by: Chuck Greene

So you want to liven up the outside of your home, but don't have a fortune to spend? A ladder may be just what you need to spruce things up. Below, check out some ideas for using old wooden ladders to spruce up and enliven the outside of any home.

Potted Bookshelf

Take an old rustic ladder and attach it to the wall of one side of your house. You can paint the ladder to suit the colors of your home or leave it with the rustic look. Take small flower pots and paint the outsides of them with a design that suits you (or, if you're a "plain" style decorator, leave them as is or purchase them in a color/design that you like) and put colorful flowers in them. Annuals work best. Then, put the flower pots on the rungs of the ladder for an instant "bookshelf of flowers" for the outside of your home.

Flowered Shelves

If you aren't keen on putting screws into the outside of your house (especially true for those who have vinyl siding), try taking a ladder and setting it up on your front porch. Paint it to suit your tastes or leave if weathered for a rustic look. Put a wine type plant on top to let it wrap itself around the ladder for an instant and creative trellis in a spot where you wouldn't normally put one.

Patio Easel

If you have kids who like to paint and value the flooring (and everything else) in your home, use an old ladder to create a quick and simple outdoor easel. Take the ladder and nail a piece of thin plywood to the front. Nail a "chip clip" to the top of the plywood and you have an instant outdoor easel that can be used and easily cleaned by spraying with the hose.