8 Clever Ways to Decorate With Tools

Thinking of revamping your home to give it that rustic chic look? Skip Anthropologie, head straight to your shed, and gather up all those tools you rarely use. There are countless ways to use old saws, ladders and pitchforks to transform your home into something new.

Toolbox
Forget that it was once a toolbox. Just look at those gorgeous compartments and think about all the ways you can get organized. Here, we have crayons and other art supplies, but you could use it for jewelry, cat or dog toys, spices, sewing supplies or remote controls. The possibilities only end with your imagination.

Hoes
Many people often have duplicate garden tools. But how many hoes does a person really need? Consider lining your fence with rakes, pitchforks and shovels to fortify your garden against hungry critters and to make your planting beds even snazzier.

Rakes
It shouldn’t be called a rake; it should be called the most versatile tool you own. Those old metal ones rip up your lawn, so why not transform them into something else entirely? From wine holder to a place to hang your necklaces to a hook for your keys, an old rake will become your best friend. Heck, you can even mount it on the wall and hang other garden tools from its prongs.

Wheelbarrow
Want a portable planter that you can move without breaking your back? Use a wheelbarrow and give your plants as much shade or sun as they need.

Nails
How many nails do you have in your basement or shed? Probably too many. Use those nails to create something beautiful. Nail them into a piece of wood and wrap string around them to create the design of your choosing. Maybe a star, or a set of initials. This would make a great DIY gift, too.

Saw
Tools, by themselves, are often quite beautiful if we put aside their functionality and focus on their design. Have an old saw? Hang it on your wall like you would a piece of art. You can even put an old frame around it. Or use brackets, chains and hooks to create a collage of tools on your wall.

Wrenches
I’m convinced that anything can become a hook if you want it badly enough, and these wrenches are a great example. Transform them into something else entirely and use them to hang almost anything on. They’re made to be durable, so you never have to worry about them breaking.

Ladder
Sometimes you end up with an old ladder that you wouldn’t want to actually stand on. Instead, consider all its other uses. Hang your towels to dry, or suspend the ladder from the ceiling to hang your pots and pans. Even just propping a ladder against a wall can give a room a lovely outdoorsy feel.

This article originally appeared on MNN.com.

More from MNN.com: