Create Vintage Wall Decor with an Old Window

Turn an old window into a stunning piece of vintage wall decor! Learn how to repurpose, paint, and decorate for a unique, one-of-a-kind home accent.

Breathe new life into your space with a vintage window! This DIY wall decor project is easier than you might think and can add a touch of rustic charm with a touch of elegance to any room. You can create a unique and personalized piece of wall art that’s sure to be a focal point in your home.

In this post, I will tell you where to find old windows, creative ways to use vintage windows, and the full tutorial to create beautiful and unique wall decor. Let’s get started!

The following post may contain affiliate links. That means if you click and then buy something, I will make a small commission at no additional cost to you! Thank you for supporting my blog. full disclosure here.

This post is sponsored by Dixie Belle. All opinions are my own!

Before we dive into this DIY project, let’s chat about where to find old windows in the first place! You can find vintage windows in so many places! Here are some ideas to get your mind going.

vintage and antique shops

​These stores can be pricey so if you want to get a good price, shop around. Ask the shopkeeper if they can offer a discount. Often they will offer an automatic discount. Sometimes they will need to contact the vendor of that particular booth. Be polite in asking for the discount so as not to be rude. These shops have to earn an income!

flea markets

This is one of my favorite places to shop for pieces like windows! Often vendors at outdoor flea markets and festivals with vendors are willing to offer bargains so that they can move their goods quickly. You can negotiate the price on items easily if you are polite!

​estate sales and auctions

Another one of my favorite ways to shop for architectural pieces like vintage windows is at estate sales and auctions. People will bring their items to sell from loved ones who have passed. They need to move the pieces along and need to get rid of everything. We have found old windows in barns and outbuildings at estate sales for next to nothing!

Facebook Marketplace

I don’t use this option often but I hear from my thrift-loving Facebook group, Recreate and Decorate, that you can find amazing old pieces there! The good thing about Marketplace is the option to filter by item name, price, and location.

thrift stores

Lastly, you can check out your local thrift stores. I haven’t had much luck finding old windows at big-name thrift stores like Goodwill or Salvation Army. But I have found them at locally owned thrift stores and even at The ReStore!

thanks for being here!

I hope you are enjoying this project! Let me know if you have any questions. Or leave me a comment to tell me about your project and ideas!

thanks, Cindy 😀

Tap here to comment!

vintage window wall decor full tutorial

Now that you have found an amazing set of windows, let’s talk about the window I will be using and the supplies to create this one-of-a-kind art piece to use as home decor.

My window is large and I found it at an outdoor annual flea market and auction. It measures 28.5″ x 55.5″. She’s a doozy! 

I used this large window to create a content calendar several years ago. It hung in my office for a long time and was a great way to plan the DIY projects I share here on the blog as well as on my YouTube channel.

But it was time for a change! That’s something I do a lot around here! I recently rearranged our dining room furniture to create an entirely new look for zero dollars!

step one gather your materials

Here is a list of the supplies I used for this unique look on an old window:

prepare the window

As with any DIY project, cleaning is always the first step! My window had been previously used as a large wall calendar so I didn’t need to seal the chippy paint on the old window frames. But the glass was dirty from use. I used a paper towel with rubbing alcohol to clean the glass for a streak-free finish.

If your old window has chippy paint, brush off the excess chips and seal with a matte finish clear top coat. This will preserve the farmhouse window look so that it will last for years!

You could also paint the frame of the window to go with your decor. Pick colors that coordinate with the area you will hang it in. If you get paint on the glass panels of the window, use a razor scraper to gently scrape off the dried paint.

​Once the glass is clean and the window frame is sealed it’s time to add some decorative elements to make a big statement!

add decorative transfers

Measure to find the center of the window. I like to use a flexible seamstress measuring tape. Simply stretch the tape across the width, fold the tape in half, and mark the center. You won’t have to do any math or remembering! Mark the spot with a little pencil mark.

Next, I folded the large transfer in half to find the center. Then I cut the transfer down the center line. You might not have to do this step depending on the style of your window and the size of the transfer you choose.

Now let’s make sure the center of the transfer design will match up with the center of the window. Carefully fold the transfer in half along the edge that will be in the center of the window. Pinch the fold just slightly. That fold will match up with the center mark on the window.

This was my first attempt at applying decorative transfers to glass and I must say it went along pretty well. I only had a couple of mishaps but I will tell you how I fixed them!

​First I applied a thin layer of Silk Extra Coat Topcoat to the area where the transfer would be applied. Because my design and window were so large, I applied the topcoat in small sections then gently put the transfer down and smooth it out. Then I went on the the next section working slowly until I had applied the entire transfer.

Once the whole decorative panel had been applied, I applied the topcoat over the transfer. I brushed on the topcoat using a criss-cross brush technique to add texture. The topcoat will seal it in.

As for the mishap, I tore the design slightly in a small area. While I was applying the topcoat over the surface, I realized that I could use the bristles of the brush to unfold the tear. This worked perfectly! I have another way of disguising this mishap that I will share later in this post!

create a picture frame

Remember I said I had a couple of mishaps? The other mishap was not carefully applying the second half of the transfer! I didn’t line up the center of the window with the center of the transfer very well so I was off by 1/8th”. That might not seem like much but it was noticeable!

I rooted around in my stash and found some Wood-U-Bend intended for a different project altogether. It would be a perfect way to cover this mishap on the glass panes!

​Wood-U-Bend is made from wood particles and is fun to use. The first step is to unroll it but first, you must heat it slightly. If you unroll it without heating it up first, it will break and crack.

​I used my blow dryer on the highest setting. Once the roll of decorative trim warms up, it will unroll. Move slowly and don’t rush this process!

​I unrolled enough of the trim for each of the six sections I would need with some length to spare for each section. Then I laid out the pieces, one by one, marked where the corners would meet, and cut the line with scissors. I mitered the corners to give a finished look.

Then I pulled out my paint and a small paintbrush. Once this gorgeous rich brown color chalk paint was dry, I added a bit of gold gilding wax to highlight the details of the trim.

Typically wood glue would be used to apply the decorative trim. But since this would be applied to glass, I pulled out my trusty E6000 and a hot glue gun. 

First I dabbed on the E6000 then I applied dots of hot glue between the dabs of the E6000. Next, I applied the trim to the area over the transfer edge. The hot glue will hold the trim down so that the E6000 can completely dry and cure.

The trim covered the misaligned transfer perfectly!

​the final details

I have one more way to fix that little tear in the transfer – paint the back of your window! This turned out to be an added bonus because I didn’t like the clear glass look around the decorative transfer.

I grabbed several colors of Silk chalk paint that matched the colors in the transfer, a paper plate, and a couple of paintbrushes. I used a technique from back in the day of faux finishes on walls that we were doing in the 90s. I also used this technique on a Duncan Phyfe style side table. 

Simply dab a bit of paint on the paintbrush and dab it onto the back of the window in varying spots. Use a different paintbrush for each color and go all over the glass. This will create a mottled look and will help to frame out the design on the front! 

I used the following Chalk Paint colors to paint the back of this project: Stormy Seas, Spanish Moss, Vintage Duck Egg, In the Navy. The transfer I used is called Tuscan Olive.

Also, I will go over the entire back of this old window with vintage green chalk paint so that this design will be reversible! I will create chalk art on that side to change out the decor.

Lastly, it’s time to hang this beauty! My vintage window already had the hardware from its previous life. It’s simple heavy gauge wire wrapped about a truss head screw to hold it securely. Be sure to use heavy duty screws because windows can be heavy!

Then I hung the heavy window on our front porch from a heavy screw that is installed in a wall stud. If you do not have a wall stud available, be sure to use some kind of wall anchor for the weight of your window.

The window is the perfect size for the wall space on our front porch!

BTW, I have a plan to paint my front door navy blue, let me know what you think in the comments at the end of this post!

more old window ideas

This project took me a few hours on a weekend and was a fun way to be creative. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and can create unique decor using a vintage window. If you are inspired to create old window projects, please share them with me in my Facebook group Recreate and Decorate with Reinvented Delaware! I would love for you to join us there!

Check out some of the other vintage window projects we have shared here before! Scroll down to find more inspiration!