Decorating for Free With Natural Found Objects
Mother Nature freely gives the most beautiful decorating materials. All you need is some imagination to craft them into attractive displays
You don’t have to travel far to find and collect the most exquisite natural items. A walk in the bush, a hike through the hills, a trek in the outback or a stroll across a rural paddock can lead to delicate or robust floral or mineral finds that Mother Nature has generously supplied. With just a lick of paint or a drop of glue, an old frame, a piece of twine or an empty jam jar, your finds can truly become treasures that will beautify your home.
Succulent cuttings become pot plants all year round
For a hardy, low-maintenance indoor or outdoor pot plant, place cuttings of a variety of succulents in old pots, biscuit tins or jars, then just sit back and watch them grow. You can easily take a cutting from a succulent plant by removing a short amount of stem that has some decent leaves. But be aware, if it breaks away without bringing the entire leaf with it, it will not grow new roots.
Pop the whole cutting in a glass of water for a few weeks (with just the base in the water, not the leaves) and see it develop small roots – which should be enough for planting in at least five centimetres of soil. As succulents require so little water, there’s no need to add holes for drainage, so any container will suffice.
For a hardy, low-maintenance indoor or outdoor pot plant, place cuttings of a variety of succulents in old pots, biscuit tins or jars, then just sit back and watch them grow. You can easily take a cutting from a succulent plant by removing a short amount of stem that has some decent leaves. But be aware, if it breaks away without bringing the entire leaf with it, it will not grow new roots.
Pop the whole cutting in a glass of water for a few weeks (with just the base in the water, not the leaves) and see it develop small roots – which should be enough for planting in at least five centimetres of soil. As succulents require so little water, there’s no need to add holes for drainage, so any container will suffice.
Twigs become a Christmas tree or poetic display
For a Christmas tree that’s demure and elegant rather than all glitz and glamour, use a well balanced tree branch that has twigs on all sides. Locate old sheet music of Christmas carols and tie them onto the twigs with twine, or secure with clothes pegs. If Christmas has been and gone, take the pages from an old poetry book and enjoy the display all year ’round.
Christmas trees of a different kind
For a Christmas tree that’s demure and elegant rather than all glitz and glamour, use a well balanced tree branch that has twigs on all sides. Locate old sheet music of Christmas carols and tie them onto the twigs with twine, or secure with clothes pegs. If Christmas has been and gone, take the pages from an old poetry book and enjoy the display all year ’round.
Christmas trees of a different kind
Stray feathers become a feather collection
With so many birds making their homes in the Australian bush and countryside, there is always an abundance of feathers out there just waiting to be found. From lyre birds and wild turkeys to king parrots, each feather is different in size, length, colour and design. String them together to make a decorative garland, or pop them into a jar or a series of old bottles for an eclectic collection.
STYLING TIP: For best results, display feathers of varying lengths to create a wave effect.
With so many birds making their homes in the Australian bush and countryside, there is always an abundance of feathers out there just waiting to be found. From lyre birds and wild turkeys to king parrots, each feather is different in size, length, colour and design. String them together to make a decorative garland, or pop them into a jar or a series of old bottles for an eclectic collection.
STYLING TIP: For best results, display feathers of varying lengths to create a wave effect.
An old skull becomes a wall sculpture
Whether it’s a wild or domestic animal’s skull, ensure it’s already white and bare before using it to decorate your home (you can sanitise skulls and other bones with a 50/50 bath of hydrogen peroxide and water).
Keep the skull au naturel, or give it a sculptural look by painting it with a black and white contrast pattern with some left over house or hobby paint. Thread some see-through fishing wire through the back and hang as an interesting wall feature.
Whether it’s a wild or domestic animal’s skull, ensure it’s already white and bare before using it to decorate your home (you can sanitise skulls and other bones with a 50/50 bath of hydrogen peroxide and water).
Keep the skull au naturel, or give it a sculptural look by painting it with a black and white contrast pattern with some left over house or hobby paint. Thread some see-through fishing wire through the back and hang as an interesting wall feature.
Sawn logs become a coffee table … of sorts
Yes, you can buy log side and occasional tables, which have already been sourced and polished. But why not DIY for free with a pruned tree and an electric saw? Cut up one of the thickest branches for a coffee table that will not only inject warmth and visual texture into your eclectic home, but will also get your guests talking.
STYLING TIP: Sit logs in a round formation so that they can comfortably hold coffee cups or a pile of magazines.
Yes, you can buy log side and occasional tables, which have already been sourced and polished. But why not DIY for free with a pruned tree and an electric saw? Cut up one of the thickest branches for a coffee table that will not only inject warmth and visual texture into your eclectic home, but will also get your guests talking.
STYLING TIP: Sit logs in a round formation so that they can comfortably hold coffee cups or a pile of magazines.
A branch becomes a display piece or additional storage
Choose a fallen branch that is relatively thick but still thin enough to be comfortably held in your hand. Sand it back slightly so the bark doesn’t drop, and suspend it across shelving brackets or hooks.
Combine with butcher’s hooks bought from any hardware store and use it to hang items such as the kitchen utensils seen here. An alternative is to use old rope suspended from hooks in the ceiling and loop each side around the branch for an organic clothes rack. In any case, both styles of display will look earthy and inviting.
Choose a fallen branch that is relatively thick but still thin enough to be comfortably held in your hand. Sand it back slightly so the bark doesn’t drop, and suspend it across shelving brackets or hooks.
Combine with butcher’s hooks bought from any hardware store and use it to hang items such as the kitchen utensils seen here. An alternative is to use old rope suspended from hooks in the ceiling and loop each side around the branch for an organic clothes rack. In any case, both styles of display will look earthy and inviting.
Eucalyptus sprigs become a door wreath
Select flora native to Australia, such as eucalyptus twigs, leaves and gum nuts. Mix them up with wattle or a bloom that’s in season for a pop of colour in a wreath that will look good even after it has dried.
You’ll need to either fashion a circle of wire on which to tie your sprigs, or you can buy a ready-made wire wreath from a craft store. A piece of burlap ribbon can secure the welcome wreath to your door.
Make a long-lasting eucalyptus holiday wreath
Select flora native to Australia, such as eucalyptus twigs, leaves and gum nuts. Mix them up with wattle or a bloom that’s in season for a pop of colour in a wreath that will look good even after it has dried.
You’ll need to either fashion a circle of wire on which to tie your sprigs, or you can buy a ready-made wire wreath from a craft store. A piece of burlap ribbon can secure the welcome wreath to your door.
Make a long-lasting eucalyptus holiday wreath
A bunch of flowers becomes a table setting
If you are having friends or family over and want to set a table with a difference, try making your own place settings by prettying up some napkins. Secure little bunches of wildflowers with twine wrapped around cloth napkins or fabric remnants, and set atop each plate on your table. This idea can be adapted to different occasions, using gum leaves and gumnuts or a gardenia with leaves intact plucked straight from the garden.
TELL US
Have you used any found items in a decor project? If so, upload a picture and share your ideas.
MORE
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If you are having friends or family over and want to set a table with a difference, try making your own place settings by prettying up some napkins. Secure little bunches of wildflowers with twine wrapped around cloth napkins or fabric remnants, and set atop each plate on your table. This idea can be adapted to different occasions, using gum leaves and gumnuts or a gardenia with leaves intact plucked straight from the garden.
TELL US
Have you used any found items in a decor project? If so, upload a picture and share your ideas.
MORE
Get Back to Nature With Decorating Ideas Inspired by the Great Outdoors
Warm Up Your House With Materials Provided by Mother Nature
Nature’s Colour Wisdom: The Allure of Earthy Tones
Place your grasses or flowers underneath a heavy book or in between the pages. Leave them in place for two to three weeks until they’ve dried out and feel brittle.
Source some old frames. Lightly glue the flowers or grasses to good quality white or cream backing paper (heavy enough so it doesn’t wrinkle) or some scrap linen or hessian. Place these into the frames and the weight of the glass will hold them in place.
STYLING TIP: Use long pieces of grass, or flowers with long stems or tendrils, to create an elegant composition.