On Fridays, my husband and I have a long-standing date of coffee and thrifting. To some, this might not sound very romantic, but we consider it a hot date. The adventure of seeking treasures in unexpected places is so much fun. We make a great thrifting team.
One of our favorite spots to frequent is Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore. With a bit of creative vision, the treasures are endless. One of those treasures is old cabinet doors. For years, we scooped them up for just $1. We’ve found wonderful ways to repurpose and upcycle them. Not only do we use these new creations in our own home, Comfy Lane Cottage, but they also make great gifts for friends and family.
Here are some ideas that we’ve discovered for repurposing cabinet doors.
1. Chalkboards
Repurposing an old cabinet door is such a simple way to make a chalkboard. Chalkboard paint can be sprayed or applied with a roller. We’ve used both types of paint. Lightly sanding first, before painting, ensures a durable finish.
A Kissing Booth for a Valentine card exchange station is one of my favorite Valentine decorations. A chalkboard is just what this little set-up needs! Keeping the frame white and only applying chalkboard paint to the cabinet inset, creates visual interest. Notice the scrolling on both sides of the chalkboard… a beautiful cabinet door detail that makes this a repurposed success story!The best part about a chalkboard this size is that it can be moved around throughout the year for various displays and vignettes. This size cabinet door is wonderful for repurposing projects.A sweet Irish blessing adorns our DIY chalkboard. Because this versatile chalkboard is used for various holidays and seasons, it is definitely a practical addition for decorating. The style of this old cabinet door makes it not only a practical piece, but also a pretty one. I really like it when function and frou frou come together!My 4 kids love homemade drop biscuits! We keep Grandma’s recipe displayed in our kitchen on this upcycled chalkboard, made from an old cabinet door. They all learned to bake biscuits at a young age. Did you see the half batch proportions on the left side of the chalkboard? Perfect for hot out of the oven after school snacks! This chalkboard was originally made and used in our wedding almost 9 years ago. It’s held up well….longevity! We have a professional barista in the family. Grandpa once gave my daughter a $100 tip for making him a latte while he was visiting! True story! This chalkboard adds a touch of whimsy to our coffee bar.Grandma Donna lives in a retirement apartment complex. Door decor is a BIG deal where she dwells. For Christmas, we gifted her a chalkboard, from a repurposed cabinet door, of course. The framed part of the cabinet door was such a pretty stain that we left it as is. We had our son, Mnason, draw the journeying wise men with chalk. We attached a golden star on top for a 3D effect. She proudly displays this chalkboard art beside her door every Christmas.
2. Trays
To keep serving up more repurposed ideas for old cabinet doors, have you ever considered a tray… serving tray?! Talk about romantic! It can be used to serve breakfast in bed to a loved one or evening drinks for two. If that’s not your style, how about a bath tray?! Perfect for an evening bubble bath by candlelight!
My husband and I bought a bunch of cabinet doors and repurposed them as trays for family Christmas gifts. We found all of the doors and handles at our local ReStore. We call that a ReStore score! By using chalkboard paint on the surface, menus or sweet messages can be written on the tray. Doesn’t this just beckon you to indulge in a long relaxing bubble bath?! A bath tray made from a tall narrow cabinet door is an easy diy repurposing project. This bath tray is the perfect fit for our tub, no cutting of wood required, and its natural finish looks wonderful. Attach two old cabinet handles, and it’s ready for the tub.I found this old cabinet door at ReStore for just 50¢. It looked like the perfect size for a bath tray, but I measured it while at the store to make sure. Doesn’t it fit nicely across the tub?!My husband filled in the old hardware holes from the handles and hinges. He also drilled new holes to match the handles selected. I lightly sanded, spray painted and distressed the finish.We already had this hardware on hand. I liked the vintage look and the FREE price even better.The handles’ screws were too short, so I had to spend about $1 to get the right length screws. I added a basket of lavender goodies: candle, soap wrapped in lace, and dried lavender. I also attached a dollar store bath sponge.What initially drew me to this particular cabinet door was the framed inset. It ensures that candles, soap and other bath supplies won’t slip off the tray.Now it is gift ready!!! What do you think?
3. Signs
Sign, sign. everywhere a sign! Signs are very popular in the home decor world. However, they can be quite pricey. I try to make my own from time to time. An old cabinet door repurposed as a decorative sign works well. Best part, it’s a cheap way to create signs. Bonus, you’re saving something from becoming trash and ending up in a landfill. I have unashamedly rescued an old cabinet door from a trash bin. People call this trash to treasure, but decades ago, I gave it the classy name of Curb to Cottage.
Here she is, my rescued repurposed cabinet door! Already painted white, it was the perfect piece of wood to upcycle into a DIY sign. I can’t imagine why someone would toss this into the trash, a beautiful blank canvas just needing a creative soul to repurpose it. I hand drew the lettering and pictures with a pencil, before filling everything in with acrylic craft paint.This diy barn star is by far one of my favorite repurposing projects. I use it in decorating all year round: Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Christmas and in our Americana themed sunroom during the remaining months. I plan to make more of these in favorite patterns that I’ve seen on old quilts.This barn star sign is such an easy project. I measured the cabinet inset area and divided that by 4. Then I lightly drew in the square grid with a pencil and straight edge. Lastly, I used a ruler to draw the diagonal lines, creating the design. Then all I had to do was fill in the specific diagonals with acrylic craft paint and a paintbrush. I erased any visible pencil lines. Easy peasy!Another barn star painted on a repurposed cabinet door… perfect for an Americana theme! Displaying barn star quilt patterns in a group creates impact for patriotic decorating.
4. Centerpieces
A few years ago I started an Instagram account, Comfy Lane Cottage. I made friends with other women who also enthusiastically used colors in their decor. One gal, Terry, who had an account called thats2cutedesignllc, specialized in tablescapes…. beautiful tablescapes! I had never heard of such a thing. I learned so much from her. A centerpiece is the focal point of any beautiful table setting. A repurposed old cabinet door works wonderfully to help create layers in a centerpiece design.
BLUE! 💙 I never liked the color blue as a child, but it is one of my favorite decor colors. Blue is my neutral. This oak cabinet door received a distressed paint job in Rust-Oleum’s French Blue. It looks lovely with copper. This tablescape was one of my first attempts.The yellow cabinet door used as part of this centerpiece was scored at ReStore for just $1. I didn’t have to do anything to it, as it was already painted a bright yellow. I like to use it during the end of summer when yellow wildflowers are blooming everywhere. An alfresco anniversary dinner looked quite cheery in yellow and blue. I handpicked the daisy bouquet from a secret wild Daisy patch and centered it over a doily and yellow repurposed cabinet door. The blue candlesticks were from our wedding ceremony. So many sentimental items! This tablescape was in the Fall. The yellow repurposed cabinet door matched the vintage quilt made by Grandma Mamie. There’s nothing too fancy here since the quilt already makes a bold statement. I like the country cottage feel of this setting!
5. Backdrops
Have you ever considered using an old cabinet door as a backdrop? It’s a creative way to repurpose. Oftentimes, a design setup just needs a bit more color. I’m a propper; I like to prop things when decorating…old windows, architectural salvage, and yes, cabinet doors.
This long narrow cabinet door found its perfect place in the corner of our kitchen. I usually set up a seasonal display in this corner. The repurposed blue door is the perfect backdrop.Here is another view of how I use the blue cabinet door in our kitchen. I typically hang decorative little things on it as well. Shades of blue are used throughout our country kitchen….hutch, coffee bar, farmhouse table, etc. The blue cabinet door backdrop helps to tie it all together.In our living room, I use two matching white cabinet doors on our mantle. They help to brighten things up. They’re merely propped against the brick. They were purchased at ReStore from a big bin of old cabinet doors. Already painted white made this an easy repurposing solution for a room needing brighter pieces. My husband likes his furniture stained…so much brown! I try to balance it with brighter pieces as seen here.
I hope these 5 easy and inexpensive ways to repurpose old cabinet doors have been a source of inspiration. Upcycling can create beauty. I never like to close the door on giving new life to something old and worn out… Pun Intended. I hope you too will enjoy the adventure of finding a forgotten cabinet door and transforming it into something beautiful for your home.
Comfy Lane Cottage 