9 Inventive Ways to Decorate with Tree Trunks, Branches, and Twigs

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.