A new social media craze has hit the web and can be a wonderful tool when it comes to home improvement– Pinterest!  Pinterest is an online bulletin board/scrapbook where you can visually create boards for inspiration.  Pinterest is great when it comes to showcasing ideas for upcoming renovation or design project as it allows you to see how well things look together.  Other ways people use Pinterest, compiling recipes, blogs to read, clothing that represents their style or places they want to go. 

Moonworks has various boards on Pinterest, one of which is Fun with Gutters.  Let’s face it, gutters are useful for protecting your home from water damage but beyond that, they aren’t very fun.  Using Pinterest we were able to compile a board of fun and creative ways people have repurposed gutters.

Here is a look at some of our favorites:

Gutter Planters:  Gutter plants are usually a sign that you haven’t cleaned your gutters in quite some time.  Unless, of course, you intentionally planted flowers and herbs in the gutters.  Gutters make a great planter because they a deep enough to support the plant and dirt and can be cut to any size you like.  And, at first glance, you would never know that the planter was a gutter. 

Gutter Bookshelves:  This one has to be my favorite.  I am a sucker for children’s books and love how fun and creative this idea is.  This bookshelf was uploaded by Pinterest user Bonnie McKernan.  Since she painted the gutters it adds a fun twist, which is especially great for a child’s room.  Plus, you would never know this was a gutter.  Great way to make the gutter part of your indoor décor.

Gutter Storage:  Many of us have that one area of the home that is cluttered.  Whether it be the office, the pantry or the storage area in our basement, people are using gutters as a way to organize that area and clean it up. Organize your crafts, cleaning products or hide those wires from your electronic.  Use a gutter to hide that clutter!

Musical Gutters:  This one is not practical but is still a really fun use of gutters.  When it rains, the rain trickles down the gutters, creating music.  This wall is located in the Neustadt Kunsthofpassage neighborhood of Dresden, Germany.  This wall was created by 3 artists- Christoph Roßner, Annette Paul, and Andre Tempel.  What a great way to brighten up a rainy day!

Gutter Play:  Gutters can be used as a fun way to explore water, movement and sounds for kids.  This particular one is used as a slide into a sand box.  We have also seen it used as a trough to play in, or to wash paint off of kids hands.  As always, children should be monitored while they play and the gutters should be inspected for sharp edges.  In most cases, the gutters used for these purposes are plastic, not metal.

Which ones of these ideas is your favorite?  Can you think of any other fun uses for gutters?  Be sure to follow our boards on Pinterest or comment below if you want an invite to join Pinterest so you can start creating your own boards.

Photo Credits:

Gutter Planters: Apartment Therapy

Gutter Bookshelf: Pinterest user Bonnie McKernan

Gutter Storage: Apartment Therapy

Musical Gutters: inthralld.com

Gutter Play: Squashed Tomatoes