Rustic Shutters

There are many ways to treat windows in a kid's room. You can cover them with curtains, block them with shades or soften them with sheers. In this project, Rebecca extended a camping theme by installing rustic shutters made of palettes. That's right, those old crates you find in warehouses were disassembled and the rough, raw pieces of wood were used to make this campsite private.

Materials:

palettes
nails
rustic hinges
screws
paint
rope
a crowbar
a staple gun
carpenter's glue
a screw gun
paint supplies

Instructions:

First, pry the planks on the palette apart with a crowbar and hammer. The rougher the better, so don't be too gentle. Once apart, sand any sharp edges down and remove or pound down nails.
Measure the window and lay out the palette pieces vertically side by side. Cut them to the window's size. Remember that the shutters will consist of two doors that meet in the center of the window. If the window is small, only one shutter can be used to cover the entire window. Every window is different, so take the time to make a plan.
Take other strips from the palette and make frames for the vertical strips. When attached, the vertical strips will run to the outside edge of this frame.
Attach the vertical strips to the frame using carpenter's glue and screws. Be careful to use the right length screws. Do not puncture through to the other side of the shutter.
Add hinges to the palettes where they will hang in the room.
Stencil initials on the palettes to create a fan camp or military feel.
Drill two holes on each of the shutters for rope handles. The handles should go on the opposite side of the hinges and around the bottom third of the shutter.
Attach handles by threading rope through the holes, knotting it in place and cutting the remainder off.
Hinge the shutters to the windows. Depending on the window, strips of the palette may need to be attached to build out the molding and make the sides flush. This will vary with each window.
Invite your child's friends over and prepare for a camp out. Don't forget to pack the s'mores.