I received an email from Candice in North Carolina who had recently pruned some trees in her backyard and was wanting DIY ideas for the branches she’d trimmed off. I love incorporating natural elements into home decor. Who doesn’t love free material found right outside their door? I think any of these branch projects would be fun to try in the home.
Jewelry Tree
Screw the end of a smaller branch into a square, stained piece of wood and adorn it with necklaces, earrings and bracelets. It makes for a pretty display and a quick jewelry go-to in the morning.
Paper Cherry Blossoms
Fold tissue paper into petite blossoms and tape onto bare branches. Place floral branches in a vase and display on an entryway table, dining table or buffet. {Here’s a great tutorial.} I did something similar here.
Wall Art
Paint branches to color of choice and then hot glue ends onto the backs of 2 painted & parallel 1″x2″ boards. Arrange branches loosely for a sculptural effect and hang on the wall.
Whimsical Chandelier
Spray paint an existing chandelier white along with a mass of thin, flexible branches. Cover the chandelier in branches using clear or white zip ties and string to secure them. {Steer clear of light bulbs.} Follow the lines of the original chandelier to keep the form looking chandy-ish.
Stick Starburst
Cut straight branches into smaller sections and hot glue around a mirror. Find a good tutorial here.
Rustic Frame
Attach branches to an existing mirror or picture frame with hot glue.
Bold Accent
Spray paint a single, large branch with an interesting form a bright, bold color like red. Simply prop or lean it in a vignette for a quick and temporary splash of color.
Affordable Pendant
Hang industrial lights from a single branch for a simple dining pendant light. Read more about this project here.
Of course, you could always plop branches into a vase and be done with it but I thought these DIY ideas were worth mentioning. I hope that they inspire Candice to ‘branch out’ and find a creative way to use the branches from her yard. Do you have any branch decor ideas to share too?
images: 1) Rian Rae 2) Kristin Sutcliffe for Bloesem Kids 3) Wood Railing 4) Collier West 5) Citified Country Girl 6) CBK via Amazon 7) Evan Thomas for Apartment Therapy 8 ) Anna-Malin Lindgren for decor8
budget decor, DIY, inspiration