8 inspired ideas to incorporate wooden pallets into your home

It's not easy to get excited about wooden pallets, let alone imagine them as a practical and stylish addition to your home or work space. But with just a little research and imagination, you can discover an impressive array of alternative applications.

Designed to support items during transport, wooden pallets quickly became the industry standard, and remain so today where their benefits over plastic and metal pallets are considerable. They are less expensive, easy to construct and easy to resell and repair. They can also be manufactured from recycled materials and recycled into paper and mulch, and they have a significantly higher friction than plastic and metal alternatives.

But on an artistic and creative level, they really they come into their own, offering unique alternatives for everyday environments that anyone can take inspiration from.

Here are 8 ways to help re-imagine how wooden pallets, new or old, can be re-purposed.

1. Bookshelves. Bookshelves offer a great focal point for any room and can store literature for all the family — from comics and magazines to cookery books and fiction.
2. Bed Frame. As well as providing great structural support, a wooden pallet bed can be easily tailored to fit any room and body size.
3. Compost Bin. If you have a garden or allotment space, a compost bin is an essential feature and one which can be easily constructed by fastening a few pallets together.
4. Plant Holder. For anyone lacking in outside space, pallets offer the perfect, no-work-required, pot-hanging solution
5. Wall Art. For the artistic-minded person, simply paint or decorate a pallet and hang the pallet inside to create a truly original piece. 
6. Tables. An obvious solution, maybe, but it is nonetheless effective. Indoor, outdoor, potting, hobby or coffee, the opportunities for table-making are plentiful.
7. Swing. Simply cut a rectangular shape, attach a rope to either end and hang securely for hours of free and wholesome fun.
8. Towel Rack. Either rolled up, folded or hung out wet to dry, this towel solution will make a functional yet stylish feature for any bathroom.

So whether you're living with parents, renting a room or already on the property ladder, wooden pallets offer a plethora of exciting opportunities for use in any environment. With just a little imagination — and even less money — you too can make a statement that demands attention whilst at the same time doing bit for the environment. What more is there to say?