Have you ever seen an insulator? You can read more about one HERE. You can still see them on top of telephone poles in some places. They are beautiful, aren’t they, but what can they be used for, besides decorations sitting here and there?
We had a pile of these sitting on my parent’s farm. Unfortunately, none seemed to be worth much, and Pinterest didn’t have many ideas for them either. I figured I would start by making a coat rack out of them.
But how would I get these heavy glass masses to stay on a board?
I decided to support the insulators with pegs. I cut each peg to the length of the inside of the insulators,
and drilled a hole in each.
Then I screwed them into a piece of molding I had around. I had to label the different pegs, so I would know what insulator each one went to.
Then I took my Liquid Nails and coated the bottom and top, and stuck it over the peg.
…and now I have one heck of a pretty coat rack.
I thought it looked best outside my back door….
….to hang up bags of sticks, coats with mud, or bug catching nets,
which all seem pretty common around our place.
Even if it doesn’t get used as much as an indoor coat rack, I think I like it best for it’s visual appeal!
You can usually find insulators at antique shops for $3-$5/ insulator (the common insulators).
What are your other insulator project ideas?
–Katie
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I'm a wife, a sister, a daughter, a mother of 5, a Jesus lover, a coffee abuser, an obsesser of all things DIY, design and decor related.
Most of what you'll see here are ways to live inexpensively, and how I put those into practice with my constant need to renovate houses.
We are a military family of 7, so houses must come big and inexpensive, and made beautiful as we go, turning what most would see as trash, into treasure.
Thanks for stopping by, stay awhile and make yourself at home. I hope you enjoy my ideas. 
Are you kidding me?! So original…I love this! Pinning NOW!!!
The perfect colors for your house!
–Katie
I love old colored insulators! This rocks – am pinning and sharing on my FB page!
Kelly
Thanks Kelly!
What a practical and beautiful idea!! I’m pinning it and sharing it too! Hope you don’t mind.
Megan
Thanks Megan!
Love it! I would lov to see a better picture of the door it is awesome! What colors did you use?
It was originally painted a greenish-blue color, and I replaced what used to be a doggy door with wainscoating. So, I tinted, and tinted until I matched the paint of the door, so that the wainscoating would match, but it was slightly a different color, so I wiped a medium varnish over the entire thing, to help it blend together. I’ll be doing a post on my back doorway later next week, I’ll make sure I get some good shots for you
–Katie
I have LOADS of these and have been looking for something to do with them! Your coat rack looks fabulous!
Blessings,
Angie @ Knick of Time
Okay, this has to be my new favourite project of yours! I have an insulator collection that consists of one insulator and it’s clear instead of that gorgeous turquoise. This is so funky and beachy and gorgeous! Love it!
This is a great use! I find insulators all the time. The only thing I’ve done with them is turned them upside down for candles or drilled a hole, added wire and made picture stands. This is genius!
Katie i love this! I love that the colors mach your door too! I have some old white ceramic ones and now I’m looking at them in a different light! Awesome project and thanks for sharing it!
very pretty oh i like like like it! mmmm
http://www.NorthernCottage.net
So where do you get the pegs?
Hey there you! Hm Depot.
I love this, very creative and the colors are perfect!
What an ingenious way to re-use them!! I love how they look there by the door!
What a neat idea and arent you smart figuring out to attach them with the pegs. I love the colors , such a pretty addition to your porch.
Thanks for linking up to our Friday Block Party at Curb Alert!
Tami
Hi Katie,
I had never even heard of an insulator before now, but they are very cool. Who’d have thought they’d be so colorful. That is an ingenious idea and they go so well with your front door. By the way, that door is beautiful. Even in the shot where only a little of it was showing, I could tell I’d love it. Do you happen to know the name of the color and the brand of the paint? I’ve been holding off on painting mine because I can’t decide on a color. I would love that one! Thanks for stopping by Quirky Vistas and leaving me such a nice comment on my Roadside Rascal planter!
Liz
The door was actually painted that color when we moved in. I think it was from the 80′s teal stage. lol I had to put wainscoating over the bottom because I took out the doggy door, and I tinted, and tinted Walmart tempra paint until I had a very close color. However, it wasn’t exactly the same, so I varnished the outside and quickly wiped it down.
I only have one insulator. I’ll have to beg off more from my father-in-law. What a great idea. I’m pinning for future.
This is super cool! We have a lot of insulators around here and everyone we talk to in this area do as well. I have just been using them for decoration, but will definitely be making one of these! Great idea! I am also going to pin this!
Oh so cool, Katie!!! What a neat idea!
~Stephanie
What a great idea! Pinning. ~ Maureen
Oh my gosh, I love them! They are so pretty =)
Visiting from Positively Splendid
I’m your newest follower from Blissful & Domestic Sunday Blog Hop! Love your blog. It would be great if you would follow me back at http://lifeofblocks.blogspot.com/ Thanks!!
Oh, what an awesome idea….I love this!!! We use our insulators for door stops (’cause I’m NOT even close to being such a clever thinker as you…lol!!). Blessings!
That’s a good idea too. They would make cool door stops!
Love it! I pinned it and plan to use ours somewhere, just have to get hubs and decide where. Janet
I am soooo in love with this! The gorgeous colors, the design, everything! And I had no idea what an insulator was before this post
Love this idea!
This is an amazing idea. I have a stash of these, and a few months back was searching for ideas and basically came up with little no inspiration…Thank you so much for this wonderful idea.
How cute! I am loving it! I wish I had somewhere outside to hang it…but it will have to go indoors for now. Thanks for sharing at my Pinteresting Party this week.
This is great! I need to find some insulators now!I’d love for you to share this project on Tuesday’s Tidbits @ Naptime Delights: http://naptimedelights.blogspot.ca/2012/06/tuesdays-tidbits-3.html
Thanks so much!
Sarah
{http://naptimedelights.blogspot.com}
Love the coat rack and the door colors and the door mat, too! May I ask where you got the door mat?
Thank you! The door mat was on clearance at Lowes.
Thanks, Katie
I love this!! …and I loved that you used it outdoors and I love the different color insulators! I love it all
Thanks so much for sharing this at Bedazzle Me Monday!! Hope to see you again next week!
Hubs agrees, as predicted. Now for the tough part….where? I’ll try to remember, which I’m not good at, to show you when we do it. Thanks. Janet
What a a wonderful idea, the colors are wonderful. The how to was great, nice to have you figure it out for us. Thanks Laura
Love the colors. So Pretty!
Beautiful and very creative! So happy to have found your blog by Take It on Tuesday Blog Hop. I love finding new blogs through blog hops, don’t you? Can’t wait to explore your blog some more.:o)
Hope you have a lovely week!
K
Very pretty!! I love the look of this outdoor coat rack – pretty colors!! Thanks for linking this up at Romance on a dime!!
I LOVE how you hung it up – and showed us! I love hooks and these are awesome!
That is the best idea ever for these insulators! Nice job, I’m pinning this one!
I love the idea!So clever.
what a great idea! i love insulators. My mom has a bunch of these that she uses as borders in her garden
This is FABULOUS!!! LOVE The colors too!!! And your whole front porch is AMAZING!!
You better be planning on sharing this at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality!
What a great idea! Pinning
Too cute!
Brilliant!! Will be shamelessly copying this project.
Erin @ Carolina Country Living
(visiting from Primp – link #73)
I love this! I SO remember these! Great idea!
Great idea!! Very cute and creative
Laurel
How original.. Love how you came up with a sturdy idea to hung them.. Pinning this idea.. Have a great weekend. Thanks for linking up at friday fun party!
FANTASTIC!!! You are Amazing, girl! You hit a home run with every project. LOVE!
Thanks so much for linking up at I Gotta Create! <3 Christina
Gorgeous! I’ve never seen those before, but they sure make a beautiful coat rack! I’ll have to try something similar some day when our new house is finished – I love the idea of an outside hanging area.
This is so eye catching! The color is fabulous. I believe it will get lots of use!
I love it……another thing to add to my flea market shoppin’ list : )
Really love this idea! one of my Moms friends just gave me some of these and I was wondering what I could do with them! TFS!
Oh my, your insulator coat rack is fabulous!! The colors you used look perfect with your charming back door.
Mary Alice
What a unique idea…love it…pinning it! I am totally in love with your whole front porch. Your door and the color on it are amazing and i think it sets off the coat rack even more. Nice work! Now following you via LF!
Maggie
Super cute…my parents have a bunch of insulators, too, and I’ve thinking they must have a great use…you’ve found one!
What a good idea for those things!
Just brilliant! I think I’ve seen these but had no idea what they were. Thanks for sharing at this week’s BFF Open House.
Love this project! So creative! I always see insulators in the junk shop and wonder what to do with them besides display…your solution is fantastic!
I love your idea! I have a few insulators that I bought for projects that I haven’t used yet. I now see their future! I’m following from Delicate Construction Friday.
This is one of the most creative projects I have seen in a while! Thanks so much for sharing at Fabulous Friday.
I see these alot and never would have thought to use them as holders like that. Very clever! And, I love your door! Pretty color!
Katie, What a great idea! Such a unique and pretty coat rack. Thanks for sharing this at the Open House party.
Cute idea Katie! I alwasy wondered what to do with those things! Adorable! And your porch looks just perfect – great job!
Thanks for sharing!
Stacey of Embracing Change
Love this simple coat rack! I featured it today on Sew Woodsy!
Absolutely ADORE this!! Hope you can link this up at my new linky party Trendy Tuesday!! http://www.sweetlittlegals.com/2012/06/trendy-tuesday-4.html
So clever, so unique and beautiful, Katie! Great job! I love it! (featuring in DIY highlights!) Thanks so much for sharing your creativity!
I can’t even begin to express how adorable I think this is! Pinning it for sure! Here from TCB
This is awesome. I love the colors and the fact that it is made out of insulators is even more adorable. Thanks for sharing. Amazing. Lesley
Stopped by to pin the insulator rack. Clever and cute!
~Bliss~
Seriously may need to steal some of these from my daddy!! So cool!!! Thank you for sharing at Uncommon Katie! Always love having you! Featuring these on our FB page today!
Thanks Bonnie and Trish!
–Katie
I LOVE this idea, Katie, and am totally featuring it for Want to Try it Tuesday today!
What a fantastic idea!! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Link It Up Thursday.
You’re a STAR tonight over at I Gotta Create! Thanks again for linking up. Your creativity is simply amazing!!!
http://igottacreate.blogspot.com/2012/06/wildly-original-features-4-new-party.html
<3 Christina
Really? No ideas on Pinterest?
I had one that I turned upside down …years ago, cause I’m that old…lol and hung it in a wire clothes hanger fashioned into a heart. I stuck a votive candle in it and TA-Dah!
wall sconce.
But this! … what a great idea. We’ll be seeing them everywhere now. ~Pat
Voltive candle holder would be awesome too! I love the name Corn in my Coffee Pot! I grew up on a corn farm and sold it myself for many years, and I LOVE coffee!
–Katie
Very creative Katie. Thanks for sharing this at Shabbilicious Friday.
Such a cute idea! (That is one of the prettiest back doors I have ever seen. Great color choice!)
This is beautiful! I just love insulators. My grandpa worked for the telephone company and had a big collection, so they’re all over my house. I also take them to market with me when I sell because he was such a strong influence on my interest in antique furnishings. I’ve seen them flipped upside down and put in a little stand to hold succulents. They also make gorgeous pendants, and even look pretty just on the mantle with a little battery powered fake tea light in them. They’re great to have around the house!
Your insulator coat rack got the most views at my party last week! I featured you!
Thanks Kelly!
i LOVE this!!! i stumbled upon insulators while antiquing last summer and i love them… what a clever way to use them! stopping by from homemaker in heels; i’m your newest follower!
meg
megvcornwell.blogpsot.com
These are so awesome!! LOVE! New follower!
Popping back in to say thank you so much for entering in the Craftastic Competition. Good luck! Don’t forget to add the contest button to be eligible to win.
love this idea…and love how it looks next to that awesome back door! i’m pinning it for sure. we have similar tastes in our flower pots…i too have the speckled enamel pot and washtub on or near my porch. found you via roadkill rescue. happy 4th!
very creative idea.. I have a few of these and didnt know what to do with them.
Saw this on Pinterest. Loved it. We did a something similar from seeing yours. I linked back to this post in my blog. http://madewithlovebymary.blogspot.com/2012/08/pinterest-started-it.html
Thanks so much!
Mary
I have several insulators at my parents home and have been trying to figure out a way to use them! This is great!!
My aunt had a bunch of these when I was growing up. She kept them on a high beam that separated her dining and living area. I always thought they were so pretty. I love what you’ve done with them! Pinning for later!
I’m just about to use some more of them on a door. I think they are really pretty too. I especially like the blue ones. Thanks for stopping by!