DIY Stick Fences - Beautiful and Practical

There are many benefits of using stick fences (see below) but there is no substitute for the easy-going and natural beauty they provide!

There are other kinds of natural fences using unprocessed sticks and twigs, like wattle fences and hurdle fences, but a basic stick fence (or a twig fence) has most of the same benefits plus they are even simpler to build and maintain. Consider stick fences, or at least appreciate them more, for the many worthwhile benefits they provide:

• Ease of maintenance: If and when parts of your stick fence need to be renewed it is a relatively easy and straightforward task, and since they are natural materials with varying colors and textures you don't have to worry about matching textures or colors. This same natural texture also makes them maintenance free when it comes to appearance, you do not have to polish/stain or paint them.
• Simple and inexpensive to build: They make and sell ready-made stick fences also, but if you just have enough sticks available of similar lengths and some stainless metal wire, it is relatively easy to build stick fences. (Even ready-made ones are inexpensive compared to most alternatives.)
• Natural and Beautiful appearance: time spent in nature has proven benefits to people and more natural-looking spaces soothe our souls and create more easy-going, chill, and relaxing spaces. Stick fences, with their natural forms and textures provide these benefits and look great doing it.
• Eco-friendly and efficient: Eco-friendliness of stick fences is multi-faceted: The materials; stainless metal wire and sticks, are both eco-friendly and harmless at disposal; the wire can be recycled, and the sticks will biodegrade. Also, the sticks are minimally processed so there is a lot of energy and chemicals saved in production. Sticks/branches of this size can't be milled and are mostly ignored by the wood industry so you'd be productive use out of materials that would not be used otherwise and you'd be reducing demand on more processed alternatives. Finally, since there is no paint, stains, or finishes involved you will avoid more exposure to harmful chemicals.

^Besides the stick fence in the foreground, you can also see a wattle fence/hurdle fence used as a privacy screen here.

The pic above and below show sturdier versions of stick fences using thicker sticks and horizontal beams instead of metal wires.

^Photo by Robert Mabic

All photos by Sinan Yucel, except the bottom two.

Simple DIY furniture: Benches

Substantial solid wood benches look great, are easy to live with, and have a cozy appearance. Here are some examples that you could DIY relatively easily. (Lovegrowswild.com has good instructions on building the bench in first two images, and the rest are for inspiration.) I especially like ones that are a bit rough and rustic. Those age even better and the wear and tear you might cause just adds to their character.

Want more ideas for DIY benches? Check out this post or this one.

Sources: Images 1 & 2, image 3, image 4, bottom image

Benefits and beauty of DIY stone garden paths

There are many types of garden paths and many ways to build them but the simplest to make using the most natural materials are the ones that are usually the most attractive. Gravel, flagstone, river rocks, or some combination of those closely laid together over sand create long lasting garden paths that make simple DIY projects. The resulting organic appearance creates a great compliment to the landscape around it and has a lot character.

Such paths are also very cozy and zen looking and add to the relaxing charm that a yard and garden should provide. These paths are also very forgiving and flexible. Maintenance is easier. If one of the pieces start rocking and need to be changed or reset, it is much easier to do. If you later decide that you want to make your path wider/narrower, or add/remove a section, these changes are much easier to make. And if one day you decide to completely remove it, most of the stones can be reused in another project.

^ Found materials such as bottles, or stamped bricks, or other mementos can be added for more personalization and character.

Sources: Image 1. I can't find a reliable source for any of the other images. I found them on pinterest but the source websites are either not up anymore or they link to malicious sites. If any of them are yours or if you know their sources, please let me know so I can link/reference them.

Cozy and practical wood finishes

When picking furniture and other wooden items, go for finishes that are lighter and more natural, so any inevitable scratches and dings fit right in and add character over time instead of causing costly damage and/or an unsightly look. Compared to "perfect" finishes, more natural finishes tend to look more cozy and interesting, and allow people to relax more around them as well.

Image sources: images 1& 2, images 3, image 4

Simple DIY furniture: benches

Here are a couple of DIY benches that would provide casual and attractive seating indoors or outdoors. They would be easy to make, yet they are very good looking with timeless designs.

You could build this 2nd bench with armrests as well. Original design by JohnnyBlue.nl.

Top image source, bottom image source

Simple and smart DIY furniture

These are some great efficient designs. Intelligence should help us meet our needs more easily with less effort and materials saving us time, money, and creating a less of a burden on resources. These look great as well!

This coffee table made of recycled pallets is one of the best I've seen. The colored tiles add character and look great.

Top image from pleasantlakehardwoods.com, the pallet coffee table with tiles image is from dishfunctionaldesigns, the cool coffee table with 3 boards image is from smartfurniture.com, and the last coffee table made of three pieces of plywood image is from idea-awards.com

Don't take decoration too seriously

If you feel like it, then paint/decorate your door, or walls! Don't take life too seriously, or demand that every finish and every surface is perfect. Gutsy and unique touches add a lot of character and set a precedent that lets others be creative and non-traditional as well.

Images from theselby.com

Inspiration for a simpler life

Seeking perfection is pathological and wasteful. Don't put yourself in debt and tie yourself down to jobs you don't like, just so you can have a bigger house, fancy furniture, or a brand new car. We have one life and it goes by faster than you think - try to maximize your freedom and enjoy it.

Images from kiyoaki.tumblr.com

Broken tiles, stairs, creativity, & resourcefulness

I love it when something useful and beautiful is created resourcefully. That's how everything should be created.

Image from salvagesecretsblog.com

Log walkway/garden path

An old tree stump can be sliced and used as pavers or stepping stones to create great looking paths but if you're thinking about doing something like this make sure the wood is treated against rotting and termites, and that each piece is at least a 4-5 inches thick. You wouldn't want your hard work to rot away in a year or two. Also if the walkway is likely to be wet, consider covering the pieces with chicken-wire to avoid creating a super slippery walkway.
 

Image from GrowsOnYou.com

"Dreams don't work" stairs

I love the quote and personalizing your space without restraint. You'll be happier in an environment like that than in a soulless but supposedly good-looking space. Funny how as some people grow they start caring more about what others would think rather than what brings them joy (Another symptom of this transition is caring more about the frame rather than the artwork.)

Images from jocundist.com

Cool river rock/pebble walkway

A path made of colorful river rocks like this would be a great (and relatively easy) DIY project to add color and lots of character to your yard.

Images from Lance & Cromwell's flickr stream

Rough wood banister

This unprocessed piece of wood makes a great banister/handrail, and looks really cool, too. There are so many benefits to using minimally processed materials, and the most apparent and the least quantifiable one is the character and style that comes with it. It's goodness that shows through.

And this easy-going living room is from the same house. Not bad, no?

Images from CountryLiving.com

Colorful patchwork upholstery

Great way to use up left-over pieces of fabric... Don't throw that stuff away, make a quilt or upholster something; cushions, chairs... anything, with patchwork. The colorful stuff adds a casual vibe... creative and fun!

Top image from QuiltsPlusColor.blogspot.com middle image from decoratrix.com and bottom image from butahouse.blogspot.com

Jar pendant light

I saw these at a southwestern restaurant first.  I had assumed that they made them themselves but apparently you can buy these.  You can also make one of these yourself pretty easily.  (Go to blog.MegRuth.com for video instructions.)  It's a resourceful thing to do and you get a cool, unique and memorable pendant.

Top image from BarnLightElectric.com, bottom image from houzz.com

Crazy kitchen

Not sure if I like this... but it's kind of neat.

Image from Reality and Whimsy

Equipale furniture

I love these equipale chairs. The rustic natural materials, naturally tanned leather, and that they are still made by hand as they were centuries ago give them a lot of character -and yes, they are very comfortable and look great!

Top image from an ebay listing by roxx (obviously won't be there forever) and the bottom image from ppebble.blogspot.com