How to Weave Your Arts and Crafts Projects Into Your Decor
Don't hide your light under a bushel. Show off your latest craft passion without compromising your home's style
Melissa Maddison
28 April 2017
Houzz Australia Contributor. I love hunting for interesting things, finding unusual treasures, then bringing them home and displaying them in a unique way.
Houzz Australia Contributor. I love hunting for interesting things, finding unusual... More
There’s a boom in arts and crafts workshops, from shibori dyeing and basket weaving to macrame and metalwork. But how do we display our much-loved DIY project to give it the pride of place it deserves? There’s always a reason to create something new, and finding the right spot to present your work is the final and most important part of the creative process.
Why we create
There are so many good reasons to indulge in a bit of art and craft. To embark on a course and discover that you can create something beautiful is empowering. You can make new friends, uncover new interests, learn unique skills, and then you get to bring home something that shows off all of your hard work and new-found talents.
Even if you’re not the kind of person that will sign up for a Saturday class, sitting down for a few hours and having a go at a piece of art will take you back to simpler times.
There are so many good reasons to indulge in a bit of art and craft. To embark on a course and discover that you can create something beautiful is empowering. You can make new friends, uncover new interests, learn unique skills, and then you get to bring home something that shows off all of your hard work and new-found talents.
Even if you’re not the kind of person that will sign up for a Saturday class, sitting down for a few hours and having a go at a piece of art will take you back to simpler times.
As well as all of the wonderful benefits for yourself from a practical point of view, creating your own art is a satisfying and affordable way to customise your style, without having to hunt around for that perfect canvas, rug, sculpture or wall-hanging to fill a space. Here is some inspiration to get you crafting, and some ideas to help you display your own arts and crafts.
Kids are kind
Children are usually forgiving and not the greatest art critics, though these are not the only reasons for you to display your arts and crafts in their room. Kids’ rooms are often colourful, and perhaps less formal spaces than the rest of the house. Their bedrooms invite whimsy. Why not ask them to help you with a piece? If not, don’t be afraid to go it alone.
Whether you’re having a go at stencilling, or you’ve done a fine art course and are ready to tackle a mural or an oil painting, this room might be the first place you’ll feel right about exhibiting your work.
Browse beautiful baby and kids’ rooms
Children are usually forgiving and not the greatest art critics, though these are not the only reasons for you to display your arts and crafts in their room. Kids’ rooms are often colourful, and perhaps less formal spaces than the rest of the house. Their bedrooms invite whimsy. Why not ask them to help you with a piece? If not, don’t be afraid to go it alone.
Whether you’re having a go at stencilling, or you’ve done a fine art course and are ready to tackle a mural or an oil painting, this room might be the first place you’ll feel right about exhibiting your work.
Browse beautiful baby and kids’ rooms
Think about simple designs on a canvas, using your kids’ own artworks or objects in their rooms as your guide. You could also attempt a collage, a decoupage, or a more textural artwork using found objects. A bare white wall is begging to be given a bit of colour for your children to gaze up to at night before they switch off the lamp, perhaps inspiring the artist within.
Even if you don’t consider yourself a master quilter, fabric designs such as this one are easy to execute and require only your time. Use offcuts to save having to purchase new fabric, or recycle material from your children’s favourite clothes that no longer fit. While they might not hold any sentimentality for the jumpsuit they wore when they were two, you will have a fond memory every time you see that particular print on their wall.
Gardens of earthly DIY
Your garden is where you go to get away from it all. Why not use this space to display one of your creations? Garden sculptures inspire fantasy and fun and can help to signpost a pathway or a frame a garden bed.
Your garden is where you go to get away from it all. Why not use this space to display one of your creations? Garden sculptures inspire fantasy and fun and can help to signpost a pathway or a frame a garden bed.
While you might have boulders in situ to paint or decorate, rolling some onto an expanse of lawn is eye catching and unexpected. This is the type of art that kids can play on or around as well, making it functional as well as beautiful.
Woodwork classes can inspire all sorts of art ideas, as well as practical skills to hammer a nail or build a box. Framed, recycled timber is an easy, effective way to liven up a deck wall and it will stand up well to the elements.
Clever collections
Displaying your art clustered together makes a beautiful statement. Think of framing pieces in different sized and coloured frames, or all the same if that is your style. The sky is the limit for what you choose to collect, and when things are collected, they become beautiful, curated artworks, a skill in itself.
Browse Arts & Crafts-style homes
Displaying your art clustered together makes a beautiful statement. Think of framing pieces in different sized and coloured frames, or all the same if that is your style. The sky is the limit for what you choose to collect, and when things are collected, they become beautiful, curated artworks, a skill in itself.
Browse Arts & Crafts-style homes
Think about using rocks, coins, leaves, seed pods, even Scrabble tiles… whatever can be hot-glued onto a piece of canvas then framed. Keep in mind different textures, uniform sizes and contrasting colours. Box frames can be found at most department stores in various shapes and sizes.
Collage
Collage is such an underrated form of art, often done only in the first few years of school, then put away forever. It is more than sticking pieces of paper on top of each other though. There is so much scope to create something beautiful. For some inspiration, have a look at the incredible paper collages of San Franciscan artist, Rex Ray.
If attempting collage for the first time, don’t limit yourself to store- bought paper; paint paper yourself with designs and colours you like. Painting paper is strangely therapeutic and a great way to use up leftover paint after a project. If you’re not into getting the paints out, use oil pastels or felt-tip pens to colour your paper. Magazines and newspapers, even maps, all make good collage paper as well. This is a nice way to incorporate some words onto your decor.
Collage is such an underrated form of art, often done only in the first few years of school, then put away forever. It is more than sticking pieces of paper on top of each other though. There is so much scope to create something beautiful. For some inspiration, have a look at the incredible paper collages of San Franciscan artist, Rex Ray.
If attempting collage for the first time, don’t limit yourself to store- bought paper; paint paper yourself with designs and colours you like. Painting paper is strangely therapeutic and a great way to use up leftover paint after a project. If you’re not into getting the paints out, use oil pastels or felt-tip pens to colour your paper. Magazines and newspapers, even maps, all make good collage paper as well. This is a nice way to incorporate some words onto your decor.
High ceilings, high designs
Big, open spaces call for your best and boldest pieces. Use an entire wall to show off your work in spaces such as these. Whether you have worked with fine paper, done a ceramics course or simply feel inspired to experiment with materials such as sticks, cardboard or driftwood, these three-dimensional pieces can bring a unique and textural feel to a large space.
Big, open spaces call for your best and boldest pieces. Use an entire wall to show off your work in spaces such as these. Whether you have worked with fine paper, done a ceramics course or simply feel inspired to experiment with materials such as sticks, cardboard or driftwood, these three-dimensional pieces can bring a unique and textural feel to a large space.
Don’t be intimidated by creating something on a larger scale. Wander around an art gallery for a day and marvel at the sheer size of some of your favourite works. Larger artworks can create a powerful impact.
Otherwise nondescript corners can become focal points for your work, giving negative spaces a dramatic edge.
And of course, macrame
Macrame and wall-hangings, especially when made by you, lend themselves to so many styles of decor, not just boho ’70s style, although they are de rigueur for this aesthetic.
Browse DIY projects
Macrame and wall-hangings, especially when made by you, lend themselves to so many styles of decor, not just boho ’70s style, although they are de rigueur for this aesthetic.
Browse DIY projects
A plant holder, surprisingly easy to knot, looks beautiful on its own in a rich colour, or clustered together in a jungle of ferns. Think about hanging them outdoors as well, near your entertainment area or under the pergola. Wall-hangings, also not as impossible as they look (once you get yourself along to a workshop) can be showstoppers.
Macrame and weavings can be large and textural or small and detailed. Either way, they make a great addition to a bedroom or living space, hung nice and high to take full advantage of the loose fringing hanging down. Consider positioning them on a dark wall for contrast, or white on white for washed out, summery appeal.
Why DIY is good for your soul, not just your home
Why DIY is good for your soul, not just your home
Ninainvorm
The old-time new world of crochet and knitting
Here is something you probably don’t think falls into the category of art, or even craft. The products of these two beautiful skills are most definitely worth placing centre stage in your home if you are fortunate enough to have the ability to create them. There are myriad courses you can do, or videos you can research to get your skills up. Don’t limit yourself to throws; rugs, cushion covers, even lamp shades can all be knitted and crocheted.
Here is something you probably don’t think falls into the category of art, or even craft. The products of these two beautiful skills are most definitely worth placing centre stage in your home if you are fortunate enough to have the ability to create them. There are myriad courses you can do, or videos you can research to get your skills up. Don’t limit yourself to throws; rugs, cushion covers, even lamp shades can all be knitted and crocheted.
The beauty of this art form is that once you learn your craft, you can create something relatively quickly, generally in front of the television while watching your favourite shows. And no rules apply as far as colour is concerned. Wool is dyed so many beautiful modern colours, the hard part will be making up your mind about which ones to use.
Finishing an art project, no matter how small, is a satisfying feeling. Make the most of that and display your work with the love and attention you know it is worthy of.
Tell us
Have you learned a new skill or craft and been able to display it effectively in your home? Add photos of your creative endeavours in the Comments below.
More
See more eclectic home decor
Tell us
Have you learned a new skill or craft and been able to display it effectively in your home? Add photos of your creative endeavours in the Comments below.
More
See more eclectic home decor
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I'm a post-retirement artist. Mucking around with acrylic paint and brushes really does it for me. Now I'll be less shy about frame-and-display.
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