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?

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Debbiedoo's Blogging and Blabbing Newbie Party
The House in the Roses
Between Naps on the Porch
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Boogieboard Cottage
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