18 creative ways to repurpose vintage doors

This rolling coffee table is made entirely of repurposed items. Wooden crates are turned on their sides to create cubbies for photo albums, books, and magazines. The crates are attached to a wooden base, which sits atop rolling casters. The top of the coffee table is an old barn door.

Here's proof that an outdoor structure doesn't have to be elaborate to be beautiful and functional! This mini summer house is made from old screen doors that are hinged together, and topped with a fabric canopy. Inside, a comfortable couch and chair are stacked with pillows. In front, a roll-down screen turns the shady seating area into a bug-free zone, perfect for an afternoon nap or a backyard campout!

Antique doors make beautiful headboards! Whether you mount two doors to the wall vertically, or one horizontally, your headboard will make quite a statement!

The regular screen on this sturdy old screen door was replaced with heavy-duty screen with larger openings, like chicken wire. Eye hooks were screwed into each corner so the door can be suspended with chains from hooks in the ceiling. Now the door serves as both a shelf for items like baskets and bowls, and a hanging pot rack. S-hooks keep pots and pans in easy reach.

Don't overlook garage doors when scouting materials for your repurposed project! This wooden garage door panel has had the windows removed, and clips were added above each panel to hold artwork, photos, or seasonal greetings. 

This vintage door with a large glass panel makes a perfect writing desk. Add pretty fabric or paper to the back, attach support braces, and fix the braces to sawhorses or crates.

This antique screen door (minus the screen) does three things in this garden: it serves as a self-standing piece of art, frames a beautiful view of the gardens, and acts as a support for a climbing vine. Win-win-win!

Transform your pantry by adding a vintage door, or pair of doors. Here, the top panel of each door has been removed, and replaced with chicken wire. Fabric panels can easily be changed to alter the look of the doors. You can add real tile to the bottom panel if you don't have this homeowner's artistic talents -- this tile is actually a trompe l'oeil painting.

You'd never know it at first glance, but the blue windowseat in this breakfast nook is actually made from a bi-fold door! It's attached to a wooden frame, with half of the door making up the seat (topped with colorful cushions), and the other half making up the front. Remove the cushions, and the top lifts up for extra storage.

On this colorful covered porch, a vintage glass-paned door serves as a mini wall. It's fixed along the edge of the porch, where it offers increased privacy without decreased sunlight. It also makes a handy place for the wheeled serving cart to rest, preventing it from rolling off the porch.

Create a "secret garden" by replacing your garden gate with a pair of large, wooden doors.

What a difference these doors make! This homeowner added a long rail over the bathroom and walk-in-closet entrances, and replaced the doors with sliding repurposed barn doors painted country blue. This is a great way to give a teenager's room a farm theme without being too juvenile.

Here's another vintage door that was transformed into a sliding door. This allows for privacy between rooms without having to add another door in a space that already has two doors in close proximity. The sliding door takes up no space at all, and its frosted glass panels double as frames for kids' artwork.

Build yourself a simple corner shelf with an old door! Cut the door in half lengthwise (or use narrow bi-fold doors, or two full-sized doors for a deeper shelf). Then connect the halves to form a 90-degree angle with hinges or brackets, and screw brackets into the doors to support triangle-shaped shelves. 

Here, an old door is transformed into a sit-down potting bench. The top and bottom panels were removed, and both ends of the bench are supported by boxes that hold potting soil and other supplies. The removed panel fits back into the open space to make a lid. Gardeners can sit in the middle to pot plants, and reach into the bins on the end for soil!

The bottom panel was removed from this heavy vintage door, and replaced with a large mirror. It leans against the wall in this mudroom and reflects light into the kitchen.

Turn a water tank and an old door into a makeshift buffet for your party. It's both beautiful and functional!

The easiest way to use beautiful vintage doors you may find is to simply take the place of other doors in your home. Add a pane of frosted or stained glass, or a curtain on the inside to maintain privacy. What an impact these gorgeous doors have on an otherwise ordinary hallway!