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Rustic can transform old into new, plain into majestic, and boring into lively. Rustic decor is the best way to bring nature home as it uses beams, stones, or touches of stone to make your home into a warm and welcoming haven. Rustic decor makes for good conversation pieces because everyone is going to ask you about the stained, wooden coffee table and from where you got that pretty mail sorter. (It gets annoying, trust me!)
But, like all readymade things in life, buying rustic decor can burn a hole through your pocket. Hence, you can turn to DIY projects.
(Side note: They also give you additional bragging rights and you can show off your carpentry skills at minimum cost.)
Your chest will swell with pride when you look at the finished product. So, all in all, DIY the best way to get home rustic decor items.
If you want inspiration, here is a carefully curated list of 55 cheap and easy rustic home decor ideas.
55 Cheap and Easy Rustic Home Decor Ideas
1. Twine-wrapped handle
This is the best of cheap and easy rustic decors. All you need is an inexpensive twine, glue and some patience to see you through. These can give your boring, plain cabinets a cool, rustic look, and at a minimum cost too! This DIY decor can be made by almost everyone and it can be a good way to spend your free time doing something productive for the house.
2. Rustic Photo Frame
This beautiful photo frame transforms any lonely spot into a lively one. All you need for this are some twigs from your backyard, glue, twine, and baking paper. You can decorate it further to suit your house by using glitter paint spray. This also serves as an excellent DIY Mother’s Day gift that your mom will cherish forever.
3. Mason Jar Plant Holder
This doubles as a functional plant holder and a rustic wall decor. You can use leftover wood from your other DIY projects for this. You will have to polish the rough edges and also stain the wood for a smooth finish. With the help of some hose clamps and screws, you can make this beauty to decorate your house.
4. Rustic Toilet Paper Holder
You can buy this toilet paper holder online but that wouldn’t give you the additional pride of making it. This easy, DIY rustic holder can be made with some pipe wrenches, washers, floor flange, and connector nipples. You can keep a decor item on top of it or a soap case or even your phone!
5. Rustic Mail holder
Pretty and inexpensive, it makes perfect use of wood and old books for a unique mail organizer. Some fabric trapezoids, old book covers, and hot glue can help you make your mail organizer that will put an end to all your mail clutter worries. It is strong, sturdy, and gives your room a structured look.
6. Rustic Gallery Entry wall
Bring out all your old picture frames, or make new rustic ones and add them to your entry wall. You can buy some at the flea market as well. All you need for this is some taste and creativity. Try out different combinations with the frames and decor items to see which one looks best. You can also add pictures and DIY rustic arrowheads. This brings us to our next DIY rustic decor idea, which is arrowheads.
7. Rustic Arrowheads
Rustic arrowheads will look very good on a kid’s room wall. It is cool and aged at the same time. This requires you to be a bit careful while making it as it involves cutting pieces with a compound miter saw at a 45-degree angle at each end. You can use reclaimed wood or apply a dark wood stain to get the look.
8. Rustic Bath Caddy
A rustic bath caddy will help you get all your shower essentials right where you need them. It is a functional decor item that complements white bathtubs. You will need some reclaimed wood, a Multisurface waterproofer, tape measure, circular saw, sandpaper, and a power drill to achieve this weathered texture.
9. Rustic Towel Holder
Rustic Towel Holders like these are easy to create, cost almost nothing and add an interesting piece of functional decor to your bathroom. This DIY project can be made using a wood hunk and some sisal ropes. The eye hooks used must be larger than the diameter of the rope. Drill two holes at equal distance from each other into the wood. This is for the eye screws to go into the wood. Ensure that they don’t stick out from the back as the towel holder will not hang straight. Then put in the ends of the rope and tie a knot. And your Rustic Towel Holder is ready!
10.Rustic Rope Bathroom Organizer
This beauty can be made with a sisal rope, a bathroom tumbler, and a glue gun. It is an easy task that will cost you almost nothing and give you maximum satisfaction. It will give your bathroom a decluttered, rustic look when arranged in a linear order on the shelf. You can stick the rope to itself by adding dots of hot glue.
11.Rustic Cup Holder
You can use your beautiful cups as a rustic decor item. You have to take 3 wood planks then apply wood stain on it for a smooth, even look. Fix this to the wall after attaching some hooks or hammering in some nails for holding the cups. Place your best cups on it and arrange them properly to give a coordinated and organized look.
12. Rustic Photo Clipboards
If you love photography or have some pretty cool photos lying in your drawer, then this is the perfect way to display them. You will need a board around 6 feet and cut into four 13 inch pieces. You can stain the board for a rustic look. Attach photo clips to these boards and you are good to go. This is an excellent addition to your rustic gallery entry wall as well.
13. Grain Sack Burlap Vase
This grain sack burlap vase looks neat and gives your shelf an interesting rustic decor addition. You can paint it to suit your needs and put a Christmas tree in it. You can also buy a vase and have a grain sack glued to it.
14. Rope-Wrapped Rustic Lamp
This can serve as a fun activity with your kids. For this DIY rustic lamp, all you need is a lamp base, a rope, and a glue gun. Start at the bottom and wrap the rope around the base. Make sure to keep each row close to one another. With a little patience, you will have your rustic lamp ready to be displayed on the shelf.
15. Rustic Candle Holder
This can be done in two ways. You can either wrap a rope or wooden sticks. Though you must be careful with wood sticks as they can catch fire. A rope is a more stable option. These candleholders will light up your room and make it more lively.
16. Rustic Chalkboard
This might take more time and effort than others but it is worth it. You need a hardboard cut to 28″x58″, clamps, wood glue, screws, and chalkboard paint. You also need sandpaper to sand the edges and give it a rustic look. You will have to invest your time in making it but this beautiful chalkboard will make the room look majestic plus you will get bragging rights for constructing it on your own.
17. Rustic Wooden Shelves
These will glam up any space whether it is your bathroom or kitchen. You need upcycled wood boards and some plumbing supplies for making this. Spray paint the plumbing supplies to get a polished look. You can put glass bottles, bath salts, or even tiny plants in jars on the shelves.
This functional decor item may require a bit of expertise while attaching the pipe fittings. So try it only if you have a bit of previous experience in working on it.
18. Rustic Wire Basket Organizer
Your kitchen clutter problem will be sorted with this rustic wire basket organizer. You will need 3 wire baskets, screws, and picture hanging strips. Fix your screws into the wooden board then hang the board on the wall and attach your baskets.
This organizer can store your utensils in a clutter-free and structured manner. It also doubles as an excellent rustic decor item for your kitchen.
19. Rustic Quilt Ladder
You can hang your pretty quilts on the ladder to make them serve as decor items in your bedroom. You can make your ladder by cutting wood pieces to length and smoothing the rough edges with the use of sandpaper. Then, you can screw all of it together.
20. Rustic Pallet Art
This rustic pallet art can transform your living room or entry wall. Paint your message on a pallet and display it on your living room wall on Thanksgiving day.
21. Rustic DIY Mason Jar Lights
This is as elegant and pretty as it can get. This easy, simple DIY project will add charm and class to your living room. All you need is a mason jar, baby’s breath flower stems, fairy lights, Epsom salt, ribbons, and twine string. Tie a ribbon at the middle and twine at the neck. Decorate the neck with flower stems and place the battery end of the fairy lights in the jar. Add Epsom salt to hide the battery end. Then put the rest of the light string inside and it’s ready.
22. Rustic Wine Rack
Aged wine and rustic decor is a match made in heaven. They look stylish and chic. You need a 75”x 9.75”x 4’ board cut down to 2 feet, brad nails, manila rope, and some basic carpentry supplies. You have to drill holes on the wood board and put the ropes in to make your rustic wine rack.
This needs you to be a bit careful while cutting the board and drilling the holes so try it only if you have some previous experience.
23. Rustic Wood Coasters
These rustic wood coasters will complement your coffee table. The next time you are cleaning your garden, look for trees with straight branches that are not smaller than 3.5″ in diameter. You also need clear varnish, sandpaper, and a hand saw. Cut thick sections of the branch and use sandpaper to smooth the sides. Let the coasters dry after putting on a coat of clear varnish.
Remember to dry the wood in a cool, dry room before cutting it into coasters. Drying can take many months but it is important as it prevents it from cracking.
24. Rustic Twig Letters
You can plan an expedition to your garden with your kid to find and collect twigs. This will be a fun activity and you can use those twigs to make this beautiful rustic decor. Take a white wooden and attach the twigs to it with some glue for a simple yet pretty rustic decor item.
25. Rustic Succulent Pots
This is again a simple project to get nature into your home decor with a rustic twist. Take a plain terracotta pot and paint it with any acrylic paint of your choice then wrap the terracotta pot with twine and tie a bow at the front. Put some soil and plant any succulent in it.
26. Twine Garden Lantern
This is as beautiful as it can get and I don’t have to give you any additional reason for adding it to your home decor. You need balloons, cornstarch, lantern lights, warm water, petroleum jelly, and hemp. This is a fun project to do especially in the end when you have to pop the balloon. Who doesn’t love that?!
Heads up: It is going to be a messy project so you will have to do a bit of cleaning later.
27. Wood Slice Mirror
A beautiful addition to your bedroom is this DIY wood slice mirror that will make you want to stare at your reflection all day (as if we don’t do that enough already). You will need plywood, cleat, wood glue, fallen tree branches, and liquid nails. If you are bored on the weekend, this DIY project is exactly what you need.
28. Rustic Welcome Sign
Greet your guests with rustic at your doorstep. It is a warm and inviting signboard that looks both chic and cool. You need a wood board, scrape wood, screws, white paint, and contact paper. Put this on your porch or beside the front door to complement the wall color.
29. Rustic Cutting Board
This works in two ways: first, you can use it as a functional cutting board, secondly, you can prop it up against the kitchen wall and it instantly acts as a decor item complementing the kitchen wall.
Now, I know isn’t the easiest DIY project on this list but it will bring out the dormant carpentry skills within you as you tape and measure the right lengths. To take the easy route, you can buy an antique-style cutting board from a flea market. Then you’ll have to distress it which makes it a simple and low-risk-involved method.
30. Storage Ladder
This serves as beautiful rustic decor in your bathroom as well as a functional storage ladder that can store everything from towels to even tiny plants. You can customize the ladder according to your preference and add as many rungs as you want. Also, the storage ladder takes up minimum space for holding your essentials which is always welcome in small, congested bathrooms.
31. Paint Sticks Bushel Basket
A rustic kitchen decor that is sturdy enough to hold your vegetables and fruits is perfect for the kitchen. For making this you need, paint sticks, an 8″ wooden embroidery hoop, a 6″ wooden embroidery hoop, a hot glue gun, and a foam board. It is a cheap and easy DIY project that is perfect for amateurs or people who recently developed an interest in DIY rustic decor.
32. Rustic 3 Tier Wood Slice Stand
Elegant and easy, this rustic 3 tier wood slice stand will be on everyone’s wishlist. You need candlesticks, wood slices, wooden cabinet knobs, and glue. You have to stick the candlestick to the wood with the glue then put the cabinet knobs at the bottom for feet.
33. Wooden Clock
The DIY wooden clock works beautifully as rustic wall decor. As beautiful as this looks, it needs you to be a bit more experienced to make this. You will have to take help from a video tutorial to build this beauty as it can get a little tricky sometimes.
34. Wall Ruler
You can buy a wooden plank or take out a wooden plank from a wooden door lying in your garage. This rustic wall ruler will be perfect for your kid’s room to measure their growth. You have to be very careful with the measurements and make sure that you start marking the ruler after taking into account space under the ruler for baseboards, etc so that your ruler is accurate.
35. Rustic Shiplap Sign
Let loose your creativity with this shiplap sign. You can paint what you desire and hang it on your wall. It will be a beautiful addition to your decor but make sure the paint color and design complement your wall color.
36. Fall Wreath
A beautiful wreath on your front door that you made all by yourself is a thing of pride. To make this you will need a wreath form, faux berries, gold plastic frond plant, ribbon, command hook, and wire cutters.
37. Rustic Bottle Vase
To add farmhouse flavor to your living room, you can put this vase on your shelf. A glass bottle, twine, artificial flowers, and rustic ribbons will suffice to make this pretty vase. Be sure to remember the steps after you make it because you’ll get a lot of questions about how you did it.
38. Twine Bulb Pears
Hang it on the Christmas tree, or display it at the Thanksgiving feast, these Twine bulb pears are cute additions to any decor. Twine, light bulb, glue gun, and a pear stem are all you need to make this rustic twine bulb pear. It is advised to avoid fluorescent bulbs as you might break these Mercury-containing bulbs.
39. Rustic Headboard
This is a statement piece in your bedroom. It is relatively cheap as it will cost you much less than an actual headboard. But, it requires you to put in some effort and invest some time. If you have wooden planks roughly the same size, then you’re lucky or else you can pull the boards off a wooden pallet.
40. Knife Holder
A rustic knife holder will prevent your kitchen from looking dull and boring. You will need magnets and colts for this DIY project. If you have a wooden plank at home, you’ll find this project very cheap. This is a very fulfilling task that will leave patting your back after you complete it since it takes a bit of effort and time.
41. Paint Stick Basket
This is a statement piece in any room and the best part is that it is very cheap and easy to make. You need some paint sticks, wood glue, paint, and staples. To make this, you have to cut the paint sticks and then arrange the parts with the help of staples and wood glue.
42. Rustic Necklace Holder
All your jewelry woes will be sorted and it will additionally act as a rustic decor item. It is inexpensive and can be made easily. A flat board and knobs are all you require to make it. You have to drill holes on the board and fix your knobs in it. You will never lose your jewelry with this pretty rustic necklace holder.
43. Rustic Wood Planter Box
This wood planter will add a bit of rustic flavor to your garden as well. You need wood pieces, drill, saw, hammer, dried coconut husks, and L brackets as well as screws. It requires a bit of time but is easy to make. It is much cheaper than buying a wood planter box.
44. Paint Can Flower Holder
If you have old paint cans lying in your storeroom, this is the time to bring them out. You can paint it or keep it the way it is for a rustic look and feel. Put some baby’s breath in it and hang it on a coat hook for people to admire. This is one of the easiest and cheapest DIY home decor projects and you must try it out.
45. Wood Hanging Note board
A perfect rustic item for your teen’s room to hang all the letters, mails and notes received in those carefree teenage years. Take an old piece of wood and stain it if required. Then wrap a twine all around it with glue and staple. Ensure that you have wrapped it tightly so that the notes don’t fall off. Lastly, put a wall hook to hang it on the wall.
46. Rustic rake utensil holder
A perfect functional rustic decor item for the kitchen is this rake utensil holder that is easy and cheap to build. You have to take off the handle from the rake then screw it to the wood board. You can also add extra hooks to it for more space. Fix picture hangars on the back to hang it on the wall and it’s ready.
47. Mason Jar Wall lanterns
Rustic wall hanging plus a functional lantern, who wouldn’t want that! You will need planks of wood, candle, stones, mason jar, awl, steel hangers, 4″ plant hanger hooks, and twine. This will add charm to your living room and also a bit of color if you have neutral walls.
48. Wood serving tray
Surprise your guests with this rustic wood serving tray. A whitewood board, sandpaper, drawer handles, drill, electric saw, and wood glue are some of the essentials you need to make this.
It is a unique rustic decor item that is sure to impress anyone.
49. Towel Rack
This farmhouse-styled towel rack will help to save space in your bathroom and keep it clutter-free. It is easy to build as you have to mainly drill holes on a wood board and fix hooks on it. You can also hang your loofah or any other bathroom essential with a string. This rustic towel rack breaks the monotony of white bathroom walls.
50. Rustic Sailboat
This is a cute, rustic showpiece to display on your shelf. You need a branch, twig, vintage ticking fabric, and eyelet screws. It is pretty easy to build and takes around twenty minutes to make if you have all the materials beforehand.
51. Burlap Wrapped Mason Jar
This is as easy as it can get. If you want a rustic decor item but don’t have the time or expertise then this is the perfect DIY project for you. All you need is a mason jar, burlap, lace, ribbon, and some flowers.
52. Rustic Headboard
This is a time-consuming project but the reason I have included it is because it is very pretty and relatively easy to make when compared to other headboards. It will also be cheaper to make this if you have wood at home than to buy a headboard from the store. Try it only if you have some experience doing these projects.
53. Rustic Bathroom Shelf
Rustic bathroom shelves like these are perfect for small bathrooms. Small bathrooms are generally painted in white and this adds a bit of color plus it is a good space-saving alternative. The horseshoe adds a unique touch to this bathroom shelf.
54. Mason Jar Bathroom Organizer
A mason jar as a bathroom organizer is a very good example of a functional, rustic decor item. It will hold your bathroom essentials and at the same time work as a statement piece in your bathroom.
55. Wood Slice Centerpiece
Beautiful, elegant, and bold, this rustic decor item is my personal favorite on the list. It is fitting as a centerpiece because it can grab anyone’s attention. This centerpiece will add a bit of drama to your living room and it has the power to transform any boring room into a charming one.
Now, that you know about all the cheap and easy DIY home decor items, you should try it out. They are easy on the pocket and pleasing to the eyes. Just ensure that you cut accurate lengths and get your measurements right. These rustic items will become talking points of your home decor. Thank me, later!