Hardware Store Decor: 6 Ways to Repurpose Tools
—Rachel Elmkies
Tools were made to be used, even long after their heyday of tough DIY assignments has passed. Whether you’ve shelved your older tools for newer models or you’ve inherited an extra set, you can still enjoy the spares—and we don’t mean just in the garage. Move your old tools out of the shed for one last job: living on, repurposed, as decor throughout the home.
1. ON DISPLAY
Photo: kateryanfineart.etsy.com
Eclectic without being messy, a well-staged collection of similar items brings subtle pattern to even the blandest room. Display tall and narrow tools, such as screwdrivers, wrenches, and hammers, standing upright in a drilled wooden slat, as in this arrangement captured by photographer Kate Ryan.
Related: 9 Inventive Ways to Display a Collection
2. TOOL TABLE
Photo: salvagedesigncompany.etsy.com
Mount a spare tool chest on legs and move it to the corner of a room for a table with hidden storage and a story to tell. It comes equipped with the trendy industrial look that you would doubtless pay extra for at a retail furniture shop.
Related: 8 Nightstands You Don’t Need to Buy
3. WRENCH HOOKS
Photo: freakofmetal.etsy.com
Bring in a bit of industrial flair with a unique hook that you can score for relatively cheap, or even free—just check the bottom of the toolbox for spares. Bend one end of the wrench into a J shape to hang coats, hats, scarves, or a tool belt.
Related: 10 Favorite Ideas for DIY Wall Storage
4. VISE BOOKENDS
Photo: restorationhardware.com
Sure, a vise is great for holding things steady in the basement or garage, but it can do the same around the house too! Turn old vises into distinctive bookends to keep a small collection of hardcovers or folders together. You can be sure they won’t get separated unless you release the grip.
Related: 25 Clever Ideas for Repurposed Storage
5. GRINDING YOUR GEARS
Photo: funkyjunkinteriors.net
While not technically tools, gears work hard in a variety of simple machines and deserve their moment to shine too. What about repurposing gears in the office, sitting them next to terra cotta pots as a method of holding writing utensils. Together, they all give the desk a wonderfully eclectic, charmingly rustic vibe.
Related: 10 Smart New Uses for Old Rubber Tires
6. TAKE A SEAT
Photo: montanawildlifegardener.blogspot.com
Resurrect old, unused rakes and shovels from the cobwebs in the corner of your garage—they deserve a second chance too. David at Montana Wildlife Gardener transformed his spare garden tools into a set of of two industrial chairs and a table.
