14 Creative Uses for Old Picture Frames

Looking for something creative uses for old picture frames? Have you recently painted a neat frame but aren’t sure what to do with it? It’s time to get out of the box! There is so much more you can do with a frame than just put a photo in it. Click through for some fun ideas:

Uses For Old Picture Frames

Make a note or photo holder

Cut strips of mat board and glue them top to bottom or side to side over a whole piece of mat board. Mount the entire thing in a frame and use it as a note, invitation, or photo holder. Consider adding cute ribbon to the edges of each mat board strip.

Leave them empty

Paint (using acrylic or latex) an assortment of unique frames and mount them in a group on the wall. The different colors, sizes, and shapes will act as artwork all on their own–no need to fill them with pictures!

Chalk board

Mount a chalk board behind a large, fancy frame for use in a child’s room, kitchen, or office. You can use this to keep track of activities, meals, playtime, or anything else!

Bulletin Board

If you need some organization around your house but don’t want boring and normal organizational tools hanging around, then consider this project! It’s a bulletin board so you can pin notes, reminders, schedules, etc. But it’s framed in a beautiful picture frame so that you can get both style and practicality.

Framed mirrors

Use oval-shaped frames and place mirrors behind them. If you take your frames to a glass shop you can get a mirror cut to fit them. Hang multiple mirrors on one wall to brighten up the room. This is one of my favorite uses for old picture frames!

Jewelry organizer

To create a jewelry organizer out of a frame, simply add a screen behind it. Earring posts can be inserted into the holes of the screen and be displayed beautifully.

Decorate it

Spice up a plain picture frame by adding to the border small twigs, stones, shells, acorns, or anything else you can think of!

Display objects instead of photos

Show off and preserve meaningful objects like souvenirs, baby clothes, and family heirlooms. Putting them behind glass will help protect them and display them.

Create a weekly calendar

Get a large frame with seven spots for photos. Behind the glass put colored or patterned paper (or even fabric) and print or stitch on each day of the week–one day per frame spot. You could also use letter stickers directly on the glass to spell out the days of the week. Use an expo marker to write calendar events on the glass for each day.

Use clothespins

Have the ability to change up the artwork or photos you display in your frames by gluing clothespins to the top edge of the frame. You can paint the clothespins a matching or complementary color, then clip in the artwork or photo you want to display that day!

Refrigerator frames

 Add magnets to the back of small frames and display them on your refrigerator or other magnetic surface. Remove the glass to avoid broken glass if the frames fall off the refrigerator. Use heavy-duty magnets on all four corners of the frame. Consider using clothespins again for easy replacement.

Key Holder

Use a small picture frame as a place to hang your keys in the entryway. Just add hooks to the tops of the picture frame and, if you want, add fabric or color to the back of the picture frame to add some style.

Coffee Table Tray

If you want to add some dimension and color to your coffee table, trying using an old picture frame as a coffee table tray! This helps add style to your living room and is also great if you quickly need to remove all the contents on top of your coffee table.

Towel Bar

If you have the space on your bathroom wall and a picture frame big enough, then this idea is awesome! Use an old picture frame (arranged with other frames around it) as a towel bar for your bathroom. This is such a unique decoration and it can really pull your whole bathroom together!

Which one of these uses for old picture frames will you try?