I've always wondered what happens to trophies years after the excitement of their achievement has long gone. Do they get displayed on a dusty mantle in your parents home showing off your accomplishments? Or do they end up alone, discarded in thrift stores or just tossed in the trash? Well this DIY just might be the solution to giving them new life.

Even if you don't have your own collection of old trophies, there always seems to be plenty piling up at thrift stores. I never understood what purpose it would serve to buy someone else's trophies. What could you possible want them for? So you could imagine my jaw dropping when I came across this brilliant DIY based around upcycling them.
It's such a simple and inventive idea that I was really taken aback. Thanks to this Design Sponge DIY project there now is a reason to dust off those old memories and proudly display them in a new way. Go trophies! You have been redefined and get to be admired once again.
Lots more pics and all the details: Design Sponge
Images: Design Sponge


White Enamel Flatwa...
Brilliant idea!!
trophys really arent that strong... anything without a wide base would break under the weight of a winter coat I would think.
This idea will be forwarded to my brother, "the athletic one."
Cute idea!
The reason people would buy old trophies is that you can reuse them. The metal plate that has the person's name and 1st place, etc. can easily be removed and a new one placed on the trophy.
I've always preferred to get items I can use like tennis towels, coolers, sweatshirts, etc rather than a trophy.
Interesting idea... I don't really like it, though. Maybe if it were all spraypainted some color. Perhaps orange, since that's the color of the day. XD
i just needed a full shot of the painting above.
Yes! Spray paint them all orange, love it! I do like this idea...makes me want to check in at the local trophy-making shop and go through their garbage just so I don't have to worry about what to do with the base.
Im wondering how you get the little guy off the original mount... Ill have to tinker with the ones we have I guess.
Cool idea. Old trophies are more likely to have metal figures that would stand up to this. Newer ones are plastic.
Really cute idea. If we used all the trophies from our house they would be a mix of soccer players, runners, and ballet dancers.
If you're going to make this project be sure to look for vintage trophies, because more modern ones are weak and brittle.
This is genius. My son is going to college in a couple of months and has a bazillion taekwondo trophies. This would be genius for him to have at college for his jackets, etc... and not lose his beloved trophies. We've donated some of the trophies back to his instructor to reuse for younger students for in-house awards (the replacement plates are $2).