How to Make a Statement Décor Piece?

Master your bedroom décor this Valentine’s Day, with this stylish statement piece. This rustic DIY wall-hanging will sit at the heart of any well-decorated bedroom space.
Let’s show you how to craft this creative piece in just a few simple steps.

MATERIALS AND TOOLS NEEDED:

Click on items below to shop online: 

• Black marker  
• Pencil  
• Pliers  
• Garden shears  
• Paintbrush  
• Turpentine  
• Hammer  
• Concrete nails 
• White & pink craft paint (available at selected BUCO stores)
• Cardboard – A Large scrap piece & smaller piece to use as a palette
• 20 – 25 short tree branches, 1.5 – 2.5cm in diameter, ±45cm long
• Nylon thread
• 1 x larger tree branch, 2.5 – 3.5cm in diameter, ± 70cm long

Don’t have any of these? Find them at your nearest BUCO branch or simply shop online.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

• Select only the driest branches. Don’t use freshly cut branches.
• Smooth branches work best for this project, so avoid branches that have rough bark.
• Scrub the branches with warm water to get rid of any mud, moss, or other gunk - then leave to dry completely before using.

STEP 1:

Mark out a large shape on the piece of cardboard. For Valentine’s Day, we’re going to use the shape of a heart, but it can be any shape of your choice.

STEP 2:

Lay the shorter branches vertically next to each other, over the template shape. Match the corresponding branch length within the boundaries of the drawn shape. If your branches are too long, mark with a pencil where they need to be cut shorter and use your garden shears to snip them or pliers to snap them off.

STEP 3:

Mix 3 small batches of paint on the palette. The first is a dollop of the pink by itself, the next will be pink with a small drop of white mixed into it, and the third will be pink with a big dollop of white mixed into it. Mix accordingly until you have three different shades of pink varying from dark to light.

STEP 4:

Dip the tip of the brush into the white paint – not too much. Then mark two straight lines across your laid-out branches. One line about 5 - 8cm from the bottom of the branch, and the next line about 5 – 8cm above that line. Just enough to create markers for when you start painting.

STEP 5:

Start with the darkest shade of pink, and paint the bottom of all the branches up to the first line marking. Clean your brush properly, then use the intermediary shade of pink to paint the branches up to the next line marker. Complete the process with the lightest shade of pink.

STEP 6:

Tie the nylon thread around the first vertical branch by wrapping it around ±10 times, then tying off with a knot. Run the other end of the thread up to the horizontal branch, wrap it around and tie it, so that the vertical hanging branch remains at the correct height and the piece can maintain its shape when hung. Repeat this step for the rest of the branches until they are all tied to the horizontal branch securely.

Pro Tips:

• Once positioned against the wall, you can adjust the height of the hanging branches by either softly tugging on the thread (if it’s hanging too high) or on the thread tying it off at the top (if it’s hanging too low).
• Ensure all the branches are hanging closely next to each other.
• Roll your index finger and thumb over the thread on the horizontal branch to move the pieces back and forth.
• Use nylon thread so that it doesn’t snap easily.

STEP 7:

Position the piece against the wall and mark for two nails with a pencil, so that they support the horizontal beam. 

And just like that, you’ve brought a rustic and romantic style to your bedroom space. Do more for your DIY Valentine’s Day décor, indoor or outdoor, at BUCO. Visit your nearest store for all these tools or simply shop online at buco.co.za