Old tools that have outlived their original purpose can find new life as decor in your home or garden. From vintage garden tools to old carpentry equipment, incorporating antique and rustic tools as part of your decor lends a sense of nostalgia, history, and charm. With a little creativity and intention, you can upcycle old tools from flea markets or your own garage into artful displays that enhance your living space.

Types of Old Tools to Use as Decor

There are many varieties of old tools that can be repurposed as wall hangings, sculptures, planters, or simply set on shelves as display pieces. Some ideas include:

Old Garden Tools

• Shovels
• Rakes
• Hoes
• Watering cans
• Wheelbarrows
• Seed packets
• Terra cotta pots
• Old gardening baskets
• Vintage watering cans made of metal or wood

Worn and rusted old garden tools like shovels or rakes can be hung on garage or shed walls as part of a tool display. You can also hang them outside on fences or posts. Old watering cans make for great planters indoors or out. Repurpose old baskets, terra cotta pots, and seed packets as wall art inside. Stack antique wheelbarrows with flowers or potted plants on a porch or in a garden.

Carpentry and Woodworking Tools

• Handsaws
• Hammers
• Planes
• Levels
• Sanders
• Vices
• Pliers
• Chisels
• Drill bits

Vintage handsaws and levels look great hung in rows on a workshop wall as part of a tool display. We like to hang multiple hammers together in size order using varying lengths of rope. Old wooden planes can be mounted sideways on walls. Arrange old pliers, chisels, drill bits, and other small tools in old jars or crocks. Large old vices add great industrial flair on counter tops or work benches.

Old Mechanical Tools

• Wrenches
• Screwdrivers
• Pliers
• Monkey wrenches
• Calipers
• Clamps
• Pulleys
• Gears
• Vice grips

Incorporate old wrenches, clamps, calipers, and other mechanical tools into sculpture pieces like mobiles, wind chimes, or freestanding art. Use strong magnents to arrange them on metal surfaces. Mount individual pulleys, gears, or vice grips on wood backings as wall art. Hang monkey wrenches and other large tools on peg boards in garages or workshops. Arrange collections of like objects in shadow boxes.

Farm & Ranch Equipment

• Horseshoes
• Horse tack
• Animal collars
• Yokes
• Milk pails
• Branding irons
• Feed scoops
• Hay hooks
• Horse brushes

Horseshoes make great wall art, especially over doorways for good luck. Old leather horse tack looks beautiful hung on wall hooks, mounted in shadow boxes, or draped over railings. Metal animal collars and yokes have great rustic flair on walls or posts. Display old milk pails, branding irons, and hay hooks from barn rafters or ceiling hooks. Arrange horse brushes and curry combs in crocks or jars.

Vintage Kitchen & Cooking Tools

• Egg beaters
• Food scales
• Flour sifters
• Rolling pins
• Apple corers
• Funnels & sieves
• Vintage cookbooks
• Aprons & towels

Egg beaters, scales, sifters, apple corers, and other old kitchen tools look great hung on walls, mounted in groupings on boards, or sitting on open shelves. Display old cookbooks with clever props like reading glasses or bakery boxes. Aprons can be framed or hung on hooks. Vintage kitchen linens folded in open baskets or crocks add charm.

Old Science & Medical Tools

• Scales & balances
• Mortar and pestles
• Microscopes
• Slides & specimen viewers
• Skeleton keys
• Medical tools
• Globes
• Hand lenses
• Taxidermy

Repurpose old chemistry tools like scales, mortar and pestles, and hand lenses as decor in studies or laboratories. Mount individual microscope slides in collage frames. Old skeleton keys make novel wall hooks. Antique medical tools like primitive surgical equipment or dental tools make striking displays. Taxidermy like mounted butterflies or snakes lend an old curiosity cabinet vibe.

Nautical & Industrial Tools

• Pulleys & cleats
• Navigation tools
• Rope & rigging
• Anchors
• Meters & dials
• Gauges & funnels
• Lanterns
• Dynamite boxes

Incorporate old nautical tools like anchors, pulleys, and rope as decor indens, offices, restaurants, or anywhere you want a nautical vibe. Mount dials, gauges, lanterns, and dynamite boxes on boards or display in groupings. Use rigging and rope to make hammocks, hanging chairs, or as natural art installations.

Vintage Sporting Goods

• Fishing lures
• Tennis rackets
• Croquet sets
• Golf clubs
• Skis & snowshoes
• Baseball gloves
• Vintage skateboards
• Hockey sticks

Make an artful display of old fishing lures, or spell words by mounting individual lures on boards. Hang antique tennis rackets and croquet sets on walls. Old baseball gloves can sit on shelves or be made into lieu holders. Arrange golf clubs and vintage skateboard decks in fun patterns as wall decor.

Displaying Old Tools as Decor

When using old tools and vintage items as part of your home decor, consider the following tips:

Group Similar Items Together

There is great visual impact when grouping multiple like objects together. For example, gather all your old garden tools and hang them together on a shed wall. Or arrange your collection of hammers in order of size on a workshop peg board. Create artful collages by mounting similar items like horseshoes, skeaves, or microscope slides together.

Combine Items For Interesting Juxtapositions

Mixing seemingly unrelated objects can create fascinating displays. For example, combine garden tools with old books and antlers over a fireplace. Or pair industrial objects like workshop tools with vintage kitchenware in a prep area. Blend medical antiques with equestrian items for a cabinet of curiosities feel.

Incorporate Natural Elements

Add touches of nature to contrast with and accentuate old tools. Display a set of shears among big leafy branches in a vase. Surround a shovel with potted succulents on an outdoor wall. Include weathered wood, dried botanicals, feathers, antlers, sea glass, smooth stones, or shells. Let some tools sit in beds of moss or pots of vines.

Use Rust & Patina To Advantage

Don’t be afraid of worn, rusted, faded tools! Their aged patina lends antique flair. Let peeling paint, worn leather, and rusty metal add character. A little grime and dust accentuates vintage charm. If needed, you can clear coat tools to prevent further rusting. But don’t over-restore pieces or they will lose their nostalgic appearence.

Consider Wall Groupings

Create engaging arrangements of old tools on walls, boards, or pegboards. Use varying lengths of rope, wire, or chain to hang items at different heights. Space tools evenly or staggered. Lean some tools sideways or upright. Mount some flush and let others have dimension.

Elevate With Stands, Boxes, Crates

For individual tools or small groupings, place them on stands, blocks, shelves, crates or in baskets to add height and visual interest. For example, set a shovel upright in an old crate filled with pebbles. Or perch a watering can on a section of tree trunk. Display related items in organized compartments like tackle boxes or small shelves.

Add Creative Touches

Make old tool displays more engaging by adding unexpected and whimsical touches. For example, hang bird nests or wasp nests from rakes or shovels. Use an auger bit to hold wildflowers or kitchen utensils. Include appropriate small objects like acorns, pinecones, feathers, or eggs. Prop open old books or manuals for vintage flair.

Old Tool Decor for Specific Spaces

Old tools and antique items can enhance decor in just about every room, inside and out. Here are some ideas:

Entryway Decor

Create a striking entryway display using old tools like rakes, hoes, or shovels. Hang them on the wall flanking your front door. Sit metal buckets or old wooden carriers filled with umbrellas below. Add horseshoes over the doorway for good luck.

Kitchen & Dining Room Accents

Incorporate vintage kitchen scales, sifters, rolling pins, egg beaters, and cookbooks in kitchens or dining areas. Display antique kitchen linens in open shelves or baskets. Use old tin cheese boxes or apple crates to hold napkins and tableware. Let patinated copper pots hang by a hearth.

Rustic Bathroom Decor

Old washboards make great towel racks or side tables in bathrooms. Arrange collections of skeleton keys on the walls. Vintage medicine bottles filled with cotton or dried flowers sit nicely on shelves. Repurpose an old tool box as a charming wall cabinet.

Living Room Feature Wall

Create a feature arrangement over a sofa, TV, or fireplace using a collection of similar tools like different sized hammers or saws. Or make an abstract collage using varied vintage objects like kitchen utensils, scientific tools, and equestrian items.

Office & Library Accents

Elevate home offices, studies, and libraries with antique globes, vintage typewriters, old manuals and books, scales, hand lenses, and medical teaching tools. Frame collections of individual microscope slides or skeleton keys as art.

Kids’ & Classroom Decor

Spark imagination in children’s rooms or classrooms using old toys, games, sporting goods, and vintage school items. Old lunch pales make great organizers. Display vintage science tools, nature specimens, and agricultural antiques as teaching tools.

Outdoor Living Areas

Use old tools liberally when decorating covered porches, patios, decks, pergolas, or garden sheds. Hang them from walls and ceilings. Let shovels, rakes, and trowels stand in plant containers. Set old crates and galvanized buckets around as extra surfaces. Use an old wheelbarrow or cart as a potting bench.

Garden Art & Decor

Create interesting garden decor by mounting old tools on walls, fences or arbors. Make wind chimes from pulleys and clamps, or mobiles from gears and chains. Use watering cans as planters. Repurpose containers like milk pails, feed buckets, and bushel baskets to hold plants. Turn an old cart or wheelbarrow into a planting bed. Set old troughs and boots around as decorative accents.

Garage, Workshop, Shed Displays

Outfit your workspaces using the tools themselves! Arrange hammers, wrenches, levels, clamps, and more by function or size order. Mount frequently used tools for easy access. Display lesser used tools in an appealing manner simply for visual interest. Add vintage signs, containers, antlers, and other accessories.

Creative Uses for Old Tools

Aside from decorating with old tools in their complete form, you can also repurpose and upcycle them into something new. Some fun ideas include:

Making Furniture

Create tables using the actual heads of old tools like circular saws or plow planes as the table tops. Use vintage wooden mallets or toolboxes as end tables. Fashion a bench from the handle of an enormous vintage shovel. Make crate-style shelf units from old ammo boxes. Use crates, chests, and trunks as rustic storage furniture.

Wall Hooks & Coat Racks

Screw or weld old tools onto backer boards to make into decorative hooks and racks. Try rakes, shovels, clamps, chains, seed scoops, even horseshoes. Paint, stain, or leave them rusty. Hang hats and coats on old rake tines or create key racks from sheaves and old wrenches.

Lighting

Repurpose old tractor scoops, hay rakes, funnels, and other items into pendant lights. Use pulleys, gears, and varies machine parts to make vintage-style Edison bulb lamps. Make sconces from old tools attached to vintage boards or barn wood backings.

Planters

Drill drainage holes in vintage pails, buckets, cans, boxes, and crates to convert them into planters. Use old cauldrons, watering cans, milk pails, delivery baskets, and wooden carriers. Shovels and pitch forks can hold trailing vines. Teapots with cracked porcelain still make charming indoor planters.

Room Dividers

Create a rustic room divider by securely connecting vintage tool handles, poles, and rails to an old ladder, gate, or split rail fence section. Add vintage signs or distressed wood panels between railings. Hang tools like scythes, shears, and shovels from the rails.

Sculptures & Mobiles

Make abstract wall sculptures by bolting, welding, wiring, or otherwise connecting old tools, machine parts, and found objects. Attach pieces of varying shapes, sizes and textures to wall-mounted boards. Make mobiles from old pulleys, chains, and gears, allowing them to move in the breeze.

Wind Chimes

Use old wrenches, screwdrivers, clamps, nuts, bolts, keys, spigots, and gears to make eclectic wind chimes. Attach varying pieces using wire, chain, or strong cord. Old silverware, rail spikes, and horseshoes also work nicely.

Toolbox Coffee Table

Cut an old classic metal toolbox in half horizontally to create vintage industrial coffee table. Attach hairpin legs, casters, or custom welded base. Fill the bottom with tools and accessories, and add a piece of glass or wood to the top. Add a coat of fresh paint if desired.

The options are endless when it comes to giving old tools new life around your home and property! With a little imagination, you can create displays that are both functional and beautiful.

Frequently Asked Questions About Old Tool Decor

What are some low cost places to find old tools for decor?

• Garage, yard, estate, and moving sales
• Flea markets, antique malls, thrift stores
• Online auction and marketplace sites
• Your own toolbox or shed – reuse old tools you already have
• Family members’ basements and attics for handed-down items

What’s the best way to clean and prepare old tools to use as decor?

• First scrub away loose dirt and debris with soapy water and a wire brush
• Rinse and dry completely
• Sand over any splinters, chips, or sharp edges for safety
• Use rust remover solution if desired, test on small spot first
• Sand again lightly to roughen and prep surface
• Apply clear semi-gloss sealant if not wanting rust patina
• Paint or stain tools if desired for more decorative finishes

What’s good wall mounting hardware for heavy antique tools?

• For lighter tools, can simply use nails, screws, or sawtooth hangers
• Heavier tools benefit from specialized hooks like OOKs or Monkey Hooks
• Wall anchors needed for heavy items like hand drills or saws
• Expansion bolts strongest for very heavy tools like anvils or grindstones
• When grouping, use varying lengths of chain, rope, or wire for visual interest

What are safe ways to repurpose old tools around pets and kids?

• Blunt, round off, or cap any sharp points or rough edges
• Make sure tools are securely mounted or placed where they can’t fall
• Don’t use tools with lead-based paints
• Test for lead paint using kits if unsure
• Use sealant rated safe for children’s items
• Supervise kids around any antiques and vintage items

Where are good spots to incorporate old tools in home decor?

• Entryways – on walls flanking front doors
• Kitchens – on open shelves, walls, islands
• Dining rooms – hung above tables or displayed in hutches
• Bathrooms – mounted on walls, holding towels
• Living rooms – clustered on accent walls
• Bedrooms – groups over beds, mounted on closets
• Offices – on shelves, desks, used as hooks
• Kids rooms – repurposed into toys, organizers
• Workshops – on pegboards for storage/display
• Garages – on walls and work benches
• Gardens and patios – used as sculpture, planters

What are tips for arranging old tools as wall decor?

• Use varying lengths of rope, chain, or wire when hanging
• Mix up orientations – some tools flush, some dangling
• Organize by type, size, or color
• Alternate different tool types
• Overlap tools for density and interest
• Leave negative space between groupings
• Add non-tool items like nets, buoys, baskets
• Incorporate some shelves, crates, or cubbies
• Add signage, art, or accessoires like hooks

Conclusion

Old tools that have withstood the tests of time are the perfect way to add nostalgic, vintage flair to any space. Their well-worn, rugged patinas tell rich stories. Repurposed as decor, these antique items allow you to celebrate history, memories, and the human spirit of innovation and craftsmanship. Whether displayed in home workshops, welcoming entryways, rustic gardens, or elsewhere, old tools used creatively as wall art, sculptures, planters, or furniture make wonderful additions to any room. With a bit of imagination and effort, you can upcycle flea market finds or your own discarded equipment into decor that is both functional and beautiful. So raid your garage, attic, or neighbor’s barn for vintage treasure possibilities. Those