Shutter Sisters

Display Idea – Photo Window

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On a recent trip to visit my dad I spotted an old 8 paned window in his garage. I remember commenting about how great it would look on a wall, or used decoratively in some way. Not surprisingly, the next time my dad took a road trip to visit, he brought the window with him and gave it to me. It sat in our garage waiting to be used until this week. I’ve been busy preparing for an upcoming Women’s Living Expo, where I’ll have my own Paige B. Photography booth. Suddenly I rediscovered the antique window and knew it would be a perfect way to display some of my photos. Each pane is about 8.5″ x 12.5″, so I ordered the photos on 10″ x 13″ paper and trimmed each one to size. Then I attached the photos to the back with masking tape. Lucky for me, I have a very handy and creative husband who made “feet” for the back to stand it up. However, I think it would look just as good leaned up against a wall or hung up. Old windows like these are often available in antique stores, estate sales or on Craigslist.com. We ended up repainting ours white because I was going for a clean look. But leaving the paint distressed would have looked nice too.

I love how my photo window turned out and can’t wait to show it off this weekend in my booth! How about you? Have you discovered any creative ways to show off your photos?

Comments

  1. wonderful idea! this looks so great. and i love that it re-uses something that in a creative way—great for our environment and quite clever.

  4. Thank you so much for reminding me – I bought an old window frame late last year, sanded it down and stained it. I printed out the photos and then thats it. Christmas, New Year, New baby all got in the way and I had forgotten about my started but never finished project! 🙂

  6. OOO I have a window sitting right behind me it’s only been somewhat creatively filled and I’ve been trying to come up with an idea for some shots recently. This fits the bill perfectly THANK YOU!

  7. Very creative!

    I hope you are using spacers between your photos and glass or they may become permanently adhered to the glass.

  11. I have a very creative friend who uses large frames with no glass…they hang on her wall and then she just added the pictures in the center with no mat…it makes a lovely display…

  12. This just reminded me that my folks have about 5 or 6 of these in their garage that they promised me. I’m going up to see them today and you can bet i’m bringing them home with me 🙂

  13. That is a very creative idea! I used to have an old window, and I never did anything with it. It was not in very good condition. I finally gave it away. But I see them all over the place at antique stores. Displaying my photos is something I’ve been very lazy (and poor) to do.

    Good luck at the Expo!

  14. I have a couple of these hung on walls in our house, windows that I rescued from our old farmhouse before we tore it down. I just love them, but I also love yours with the feet. It looks lovely.

  18. what a terrific idea! I don’t know how creative this is, but I usually prop an ever changing array of framed photos on the chair rail ledge in my den… best of luck at the expo!

  19. Nice, we have receive such a high, refurbished, white painted old window (with smaller squares) for photo display in Brazil from a friend and brought it to Canada. It’s really neat.

  24. I love it… I found two great big window at our local trash dump one day last year while dropping off trash and I snatched them babies up and have them hanging with photos in them as well. I love them and they make for great picutre frames and art all at the same time.. but thanks for the idea to make legs to stand up on the floor.. thats awesome!!

  25. I love this idea I used to have some old windows that I never got around to doing any thing with! Not to be a party pooper, I must add that if it will be in reach of small children be sure to check the old paint for lead! but if it is hung out of reach I don’t think that would matter.

  27. I’m notorious for storing great trash finds. Two doors just like this currently reside in my basement! With a new little one, and always lots of photos to show, this will be PERFECT! Thanks for the idea!