Using Wooden Pallets in Interior Design

Wooden pallets can be used for more than just transport. You could include them as part of the decor of your house. Maybe it could be just the thing you were looking for to add character to your home!

If you take a look around you, you’ll see that it’s becoming more contemporary to use wooden pallets in interior design.

Pallets started to be used during the Second World War (1939-1945), to make shipping and transport easier for certain goods. Hoisted by small cranes, products and goods were placed on these pallets.

Traditionally one of the fields where pallets are used most is the agri-food sector, although little by little their uses are being extended to other fields, as we’ll see further on in this article.

It’s more and more common to use pallets for, since often you don’t even need to pay for them. You should take into account that it can be very easy to work with pallets. T hey offer multiple possibilities and solutions for around the home.

Using wooden pallets in interior design: bedrooms

Although it might seem surprising, authentic designed furniture can be created  using wooden pallets .

It’s possible to find them in any room inside and even outside the house. In the following, we will show you some original examples of the use of wooden pallets in interior design, especially in bedrooms.

As bedheads and bed bases

If the pillow end of the bed is located against a wall, it’s very simple to place a pallet between the bed and the wall. Just as simple is using pallets as a bed base. Simply place them underneath your mattress and you’re ready to go.

You could put wheels on the pallets, although this might not always be practical. It may be useful at least for single beds to make them more mobile.

Shelving

To create a simple shelving unit it’s very simple to stack a couple of pallets one on top of the other, using the gaps in between as shelves.

Another option consists of arranging the pallets vertically. You could create a mini hanging garden, putting the plants in the gaps, thereby using less space for your plants.

With the same kind of structure, you could install hooks or hangers for coats, scarves or bags. You could also use the gaps between the slats to store shoes.

You could use wooden pallets as shelving in any room. What about in the kitchen, for hanging utensils and cups? Or maybe even in the shed or garage, to hang and store tools.

As a folding screen

Try using 4 pallets, mounting them in a square, and fixing them vertically using hinges in between them. You could make a type of folding screen with two panels.

You could also use the surface to hang hooks for decorations or ornaments, or put posters up. Using pallets as a folding screen, you could make a division in a large room to separate it into two distinct areas.

Using wooden pallets in interior design: tables and benches for different living areas

You can find wooden pallets that are used as low coffee tables. You could put wheels on the bottom so it’s easier to move around.

Pallets can be used indoors as well as outdoors, such as on decks, balconies, or in gardens. It could be a good idea to use a pallet as a table, and make seats or benches out of other pallets, for an outdoor entertainment area. To give a touch of color, you could put cushions on the seats and seat backs, to make them more comfortable.

In the living room, if you use pallets as a sofa or coffee table, the gap between one pallet and the next is ideal to stash magazines, books, or TV guides, etc. If the gap is wider, you could locate the DVD player, internet router, movies or even small speakers there.

Another option is to use pallets as a kitchen or dining table, placing them on some type of taller support as table legs.

Using wooden pallets in interior design: slats with phrases or painted images

Although it’s now possible to buy these in shops, you could also easily make one yourself as an inspiring part of your decor.

The truth is that the slats from wooden pallets are ideal to write phrases on.

As to the type of lettering you use, you might like the same style on the whole piece or possibly you might prefer to mix styles and colors. You could position the slats horizontally or vertically, according to your preference.

As another idea, you could paint the surface of the slats. On top of the base color, you could do some type of drawing, possibly accompanied by text.

The size doesn’t really matter. Sometimes you can find instances of rows of  painted slats in bigger formats. For example, a row of slats that have been placed above the bedhead in the main bedroom as a feature. Why not try pallets with a world map painted on, or decorated with motifs of fruit or animals?

Using pallets as Christmas decorations

Some people paint the silhouette of a Christmas tree on a wooden pallet. Then, they put it on a small table or hang it on the wall. You could try adding fairy lights to give it a more festive touch.

Another option could be to nail spaced out wooden slats decreasing in length onto a wall in the basic shape of a pine tree. Then you could hang some decorations or figures on each slat. You could find some ideas in this video.

You could also cut out the silhouette of the tree and lean it up against the wall.

Christmas tree made with pallet slats / 2.bp.blogspot.com

Conclusion

You should take into account that many variations of form and style exist when using wooden pallets in your decor. Don’t forget that you could leave the wood in its natural state or paint it completely or partially. (It’s common to see pallets painted white or stained and varnished.)

Using wooden pallets in interior design is something that can add character to your home. The options to choose from are practically endless. If you choose to use wooden pallets, you can create a dynamic living space, casual and original.