Here's the wall in my living room before the shutters.

 And after!!!!!


 
Obviously I need to get more frames, but I'm loving this way of displaying family photos. I think during Christmas I'm going to use the shutters to hold our Christmas cards that we receive.

I love how you can see some of the gray peeking through!

So what do you think of my homemade shutters!?! Do they look like they've been hanging on an old farmhouse for 100 years?

I'm linking to the parties listed HERE and to:


88 comments:

  1. These turned out Great ... love the distressing!

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  2. I love how these turned out!Great job and the distressing is perfect. Love the vaseline tip too.
    www.shabbytochicqueencreek.blogspot.com

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  3. GORGEOUS...love your layered finish, and your distressing is simply PERFECT!!

    Deborah (happily visiting from http://upcyclingmylife.blogspot.com...hope you'll stop by and say hi!)

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  4. FABULOUS!!! What a great idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They look 100 years old!!!

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  5. FABULOUS! I am still searching for shutters, they seem to be costly around here.

    www.minnesotajunker.blogspot.com

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  6. I too have used bifold doors instead of shutters. They turned out great!
    Nice job.

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  7. Oh dear friend, you are sooo talented! Love, love, love it!!! You did a fantastic job!!! :)

    XOXO's,
    Jessie

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  8. These look like they have been outside for years! Perfection!

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  9. That is the cutest idea Melissa. you did a great job. Thank so much for sharing with my newbie party.

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  10. great job - absolutely love them! am hoping we still have some old doors hanging around too!

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  11. Wow, you did a fabulous job on the shutters! Love them! New follower visiting from Tuesday's Treasures!

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  12. Such a great idea, thank you for sharing.

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  13. Great addition to your wall. Didn't know about the vaseline - thanks for that tip.
    - Joy

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  14. How adorable! You can also rub the wax of a candle on wood in place of the vaseline :)

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  15. they look great! that is amazing how it changed the look of that wall. great job!

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  16. Fabulous distressed finish, amazing transformation.

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  17. They certainly do. They make perfect picture holders and look fabulous on your wall at the same time.

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  18. That is such a great idea! I love how you painted them!! It looks great.

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  19. These are great, I like the vaseline trick, I will have to remember that one!

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  20. you go girl - way to be resourceful!!! Love it. thanks for linking up over at Trash 2 Treasure Tuesdays!

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  21. Your shutters turned out so great - I love them!

    Visiting from A Beach Cottage's Good Life Wednesday :O)

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  22. Good for you! They are gorgeous! And to think I passed up on a set last week!
    arghhh

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  23. Perfect solution for shutters! I love the distressed look.

    Gabby
    The...Late, Young Family

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  24. You did a wonderful job of refinishing those.

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  25. Fabulous job on distressing them! If you put a piece of thin board or even card board it will make those slats into little "pockets" that are perfect for holding cards :-)

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  26. These turned out so cute! I love them! I see shutters all the time as the resale shops, maybe I should do something like this myself... hum...

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  27. Love them! They are gorgeous!! I'm going to have to try that vasoline and steel wool technique.

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  28. What a great idea!
    Thanks for the step by step on the painting!

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  29. Wow, these are great! I love what you did for the finish and I love its usefulness as a message center! andrea@townandprairie

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  30. Um, Wow! This is amazing! I, like you, want to find shutters, but refuse to pay how much they cost--it's kind of ridiculous! Anyway, this is such an awesome idea! I may have to *convince* my husband to help me out with this! Thanks so much for sharing this @ Show & Share! Happy to have you this week!

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  31. They turned out fabulous! I haven't heard of the vaseline trick but I have used candle wax the same way. The distressing is wonderful so I will try your technique next time. Thanks for linking to the Open House Party.
    Hugs,
    Sherry

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  32. PURE SHABBY LOVE! I just found a set of shutters at a garage sale for $1 each. I felt like I hit the jack pot! I would love for you to post this on my blog! This is my very first linky party, so I welcome all!!!!
    www.dumpster-diva-mimi.blogspot.com

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  33. Awesome idea and they look great!

    Tania

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  34. i love this! i'm stopping by from watcha workup wed and would love to have you stop by my blog and checkout the huge giveaway going on now http://thelovelypoppy.blogspot.com/2011/10/blog-follower-giveaway.html

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  35. This is a really great idea. I have something similar that I'm using for Christmas cards.

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  36. They look awesome!! I didn't know about the vaseline trick, love it! Thanks for linking up and sharing.
    Britney
    www.jandmseyecandy.blogspot.com

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  37. Great idea to use the old doors to make shutters! They look great, the distressing is just perfect (love that vaseline trick, never heard that before!).

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  38. Love the shutters! Great idea to use vaseline...never would've thought of that! I am loving the extreme distressed look.

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  39. Wow, what a fantastic idea! I looooove how they came out. I happen to have two old bifold doors in my garage that I have been holding onto, waiting for inspiration to strike. I think it has! Thanks for sharing! visiting from French Country Cottage.

    ps I host a linky party every Friday-Sunday. I would love it if you could stop by and link up this project. Thanks!

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  40. Love those! What a great idea to cut down the bi-fold door and I have never heard of the vaseline trick. So clever! Thanks so much for sharing this with us at Inspiration Friday this week!
    Vanessa

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  41. These are gorgeous! I love how they turned out and they look beautiful with the pictures. Great post. Thanks for linking up and sharing;)

    I am going to feature these on my facebook page today:)

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  42. Love, Love, Love.... The shutters on the side of the mantel is Brilliant!

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  43. Hi! This is very cool! I love it! Thanks for sharing this at the Crazy Cute party @ Between U & Me! Don't forget to come back and enter for a chance to win the giveaway! :D

    www.betweenuandme.com

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  44. Oh my gosh, that is awesome! LOVE the way they turned out.

    Judy

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  45. Fantastic! I love how they turned out!!

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  46. They look very authentic! Thank you for sharing and linking to Wicked Awesome Wednesday!

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  47. WOW!!!! I have been on the hunt for shutters forever with no luck! Yours look fantastic -- how clever to make them from bi-fold doors!! Great job!

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  48. Great redo project! Thank you for sharing at Thrifty Things Friday.

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  49. Darling! They are the perfect addition to your wall! :) You did a great job1

    ~Liz

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  50. I like the vaseline idea....never heard of that . Looks great!

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  51. Great job, they fantastic! I'm visiting from Funky Junks SNL

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  52. These look beautiful! Love the shabby look of them and all the little details you put into redoing them! Thanks so much for sharing with the Pink Hippo Party.. can't wait to see what you share next!
    Hope you stop by and enter my current 500 follower giveaway @ http://pinkapotamus.blogspot.com/2011/10/cherished-bliss-giveaway.html

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  53. I have heard of the vaseline method for distressing, but hadn't seen it in a tutorial. Amazing!

    Thanks for sharing at Beautiful Junk Saturday.

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  54. I featured this post today on my blog! Thanks for linking up! :D

    www.betweenuandme.com

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  55. Wow, that was so clever of you! I just found your blog via Beach Cottage - really gorgeous, I will be back! Ros

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  56. I love this, the way it is distressed and displayed is perfect. Your newest follower.

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  57. Great job with distressing your new shutters!
    I featured them on this week's Terrific Under Ten!
    http://athomewithk.blogspot.com/2011/11/terrific-under-ten-tuesday.html

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  58. i LOVE this. i've come across so many shutters in my day, and i've never bought one because i had no inspiration as to what to do with them. so thank you so much for inspiring me! i'm going to add you to my google reading list, if that's okay!

    xo
    ashlee

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  59. Gorgeous! I never would've thought to use shutters that way.

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  60. Oh, that is fantastic! They look exactly like shutters. Love the distressting! Thank you for linking it to Home Sweet Home!
    Sherry

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  61. Featuring YOU over on my blog today! Thank you so much for linking up to my {wow me} wednesday party last week. :) Feel free to stop by & grab a featured button!

    Ginger @ gingersnapcrafts.com

    http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/2011/11/take-look-at-you-my-favorites.html

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  62. Amazing! Thanks for the great idea :)

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  63. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your shutters. they look so great hanging on the wall with all the photos. Just discovered your blog and I love it. I'm a new follower. Hope you stop by and check out my blog. I also have a link party every Monday. Would love for you to stop by and link up.
    Jamie
    http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/

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  64. I love this thanks so much for sharing this process! Just a little side note to let you know your RSS links are not working for what ever reason and I would love to follow your blog in my reader.

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  65. Looks like the RSS problem is on my end, not yours so sorry, but I will be following along!

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  66. I added this to my pinterest board nine weeks ago and have had 100 repins of this...AMAZING! What a great idea and great look...obviously I'm not the only one who thinks so. I like the vaseline idea. I've also used large trellis to hang my photos. They got lots of compliments. Thanks for the fun and inspiration!

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  67. I added this to my pinterest board nine weeks ago and have had 100 repins of this...AMAZING! What a great idea and great look...obviously I'm not the only one who thinks so. I like the vaseline idea. I've also used large trellis to hang my photos. They got lots of compliments. Thanks for the fun and inspiration!

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  68. Yes, your shutter look wonderful. I love your way of distressing I will keep that in mind for future use. Thank you. I have a set of old green shutters that are on a window in my kitchen. I am a country girl but live in a split level that I have to make look and feel country. Love antiques shops yard sales thanks andi thewednesdaybaker.blogspot.com

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  69. You made the shutters look so smart and elegant....look so great hanging on the wall.

    window shutters clayton, ca

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  70. Dreaming of beautiful Shutters? Play with light. Give your home style with shutters and blinds. If you did not know: shutters, wooden shutters with adjustable slats and provide sun protection, privacy, insulation, decoration and safety.

    shutters

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  71. These are beautiful! I picked up a HUGE dark wood shutter for $10 at a garage sale and plan on distressing it and turning it into a headboard. But I am (very much) a DIY-newbie and have to ask...did you use spray paint for this or another kind of paint?

    Thanks!

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  72. Love your work...I just finished up my first coat of paint on some of my old shutters and am on to the distressing phase. I can't wait to see how mine end up.

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  73. Using the Vaseline is a fantastic idea! Thanks for the tip ;)

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  74. Amazing work with the shutters. It brings good look to the interior of the room.
    Rolling Shutters

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  75. It has relevant information. Thanks for posting this. Your blog is so interesting and very informative.Thanks sharing. Definitely a great piece of work Thanks for your work.
    Curtains

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  76. I love what you did with these window blinds. A brilliant idea. I am really interested with DIY projects and this one is really creative.

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  77. What a great project! I’ve added a link to one of our pinboards. Check them out at Pinterest.com/Homedepot

    -Megan Peterson 4 The Home Depot

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  78. For the last several months I've been on the look out for shutters whenever ... shuttersdecor.blogspot.com

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  79. How did you hang your framed pictures from the shutters?

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