25 ways to use reclaimed wood in your home

Genista Jurgens Genista Jurgens
homify Stairs
Loading admin actions …

Reclaimed wood has been steadily rising in popularity with furniture designers and interior decorators, and it's not hard to see why. Well-worn oak cabinets that are full of beautiful imperfections don't need much work to look great. Thick planks of timber that have been stripped back and re-stained look amazing as floorboards in apartments. Old boards can be converted into table tops, wardrobes or kitchen cabinets for a unique look. Even old barn doors, with a new coat of paint can be repurposed as interior doors.

There are hundreds of opportunities to up-cycle and reuse old wood in your home. So here are just 25 ways for you to have a unique wooden piece of furniture or feature that celebrates all of the marks, holes, paint and character of reclaimed wood. 

1. Custom countertop.

Because it is already well worked and 'broken in', reclaimed wood is ideal to use on kitchen countertops, or islands. 

2. Dented and durable.

This handmade dining table is made from reclaimed 2 inches thick industrial boards and joined to steel legs for stability and strength. 

3. Chunky coffee table.

A heavy piece of timber like this makes a great sturdy coffee table – just be careful when moving it! 

4. A headboard from old boards.

A wooden headboard can solve two problems at once, by acting as both decoration and furniture. It can frame your bed as well as providing a base for wall mounted lamps.  

5. Moving exterior doors inside.

What used to be a sliding barn door, is now a unique feature for this bathroom. The frosted glass insert is a great way to let extra light in. 

6. Piece of history.

With wood originally from the floor and walls of old French Railway Wagons, this beautiful oak table makes for interesting dinner conversation.

7. Take the old and make it new.

Stripped back pieces of wood can be newly constructed into cabinets, shelves, wall mountable boxes, you name it!

8. Holes and all.

This table top is made from more beautiful French oak, this time from coal carriage boards, complete with the original boltholes from former fixings.

9. Colorful personality.

Original paintwork and color flecks on reclaimed timber make it the perfect fit for a bright interior of an urban apartment.  

10. Crafting century old wood.

This unique, handcrafted television cabinet is made from wood over 100 years old, and would be ideal for an industrial style loft apartment. 

11. Wooden wardrobe doors.

To add a bit of warmth to a room, reclaimed wood is an ideal surface for large wardrobe doors. 

12. Fill the gaps.

If the planks of wood you want to use aren't sitting flush next to each other, pour resin in between any gaps or unwanted holes to solidify them together. 

13. Roughed up.

These breakfast bar stools are made from reclaimed boat wood, bringing a bit of a rough, rustic feel to the streamlined modern kitchen. 

14. Solid walls.

Using a similar technique to the coat rack and door above, this cool feature wall has the gaps between the timber filled in with a colored resin, producing a striking contrast. 

15. A colorful coffee table.

Here, the end of an old wooden cable drum has been re-imagined as a coffee table with bright yellow painted metal legs added. 

16. Multi-purpose pieces.

Most wooden boxes can be transformed into cabinets, tables or stands just by adding metal legs or stands. Who would've thought looking good was so easy?!

17. Perfectly flawed.

Probably one of the most striking looks you can achieve at home with reclaimed timbre are laying down wooden floorboards. They make any home, no matter the size, look expensive and luxurious. 

18. Wood with white.

Wooden fronted cupboards are an inexpensive and effective way to break up the white surfaces in modern kitchen. 

19. Well-worn walkway.

Planks of old wood are usually the perfect width to use for stairs and staircases. They will also provide you with plenty of grip! 

20. Easy to experiment with.

Reclaimed timber is inexpensive and easy to come by, so if you are wanting to build a large garden shed or pergola, it's the perfect material. 

21. A fine finish.

Once treated, sanded and restored, this cabinet is transformed into a luxurious and unique piece of furniture. 

22. Customize with color.

You don't need to leave the wood natural either, with a colored stain or light wash over the top, you can customize cabinets to be exactly how you want.  

23. Minimal style with little money.

By simply pairing a plank of wood with two identical metal frames, you can have a unique, industrial coffee table like this, all without breaking the bank. 

24. Home office addition.

Another option: an office desk with addition steel castors that can be moved exactly where you want, and is able to be scuffed up. 

25. Stylish seating.

And finally, an additional idea to complement a reclaimed table – built-in seating. This grey washed wood with oxidized iron details looks stunning as a seating area. 

If you love reusing and repurposing what you can, then take a look at these container homes for the ultimate recycling project. 

Need help with your home project?
Get in touch!

Highlights from our magazine