Turn An Old Pot Lid Into A Decorative And Useful Kitchen Essential

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

It's funny how pot lids, similarly to Tupperware lids, seem to slowly accumulate in your cabinets. As you replace old pots with new ones, the old lids seem to quietly overstay their welcome — earning a permanent place amongst your cookware. Of course, you can simply toss them in the bin. But instead of just pitching them, what if you found a way to transform them into something you can use? Well, one YouTuber, LanaS DIY, has a clever way to repurpose an old pot lid, turning it into a functional pot holder with an interesting decorative twist. 

What makes the project especially appealing is that it's relatively inexpensive to tackle, requiring just a few craft supplies, including braided rope, decoupage paper, a Styrofoam sheet, scissors, acrylic paint, a paintbrush, acrylic varnish, PVA glue, and a cork disc that's roughly the same diameter as the glass lid or up to a couple of inches larger. The cork disc and the Styrofoam serve as heat absorbers for the makeshift pot holder, while the paint, decoupage paper, and rope add a polished finish that turns it into an adorable kitchen decor piece that looks like it could be in a boutique display window. You can find several interesting designs of decoupage paper (also called napkin paper) on marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy for as low as $9, like this NatNarr 30-piece Decoupage Set. When not in use, the finished upcycled lid can be hung up on your kitchen walls to add texture, or leaned against a backsplash for an effortless artisan look.  

To get started with this project, remove the handle from the pot holder lid and clean up any embedded grease or debris using a paper towel and degreaser. Next, apply the PVA glue to the outside of the lid and lay a sheet of decoupage paper pretty-side down on top of it before brushing another layer of glue. When it dries, trim away any excess from the edges. Afterward, add a coat of white paint on top of the decoupage paper — this will be the bottom end of the pot holder. Then top off the paint with a coat of acrylic varnish to seal everything. 

The next phase of the project involves forming the pot holder's base. Using the lid as a guide, cut a roughly ⅛-inch-thick piece of Styrofoam to the same size. Cut a hole in the middle of the Styrofoam sheet that's wide enough to leave a ring about 3 inches wide. Then glue the Styrofoam ring to the underside of the lid. While it's drying, add a heavy object on top of it (like a book) to help hold it firmly in place. For the cork disc, apply a layer of glue to both sides, let it dry, and then follow that up with two coats of varnish. Once the varnish sets, glue the cork disc firmly to the other side of the Styrofoam ring. Now the base is formed and all that's left are a few decorative touches.

For the final step, add the decorative rope trim. Brush a layer of glue onto the top edge of the cork disc. Then, press the rope into the glue along the disc's edge, wrapping it around inch by inch, until the entire perimeter is covered. When the rope's ends meet, create a 3-inch loop. Wrap the remaining rope around the base of the loop two times and secure it in place with glue, then trim the excess with scissors. Now your pot holder is ready to use.

You can put your own customized spin on this easy DIY by swapping the braided rope for a piece of ribbon or a colorful heat-resistant cloth. If you have more of a vintage vibe happening in your kitchen, consider decoupage paper with matching vintage print including '70s stripes, woodgrain prints, and other timeless patterns. While this project's creative way of using decoupage paper is really what makes this design shine, if you prefer a more modern feel, perhaps metallic gold or silver paint will be a better fit instead of the paper. This coupled with a metal cord or beaded trim can make for quite a statement piece in your kitchen.