10 Vintage Cowboy Finds To Repurpose Around Your Home & Garden

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Whether you've been trying to create a home on the range since the first episode of "Yellowstone" aired or you've got country vibes on the brain after seeing Norway's soccer star Erling Haaland rock that cowboy hat during his recent trip to Dallas, there are tons of cowboy-themed decorating ideas to give your space a rustic makeover. Although you can find plenty of themed decor at your local home store, a lot of it is made from plastic or other cheap materials. Western wear stores are another option, but they can be pricey. To achieve a more authentic look on a budget, consider hitting up your local thrift store or flea markets for vintage cowboy finds like horseshoes, bandanas, and belt buckles that are easy to repurpose around your home and garden.

21st century cowboys live a radically different life than their predecessors, which becomes obvious once you start thrifting vintage cowboy wares. Even after years on the dusty trail, high-quality handmade stirrups and saddle blankets have often held up well enough to be creatively repurposed as everyday items for modern homes. Larger finds like vintage wagon wheels and horse troughs can also be upcycled pretty easily, even if it's your first time at the crafting rodeo. Read on to learn more about how clever crafters are making hay while the sun shines with vintage finds that can also put a little giddyup in your own home and garden.

Nothing captures the rustic Western aesthetic quite like a vintage cowboy hat. Lucky thrifters will find them in felt, leather, and straw, in a variety of different brim and crown shapes. Instead of just hanging one from an entryway hook, consider mounting an entire collection as a Western-inspired riff on a classic gallery wall. If you can only find ones that are stained or damaged, consider creating a piece of cowboy hat wall art by connecting a simple canvas and a few hats with basic joint compound before painting it the whole thing in monochromatic tones, a clever idea courtesy of TikToker @lifeonbackforty.

It's easy to find cheap vintage horseshoes at those tiny flea market spots you pass on a Sunday drive. There are a ton of ways to decorate with them. Artfully hanging a horseshoe on a wall is one option that's said to bring good luck. It's also easy to turn horseshoes into hanging picture frames with the help of some cardboard, yarn, and basic craft tools, following DIY instructions from @Solo 7 solo 7. But to repurpose these vintage cowboy finds as a piece of dreamy garden decor, consider threading string and beads through the holes in the U-shaped metal plates to create horseshoe dreamcatchers.

You've probably seen a few of those galvanized metal stock tank pools popping up on your social media feeds. While they look refreshing and are a great alternative to costlier above-ground options, old vintage ones are likely to be rusty and not safe for swimming. Instead, consider repurposing old stock tanks or, if you're lucky enough to find one, cement horse troughs, into tranquil container ponds surrounded by Texas Bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) or Cowboy's Delight (Sphaeralcea coccinea.)

Cowboys used bandanas for a myriad of purposes, from emergency water filtering devices to makeshift masks along the dusty trail. You can repurpose these vintage finds around the house by incorporating them into quilts or fashioning them into colorful pennant banners that sway in the breeze. But if you're looking for a no-sew option, consider using vintage cowboy bandanas to create a patriotic wreath. The process is easy. Using a basic overhand knot, you'll simply tie bandanas in the colors of your choice all the way around a wire wreath form until it's completely covered.

Few things provide the same Western-style charm as a shiny belt buckle, but figuring out how to use them around your home and garden can be a little tricky. TikToker @heatherwelper fashioned hers into curtain tiebacks. The best method depends on the types of curtains you need to corral. Fixing a belt buckle to an upcycled leather belt wrapped around a lightweight panel or welding a wall-mounted version to hold back heavier fabrics are both great options. Need an easier solution? Substitute another cowboy accessory: the bolo tie.

No cowboy is complete without a set of stirrups, and no library is complete without a few bookends. Thanks to their solid construction, it's surprisingly easy to repurpose a set of vintage metal stirrups by simply flipping them upside down and placing a book over half of each tread. If you're having trouble finding a set of stirrups at your local flea market, you can occasionally find them on Etsy. Alternatively, if you have welding experience, you can connect two horseshoes at the heel in an L-shape, to keep your books upright.

Saddle blankets have long been used to protect horses from chaffing under a rider's weight. While animal hides were a popular choice originally, eventually the blankets became decorative objects. Persistent thrifters can find ones made of wool or felt. Along with serapes, the colorful woven shawls worn by Texas cowboys and vaqueros, these vintage textiles can be used as throw blankets, hung as wall art displays, or repurposed into pillow covers. Just be sure to clean your blanket with a gentle hand wash or beating before using it to adorn your couch.

If you're trying to figure out how to make a simple outdoor bench feel a little more country, consider using vintage wagon wheels for the base. A project best completed by serious woodworkers, it's very important to start with wheels that are structurally sound to make sure your bench is safe to sit on (or, otherwise, use it only as a decoration). For an easier way to repurpose this vintage cowboy find around your garden, turn it into a flower bed by simply laying the wheel on the ground, filling each section with potting soil, and adding your favorite plants.

Boots are among the most quintessential cowboy finds you can repurpose around your home and garden. They are especially fun when used as quirky planters. If your vintage cowboy boots are in relatively good shape, or even still wearable, hide a tall glass vase inside to hold stalks of wheat or cotton stems. Older boots that are starting to bite the dust can be lightly coated in concrete that's allowed to dry before painting and planting them with herbs. 

Finding vintage tack at a thrift store is a thrill. Although some leather deteriorates after time, other pieces will simply need to be revived with a little soap and water before being oiled back to life. You can use long leather reins to create a show stopping shelving unit by creating two equal-sized loops on either side of a wooden board, nailing them in place, and attaching the top of both leather loops directly to the wall. Using weathered wood and matte black nails will create a cowboy-inspired look that practically screams "Yeehaw!"