Outdoor Decorating with Farm Junk

My stepmom has put in countless dirty, filthy hours cleaning out old barns and sheds on the family farm. God bless her.

There have been piles for Goodwill, piles for scrap metal recycling, piles for burning.

Then there’s the pile she’s kept. What’s in it? Old lights, saw blades, tractor seats, mole traps, springs…the usual.

Why does she keep these things?

Well, she’s the Junk Whisperer.

This wall is on the back of the garage. A spot that nobody, but her and my dad are going to see on a regular basis.

When I arrived in Oregon this summer, this was simply an empty wall with a flower bed on the back of the garage.

One day during my visit she told me she was going to work on a project.

I took the kids swimming.

I came back to discover she had decorated the garage wall with all of this old farm junk she had saved. I took these photos before the wall was finished, but I thought it looked pretty cool as is.

Now, not all of this junk came from the family farm. There’s other people’s junk in here too.

Like this old, industrial fan blade.

At least, that’s what we think it is.

It was a doozy to get out, since it was encased in a large metal cylinder.

(I think I took the kids swimming during that process too. Notice a pattern? Hmm.)

Puts all your average sunburst decor to shame, doesn’t it? If it would have fit in my suitcase, I would have shamelessly taken it home with me and not even felt guilty about it.

Now, in the defense of junk hoarders everywhere, this kind of rusty patina doesn’t come about overnight. It takes decades of braving the elements before it’s ready for its artistic debut.

And now, if they ever do need, whatever these things are, well, they will be easy to find!

Although, I’m guessing they will stay right here on the wall and will probably look even better the next time I see them.

I have to say, tractor seats have come a long ways in the area of comfort.

Can you imagine bouncing around a field all day on this thing?

It is gorgeous though.

I do not have the Junk Whisperer gene in me.

However, I can appreciate the beauty in what she has created. I’m in awe of it really.

One person’s junk really is another person’s treasure.

I took pictures of this wall, not knowing if I’d even use them.

Otherwise, I would have moved the 2×4 that’s hanging out in the very first picture. Ha!

The more I looked at the pictures though, the more I loved all of those textures working together. I began to wonder when each of those tools was used? Who used them? Did my grandpa? Did my dad? If only this wall could talk…the stories and history it must hold.

I love that my stepmom decorated an outside wall with only her own satisfaction in mind. Very few people will ever see this wall in person, but it makes her happy. Isn’t that what decorating your home is all about? Making your home a happy place to be for you and your family? I think so.

Want some more junky decorating inspiration? Of course you do!

Junky 4th of July Wreath

House Number Sign from Wooden Spool

Burl Wood Table

Rusty Machine Turned Bird Bath