Simple License Plate Decor DIY Ideas

Get creative with this old license plate decor DIY. With these easy tutorials, you can make a one-of-a-kind hat rack and wall decor.

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.”

This week, we tackled cleaning out an old shed on our property here in Maine. This shed was my father’s for years, where he made furniture and kept many of his collectibles, like these old vanity front license plates, pictures of all his DIY projects, and more.

He was a big tennis player, playing until he was 86 years old. So I was thrilled when I found these custom license plates amongst his things. I knew right away I wanted to create something fun with these decorative license plates to display in our guest bedroom, where a collection of his tennis rackets also resides.

A license plate DIY in the making!

How to Make a License Plate DIY Hat Rack

Hat Rack Hooks

I first found these vintage hooks on Etsy, which was sold by Parkwood Treasures.

I really liked their white vintage cottage vibe.

And it was a bonus, too, that they came with the original mounting screws.

There are so many vintage wire hooks to choose from here:

Paint a Backboard

Next, for this DIY license plate decor, I painted an old board in the same custom blue as the trim in this bedroom.

I’ve included the custom paint formula here in case you would like to duplicate it.

It’s a beautiful shade of antique blue.

Mount the License Plate and Hooks

Once the vintage hooks arrived in the mail, I mounted the custom car tags along with three of the four hooks.

Hang License Plate DIY on Wall

I then hung my new license plate hat rack up in our guest bedroom with two Command Strips just to be on the safe side.

You may also really enjoy making these Dishy Kitchen Hooks You Can DIY in Minutes.

This hat rack is now wall art, ready for great quality hats.

You may also enjoy This Summer’s Thrift Store Decor Finds.

And check out what else I found with a tennis theme in the post, Antiquing Down East, A Day’s Jaunt

You may also enjoy the post How to Fold and Display Heirloom Quilts, like this collection that my mother made, and Vintage Braiding Rug Stand | A Mother’s Day Reflection.

License Plate DIY Wall Decor

After creating this license plate DIY hat rack, I found two more decorative plates in the shed with my father’s initials on them.

How to License Plate DIY Wall Decor

I also created this easy-hanging license plate wall decor using simple twine.

When it was finished, I hung our license plate wall decor on the cedar shake siding just outside our back door. This license plate DIY wall decor has been hanging outside of our home for about two years now and has held up beautifully.

You may also enjoy this post, 15 Cool DIY Projects to Start this Summer.

I love the contrast with the old cedar shakes.

Do you like cedar shakes? Check out How We Restored our Aged Cedar Shake Siding here.

And you may also enjoy the post, Adored One-of-a-Kind Handmade Birdhouse Restored.

I hope you found some inspiration here today. We love our new vanity plate hat rack and wall decor, which feature my father’s old vanity license plates. They are such treasures.

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This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.