DIY Fall/Winter Decorative Branch Box

DIY decorative lighted branch box by Di's Studio Designs. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2020.

As part of my “nature-inspired” vision, I thought I’d try a little experiment—a little DIY project using gorgeous tree branches from the magnolia tree in my backyard. While researching for another blog article, I came across some beautiful images on Pinterest using live tree branches and lights, and I just had to try out one of my ideas! If you’ve never thought about bringing fresh elements into the home to provide an organic touch to a space, I encourage you to give it a whirl! It can be a quick, inexpensive way to spruce up a table, counter, or mantlepiece.

The idea I came up with cost me nothing since I already had all the materials. You can’t beat free, right?! 

I had a few wooden jewelry trays (purchased from a previous job) stored in the basement. The box was perfect for attaching tree branches, except for the jet-black color. So, the first hurdle was to figure out how to paint over this very black box. I ran through my options—trying to decide whether I should strip it, sand it, or prep the base with a primer—and finally decided to use a textured paint technique.

The painting stage started with a dark brown to take the edge off the black, with the idea of working my way up to lighter colors. I slowly added colors with brown and reddish undertones, getting lighter in color as I went, ending with a weathered off-white top coat and a couple of coats of varnish.

It was finally time to find the right branches to fit inside my box, so I went outside one morning and poked around my yard, picking up branches from the ground and digging through a large pile of branches in our backyard (trying not to disturb any critters that might be living there!). I had to resist the urge to bring all the branches from my yard inside!! With so many beautiful possibilities, I forced myself to take a deep breath and let my intuition guide me. I ended up with a healthy pile of twigs that made its way inside to my kitchen island.

Then came the task of whittling down my choices, trimming branches, and visualizing. With each piece carefully placed in position, I glued it down with my usual e6000 glue. The branches were visually “anchored” with Spanish moss along the bottom of the tray, giving the illusion of grass.

Used by itself, it’s a beautiful piece of decor, but it was meant to serve as the base for seasonal decorating. I like the idea of being able to add in little details as the seasons and holidays change (just like I did with my indoor fairy gardens), making this branch box a versatile addition to my interior decor!

With the holidays coming, I decided on more of a Christmas theme for this season’s version of my box. The branches were strung with LED fairy strands (I love the warm glow from all the fairy lights!) and adorned with red and gold miniature ball ornaments, and some cotton balls were used as snow on the ground. This was just a quick staging for now—mainly to get an idea for how to incorporate this box into my overall Christmas decor this year—but I love where this is going! Over the next two weeks, my house will explode with holiday decorations…at least, that’s the plan! (I have an incredibly full schedule right now, so I’m being rather ambitious!)

This was a rather fun and easy DIY project! My goal: create a beautiful piece of nature-inspired decor with an old jewelry tray, some paint, some tree branches, Spanish moss, and some lights. And I managed to pull it off! There are three more of these trays downstairs…I may make a few more! And the best part…Everything I used was on hand, so the whole project cost me nothing but my time! 

So, what do you think of this project? Did I inspire you to get creative using natural materials to bring a little life into your space?

It doesn’t have to cost a lot to create a beautiful and organic space, and the payoff is that you’ll feel more connected to your interior space, which ultimately improves your mood and mental health. And we can all use more of that “feel good” mojo these days! 

Happy holidays! And feel free to share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below!


Related blog posts you may want to read:
New decorative lanterns by Di's Studio Designs
Enhancing interior decor with fairy lights and LEDs
Finding creative inspiration from nothing