Freshening up your home’s interior for spring can be as easy as switching out the throw pillows on your living room couch or your kitchen cabinet handles. On the other hand, if you want to update the exterior, you are usually in store for a major undertaking — but that’s not always the case!

If you’ve been wanting to give your home a little more curb appeal, consider building a kitchen window box. Whether you’re pulling up your driveway or looking out the window from your open concept kitchen, you’ll be greeted with fresh blooms. Spruce things up for spring with this simple DIY project.

Step 1: Decide on what type of window box you want.

You can build your own standard window box using lumber and molding. Cedar and poplar are great woods to use for window boxes because they are weather resistant and can handle those April showers, as well as any overflow from watering your plants.

But you don’t need to buy new materials to make a window box. Many people recycle materials such as a wooden pallet, fence panel, or the frame of an old kitchen cabinet.

Step 2: Drill holes into the bottom of your window box for drainage.

You wouldn’t want your window box to rot from water damage or your plants to die from over watering. That’s why it’s so important to put drainage holes in the bottom of your window box. This will allow for a natural flow of water that will accumulate from rainstorms or watering your plants and flowers.

Step 3: Perfect your design before painting or mounting.

Depending on what type of material you use, your DIY window box may require a little mending before you mount it. If you used stock lumber, reclaimed wood, or an old kitchen cabinet, get some sanding paper and spackling to fill in any gaps or holes. This is not mandatory, but doing so will likely extend the longevity of your window box. It will also create a better canvas if you plan to paint it.

Step 4: Paint your window box a color that will complement your home’s exterior.

With a DIY window box, the customization options are endless. That includes what color you decide to paint it. Take this opportunity to give your home a much-needed pop of color or go with a classic hue that will serve as the perfect complement.

When painting your window box, there are two things to keep in mind. First, you should definitely use a primer. Second, you want products that are weatherproof or mold-resistant and safe for exterior use.

Step 5: Mount you window box below the window.

Now for the final touch — mounting your piece of art outside of your kitchen window. Remember that once you put your flowers and plants inside your box, it will become very heavy. Securing it properly is a must! Use heavy-duty hardware like galvanized steel corner brackets and lag bolts. If attached properly, your window box should remain securely in place for seasons and years to come!

At The RTA Store we help make your dream home a reality with RTA (Ready To Assemble) and Pre-Assembled cabinets and accessories. Whether it’s your kitchen bathroom, laundry room, home office, bar room or TV room, we offer the same (if not better) quality you would find at any retail store, but for a fraction of the price. Stop by our website or give us a call and let us make your dreams come true with the help of our free room design tool!