A drill—essential for most of these wood projects—creates holes just perfect for colored pencils in this cut log made by Mari at Crab + Fish. This desktop helper is a simple accessory that adds natural charm to a home office or playroom.
9 Inventive Ways to Decorate with Tree Trunks, Branches, and Twigs
Decorative uses of straight-from-nature wood have been on the rise for a few years now, and the trend shows no sign of slowing. Why should it? Bringing the outdoors inside is a surefire way to add texture, beauty, and interest to an interior. Wood that retains its bark, knots, and organic, one-of-a-kind contours can be easily and gorgeously transformed into furnishings, accessories, and wall art. These next 9 DIYs may inspire you to incorporate the woodsy look into just about every corner of your home.
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Pencil It In
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Coasters with Charisma
Coasters crafted from a sliced branch add organic beauty to any table. They're particularly striking when set against a glass tabletop. Personalize the coasters by burning words into the wood, as in this project from Lisa Loves John, then glue felt discs to the bottom of each coaster to protect furniture from scratches.
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Branch Out
Set a tone of rustic elegance at a dinner party or holiday celebration with this ultraeasy centerpiece. Jenna at SAS Interiors pulled the project together with just a sizable branch, a drill with a large bit (1.5-inch diameter or more), and votives to drop in the holes.
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Stump Styled
A blend of woodsy and modern, this imaginative lighting fixture from The Merry Thought requires little in the way of supplies or time. Bore a long hole through the center of the branch, feed through an extension cord (with the socket end cut off), and attach a light socket to the cut cord. Consider placing one lamp on either side of a bed to turn the room into an enchanted forest.
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Paint It White
Painting a piece of natural wood enhances its sculptural form. In this living room, an artful assemblage of stumps creates a unique coffee table—at a bargain of a price. Alicia at Thrifty and Chic picked up the logs for $4 each after a tree was chopped down in her neighborhood.
Related: 16 Style-Setting Coffee Tables You Can Make Yourself
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Art by Nature
Not sure how to fill a blank space? Marji at Ashbee Design embraced the beauty of natural wood with this freeform arrangement. To create abstract art of your own, slice smooth-barked branches (such as birch, maple, and beech) and assemble the discs on a board to hang as one piece.
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Get Hooked
Sturdy branch joints can double as ready-made hooks, as Nadia from Little Projectiles discovered. First, remove the bark to reveal the pale beauty of the underlying wood, then mount the pieces to a weathered board to create a charming accessory rack.
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Out on a Limb
A gracefully crooked branch can tie a home's interior in with the view of treetops outside the windows. Anna Malin of decor8 cleverly suspended this pendant light from the branch to brighten the workspace and dining table beneath it.
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Rustic Rod
A lengthy branch can add whimsy to any set of plain curtains. Choose relatively smooth and straight specimens from your backyard, as lifestyle blogger Erin Patrice Carpenter did, and suspend them from rod hooks for a treatment that's easy to switch out down the road—and practically free.
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For More...
If you're interested in more DIY wood projects, consider:
16 Ways to Use Salvaged Wood in Your Home
Find Your Re-Purpose: 15 Shipping Pallet Projects for the DIY Home
10 Things to Do with... Cross-Cut Trees
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