Upcycled Book Cover Valance

I love creating fun projects in my home that add a bit of character and use upcycled materials and my latest project is an upcycled book cover valance made with thrifted hardcover books!  It was the perfect way to break up the huge window in my youngest daughter’s room and the vintage, repurposed style is the perfect complement for her cabinet door command center, vintage desk, and the sparkle wall hanging above her bed.  And it was a breeze {and completely cheap!} to make!

To make an upcycled book cover valance, you’ll need a 2×4 board that fits the width of the window with a few inches of overlap on either side and enough books to span the length of the board.  Since this room is decorated in shades of green, mostly mint hues, I scoured the thrift store for books in those shades.  It’s nearly impossible to find enough books all in the same shade but I like the look of a mix of colors and it fits well in this room.  When you’re looking for books, be sure to peel back the paper covers to see what’s hiding underneath.  I tried to go with vintage books as much as possible but had to take whatever I could find by the end.  I also tried to find books with as little writing as possible on the cover.

To remove the book pages from the cover, open the book and use a knife to gently cut the pages away.  It should cut away quite easily especially if it’s an old book.

Save the pages for another project like these book page bats {so cute for Halloween!} or paper bows for topping gifts.

Once the covers are removed, lay the books out on the board so you have an idea of how they’ll fit and how they look best then set the covers aside.

It’s easiest to hang the board on the window before you add the books so use screws and a level to attach the board.  You can screw the board into studs or use anchors to support additional weight {although the final weight of this valance is quite light}.

Attach the book covers to the board in the order you laid them out in the previous step.  I used hot glue to attach the book covers but you could also use a nailer to attach them … it just depends whether you want nail heads to show on the book covers.

To cover the sides of the board, use a book binding in the appropriate width and attach it to the board, tucking the raw edges underneath the other cover.

This is a quick and easy project that takes less than thirty minutes to complete …

… and adds such a fun and whimsical pop of upcycled character to a room!

Would you hang an upcycled book cover valance in your home?

For another repurposed window treatment idea, be sure to check out this upcycled shutter valance!