Home front: Three ways to turn discarded wood into home decor

Lifestyle Wednesday 07/December/2016 18:38 PM
By: Times News Service
Home front: Three ways to turn discarded wood into home decor

The saying, “what’s old is new again” has been around for years, but most recently represents a popular trend in interior design — upcycling old items with a new purpose. Everyone from high-end designers to DIYers are enjoying and incorporating this trend into their everyday life. From five-star restaurants to suburban living rooms, people are seeking out weathered pieces of wood, discarded metal and unlikely antiques to create a unique, down to earth, and comfortable design aesthetic in their living spaces.
An unusual hero of this new design trend is the wooden pallet, which can easily be purchased at any hardware store. With some creativity and know how, these inexpensive items can be re-purposed to create a personalised statement in your home that you’ll love.

Re-imagine your wall
Today, walls are for paint and pictures, but even if you’ve fallen in love with a certain colour for your living room, don’t you think your walls can have more personality? They absolutely can, and one way people are adding new life to their walls is by panelling them with reclaimed wood. To achieve this look, purchase a number of pallets, cut them into various sizes and arrange them on your wall.
To enhance the natural beauty of the wood and to show off your own personal style, pick a few of your favourite stain colours and apply them to the wood. If you are looking for bright and bold colours or subtle cottage inspired tones, check out for water based wood stains. For traditional, rich wood tones, try wood finish. It’s a deep penetrating stain that offers an array of colours, so you can create a display of contrast and patterns on your walls that can be truly stunning. After staining your wood pallet, don’t forget to protect it with a clear protective finish.

Create a fun and functional piece
If you’re someone who is always looking to free up cabinet or counter space, use a wooden pallet to create a rustic mug holder. For this project, all you need to do is add hooks to a few of the wood slats for the mugs to hang from. Get creative with this pallet by painting a design or phrase such as “But First, Coffee” on the top wooden slat.
You can add some dimension to wood by staining it. These convenient one-step cloths are pre-moistened with stain and finish allowing for easy application and clean up.

Update your headboard
If you are looking to give your bedroom a makeover, consider building a headboard for your bed out of pallet wood.
The idea here isn’t to make an even, straight-edged piece; rather it’s to embrace a more rustic style. Start by gathering your wood pallets and applying pre-stain wood conditioner to prepare the bare wood surface for staining. It will help to prevent streaks and blotches by allowing for even stain absorption. Once the wood has been prepared, apply your favourite stain colour. With over 100 colours to choose from, you are sure to find a colour that will showcase your personal style.
Using different lengths and widths, arrange the boards so they span the width of your bed. Attach a few long pieces across the back to serve as crossbeams that hold it together. The variation in sizes will create a jagged top and make a big statement. These are just a few of the many possibilities you can create with pallet wood. From wall decor to nightstands and tables, all you need is some wooden pallets, stain, clear protective finish and a little creativity, and you’ll be able to integrate this design trend into your home.