• Old windows are often weathered and have a wonderful patina.Jupiterimages/BananaStock/Getty Images
  
  Whether you are replacing the windows in your home with new, energy-efficient windows and want to find a way to recycle the old windows, or whether you have stumbled upon some old window frames at a garage sale or flea market, you may be looking for some ideas on what do to with those old window frames. The good news is that old window frames can add a rustic, whimsical flair to any project.
  
  

Picture Frames

• Old window frames look great when they are mounted on a wall, and the design lends itself naturally to becoming picture frames. Hang an old window frame over a smaller-sized canvas painting to create a fun finish for your artwork. You can also glue a decorative matte to the back of an old window to frame a favorite family photograph or an important document. If you have a larger window frame you would like to use, create a collage of family photos, or build a shadow box by stapling or nailing a section of plywood or lightweight balsam wood to the backside of the window frame.
  
  

Tabletop

• RoboJunker.com suggests turning an old window frame into a table. A table made from an old window frame is a piece of furniture that is suitable either indoors or outdoors, and it can be a great conversation starter. If you have an old window frame with the glass still in tact, simply attach a set of table legs to the underside using wood screws. Opt to attach an old window frame to the top of an existing table to change the look and feel of the original table. For even less fuss, try simply placing an old window frame on top of an ottoman or coffee table as a tray to hold beverages or magazines.
  
  

Mirrors

• If you have no use for a picture frame, trying turning an old window frame into a stylish, shabby-chic mirror. A glass fitter can install a mirror into an old window frame that is missing the glass, or you can request that the window glass be removed in favor of a glass or acrylic-sheet mirror. If you want to create a more do-it-yourself-style mirror frame, trying lining one side of the glass with black felt, or cover it in black paint to create a mirror effect out of the existing window glass.