How to Create a Rustic Display with a Branch

It is a random thing I suppose, but you know what? I love a good rustic, natural, unusual and charming accent. And something like a display piece that uses something natural is perfect- like a branch used for displaying all the things. Why not?

‘Peg’ Display with a branch

I don’t know about you but sometimes I see something like a branch with all those nubby little pieces that broke off or can be taken off and I see something totally different. Like a display piece. Not a traditional ‘peg shelf’ as there is no shelf and frankly, it isn’t traditional. But it is charming. And it is so easy to do.

This started with an idea to display all the random things I had on the table in the potting shed. It turned into not 1 but 2 ‘peg’ displays and I could probably add a few more. Here is the secret to how this came together.

The Secret

The secret? Well, it is literally knowing your length of your display and finding a branch with all the little nubs on it. Other than that it is pretty straightforward. Remember the fence we built using some of the branches from our trees that were taken out? Well, this happens to be another spot you could use those. I have one branch that has been up for several years- it holds things like the bee skeps, potting tools and dried flowers.

The other I just added going the long way in the potting shed and that is for holding baskets and other bits that I have been discovering aka hoarding from the thrift stores.

I simply measured and made sure the branch was long enough and then set it up onto the top of the open wall boards. Of course, if you are adding this to a space that is finished rather than open wall framing- you will need some brackets or the like to give it a place to sit. But even something like a pair of cupboards that have a space in between will work. Just place an end of your branch on each cupboard and your display items in between- does that make sense? Of course, if you don’t have an option like that- a simple rack attached to the wall can also give you a similar look.

Tips

1. The first tip is to choose sticks that are thick and strong enough to use for display and also long enough. It is easy to trim a branch down, but not so easy to try and figure out a too small branch and make it work for this.
2. I didn’t use anything special to secure these branches because they were perfect length for the space and nothing that I was hanging on them was too heavy. My husband simply added a couple of screws on each end to keep the branch from going wild. If you are using them for something like pots for example – I would definitely add some decent reinforcements like brackets or the like to keep them in place.
3. Make sure to look for a branch with little ‘nubs’ left from where the smaller branches were. These are your ‘pegs’ and make it easy to hang things on them. If you don’t have those little nubs- you can simply use some jute twine or the like to tie your items in place. It will work perfectly and to be honest, if you want a little more ‘drop’ down than it is perfect since it is adjustable and allows you to drop it down or tighten it up a bit more

I am tackling some potting shed updates this next week- and while I am styling that newly added branch with baskets, I am keeping the original branch where it is and updating the dried flowers and such.

Once you have something you like, it is not easy to change it to look completely different.

What do you think of using branches in decor as utilitarian or otherwise pieces?

You can get the look below- while they aren’t real branches, you can create something lovely with peg hooks or small branches or even shelves however they look. In disclosure- the faux mossy branches should be able to be bent around a long heavy duty dowel or broomstick or the like to create the look- I don’t think they would be strong enough on their own for display.

Happy Friday Friend.

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