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In this post: Using a vintage window easily found at an antique shop or yard sale, you can create this DIY vintage window flower box for your house!
Good morning! I’m so over-the-moon excited to be here today sharing my very first guest post as a contributor.
Just in case we haven’t met yet, I’m Kristi, the gal behind making it in the mountains, where I love to share all sorts of rustic DIY and design projects as we journey to transform our first “fixer upper” and make it our own.
We moved into our new (to us) home just a few short months ago, but things haven’t changed much from the day I shared this home tour . We did tackle our son’s cabin themed bedroom, and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out, so at least that’s a start! Unfortunately, the kitchen is still sporting the same dated oak cabinets, the bathrooms are all decked out with brass galore and I don’t think we have a single set of doorknobs in our entire house that match. Ha! Needless to say, there’s still a ton of work to be done.
But here’s the thing, who really wants to think about working away inside the house when Summer is FINALLY upon us?! With it’s long, sunny days, Summer is much too short here in Canada, to waste any of it indoors!
So, rather than taking on another room inside the house (no matter how desperately it’s needed), we’ve decided to focus our efforts on a space we can enjoy outdoors instead. And, because I’ve ALWAYS wanted a pretty front porch, this seemed like the perfect place to start. There’s just something so homey & welcoming about them, don’t you think?
I’m thrilled to be kicking things off with one of my very favorite projects yet, this lovely
DIY Vintage Window Flower Box
It all started with this fab vintage window I snagged for just $30 at one of my very favorite antique shops while I was enjoying a thrifting trip in Spokane. It was red, which wouldn’t necessarily work in easily with my home decor, but it was big, beautiful and in such great shape. A no-brainer really!
Supplies
- Vintage window
- Chalk paint
- Primer
- Paint brushes
- Paint scraper
- Three pieces 2 inch by 6 inch wood, cut to the width of YOUR window
- Two pieces 2 inch by 6 inch wood, cut to 5.5 inches
- Four pieces trim, cut to fit around YOUR box (see photos below)
- Finishing nails
- Hammer
Instructions
1. After giving the window a quick wipe down, I slapped on two coats of my fave chalk paint in white to brighten things up. Instead of taping around each of the panes of glass to avoid painting them, I happily painted away as if they didn’t exist and then just used a paint scraper to remove the paint once it was dry. I’m telling you this is the most genius trick when painting a window! It saves you heaps of time and the paint scrapes off with almost no effort at all!
2. While I was painting my little heart out, hubs was getting busy with the power tools, cutting down some wood to size for the window box. We decided to make the flower box just a smidgen longer than the window (six inches or so on either side) and just made use of some scrap 2×6 that we had kicking around the garage. Using a nail gun (though you could use a hammer and finishing nails if you’d rather), hubs turned those loose boards into a box without a lid measuring 4′ long x 5.5″ deep x 5.5″ high. In the interest of time, we didn’t bother mitering the corners of the box, but you definitely could if you’re going for a more polished look. We did, however, miter the corners of the trim along the top edge.
3. Once that flower box was built, it was time to give it a coat of paint too. After adding on a quick coat of primer, I used that same chalk paint to match it to the window frame I had painted earlier. Because I was going for that rustic look, I didn’t bother filling the nail holes, but again, if you’d like a more polished look, just fill them with some putty before you start painting.
4. Finally it was time to hang these puppies up! We decided to secure a chain on the back of the window with a couple of screws to hang it with.
I knew I wanted to be able to remove the flower box in the Winter while still leaving the window hanging – though I might just choose to leave it prettied up in some other way, I knew I wanted that option – so, we mounted the flower box separately. We used a couple of “L” brackets to secure it to the wall just under the window, taking care to make sure they were even and level.
To ensure good drainage for the plants, we drilled a few holes into the bottom of the box and then lined it with some plastic (we used a clear garbage bag), poking holes through that too. Then it was time to load it with some soil and fill with some pretty flowers!
I really liked the idea of keeping things simple with just white and green, but I did throw in a few sweet pea flowers along the front, which I think will look so pretty once they start to bloom!
And there you have it my friends! Not only is it the perfect way to balance out our offset front window, but I absolutely adore the rustic charm it adds to the space!
Now, be sure to swing by making it in the mountains to follow along with this Front Porch Makeover along with a ton of other DIY projects that are sure to inspire!
Wishing you SUCH a lovely day!
