How To Style Baskets In Every Part Of Your Home
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In the world of home decor, there are so many dos and donts, it's easy to lose track. However, one style that's always a do is the implementation of baskets as decor all over your home. Baskets are super versatile in all aspects of life, from transporting goods from one place to another, to being used as stylish storage to organize items. According to How Products Are Made, the ancient Mesopotamians were some of the first people to use baskets. They held a superstitious beliefs around baskets being a vital part of the creation of the world, and they referred to them "children of the gods and the basis of our earth." Aside from the Mesopotamians, other early people, such as the Romans, Japanese, and Chinese empires were well versed in the art of basketry. Ancient Egyptians were also users of baskets — they used them as bread baskets for dining and other decorative purposes. If we choose to consider the religious aspect, some may know the story of baby Moses who was found by the Egyptians in a basket floating on the river.
In reality, not much has changed in current times, as baskets are still being used globally by people from all walks of life. One positive thing about decorating with baskets is that they are extremely accessible and easy to find. If you do not wish to leave the comfort of your home, there are online stores that sell them. And for those seeking to use heavily discounted, yet unique baskets, try visiting a secondhand store near you.
Once you have the basket at hand, you can choose to up-cycle, recycle, or repurpose your baskets as unique home decor. There's no reason why an old basket cannot be transformed into the perfect lamp shade for your living room. Do not let anything stop you from collecting basket mats of different circumferences and mounting them onto a wall to enhance the room. The styling options for your basket are truly endless, so keep reading to discover how to seamlessly introduce the decor into your entire home.
Turn your basket into a planter to display your greenery
The first, and probably the easiest, step to using baskets as decor in the home is by introducing woven baskets as planters. If you already have living plants within your home, you must already be aware of all the benefits they offer. And if you don't, then you should probably consider a few to be used as decoration, and even functionality (depending on the plants you have, some can also be used for cooking and other health benefits). Once you've chosen the plants to arrange within your home, consider their sizes, as well as the size of the pots, boxes, and vases which they are placed in. Then, buy a basket which can comfortably hold the pot in which the plant is housed, and use it as a unique planter to display your greenery and take your decor to a whole new level.
My Tasteful Space makes the case for basket planters, but there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, no matter what size of plant you currently have in your home — whether the plant is tiny, like a baby cactus, or a large fig tree — there is a basket out there that can suit your needs. Secondly, size may not be a massive factor, but you must ensure that the material for the basket you end up using is durable. Woven baskets, particularly wicker baskets with handles, are popular. These tend to be long lasting and able to withstand the weight of both light and heavy plants.
To prevent damage to the basket, do not forget to also add a saucer underneath the pots, so that water can drain efficiently without soiling the basket. Consider these woven tote baskets from World Market — they are made using natural hyacinth and reinforced to be airy enough for ventilation, and strong enough to carry heavy weight. Having said all that, if you are still on the fence about this decor, see how DIY Beautify used some as planters for mini Christmas trees, which she spread across the room as opposed to having one massive tree for her home. This will surely be the turning point for you.
Mount baskets onto your wall as art
If you have a spare wall in your home, consider it as premium real estate to decorate and showcase your character within the space. While you may already have paintings or photographs hanging from the walls, do not think twice about creating a gallery wall using a collection of basket materials such as basket trays, woven basket flags, and other basket objects. Pictured above is a stellar design where basket bowls of different sizes have been arranged in a pattern, after which it has been mounted upon the wall. It immediately offers premium boho chic vibes in the home. Etsy stocks stunning collections of basket bowls, which will save you the stress of running around to seek out different sizes, while Amazon stocks cute basket trays — so, in terms of procuring similar objects to these ones above, you're covered.
When you choose to mount your gallery wall ensure that the items you use do not overwhelm the wall in any way. Feel free to hang your basket gallery on walls which receive a lot of views, but also consider walls which are placed in awkward looking spaces, such as along a staircase. Avid DIYer, Andrea Niese executed the staircase basket gallery wall per Instagram.
She chose to let the organic brown hue from the basket, contrast quite nicely with her all-white wall. But if you desire for your gallery wall to match your existing color palette, you can alternatively, paint some of the baskets in different colors. If you need a handy tool to hang these items without causing damage to your home, consider Command Hanging Strips, and avoid putting holes in your wall.
Create a seasonal basket vignette
In need of a focal point in your home that can be executed without much stress, yet still has loads of character? Look no further than creating a vignette. If you have followed this guide judiciously, then you probably already have your basket gallery wall mounted and displayed in all it's glory. Well, this step is all about inserting an additional decor item which will not only complement the gallery wall, but it could automatically take your home from drab to fab in seconds.
As the seasons change, so must our decor, which leads us to Janelle Rinette's fall vignette basket. In order to execute Janelle's fall basket, you must first choose the spot in your house where you wish to display it, and then consider the dimensions of this space. Grab pumpkins, fall foliage, and other textiles. Janelle recommends filling the bottom of the basket with blankets, burlap, and rolls of newspaper to lift up the height and prevent you from needing to source a ton of items. You can make like Janelle and insert more cozy fall like aesthetics into your vignette, such as stalks of wheat, and you could also add leaves and different types of fruits or gourds.
Upcycle baskets as lamp shades
Another fun way to style baskets within your abode is to use them to accessorize your light features. If you are reading this, you most likely already own a lamp, but how about taking things up a notch by enhancing the lamp you currently have courtesy a DIY basket lampshade? That's exactly what Megan Bell did, according to YouTube. She used a basket and a pendant light, which she bought separately from IKEA, and turned it into a phenomenal living room hanging light.
You too can achieve a basket DIY lamp like Megan. The first step is to remove the handles from your basket. If the handles are attached with a reed, keep the reed on hand in case you need to use it later in the project. The next step is to turn the basket upside down. Then, you must create a hole in the bottom of the basket, and make sure the hole is big enough for your wire and the light fuse to pass through. Just so you make no mistakes, ensure you measure the diameter of the fuse which you aim to use. This is the exact measurement you would use to create the hole. Slip your wire in, screw in your bulb, and voila!
Do not limit yourself to the basic brown rustic aesthetic of your basket, instead, feel free to switch things up by further accessorizing your creation using paint and fringes. Consider the colored hanging lamps created by DecoArt via YouTube. After drilling the hole within your basket, but before you slip in the wire, use multi-surface satin finish acrylic paint to add color to your baskets. After this has been done, allow it to dry before slipping in your bulb and wire.
Use baskets for additional storage space
Whether you live alone or with others, clutter is a very real thing. Some struggle with this more often than not and, in such a scenario, you may have already stocked up on different storage containers, like plastic boxes and bins. However, if you are keen on styling baskets within your home, consider using baskets as extra storage in different rooms. These baskets will perform their function seamlessly, while also making a stylish statement.
Before you pick which basket to use, you need to decide which rooms you'll use them in. Inspirations Wholesale maintains that if you desire to insert baskets into the living room, you can opt for a cozy-looking, calm toned circular basket. Fill it with throw pillows and blankets, and prop it into the corner of the room or at the foot of your sofa. For your coffee table, smaller baskets can come in handy to gather and store items that get lost easily, such as your remote control. Other items which you can place in the baskets include books and magazines — because who needs a shelf when you can have a basket of books instead? And, if you do actually have a bookshelf, investing in small baskets and placing them on the shelf will take the decor to a whole new level.
Baskets can also be used as storage containers in little children's rooms to hold their toys, or in your den to gather items such as stationery, vintage cassettes, and even candles! If you have a wood burning fireplace, this is you sign to invest in a sturdy metal or wicker basket that can hold logs. Consider this one from Etsy, which is very reasonably priced for its high quality.
Use baskets as a home for pets
Now that you have fully entered into the world of styling baskets as home decor, and you are aware that baskets can be implemented as storage containers and even light shades, the world is your oyster. However, imagine your pet walking into a room where there is a basket gallery on the wall, a basket vignette in the corner, baskets for sofa accessories, and yet the pet does not get a basket of its on — how out of place would your pet feel?
To be honest, maybe your pet wont care too much, but this should not stop you from including your furry friends into the mix when it comes to home decor. Consider this Zara Home pet basket made in the form of a hollow burrow, with a fluffy resting pillow within for your pet to enjoy leisure time. We can guarantee that furry animals, especially cats, would love to snuggle in here and escape into their own private sanctuary. For rabbits, this seagrass basket home from Pets At Home is highly acclaimed. The Pets At Home crew also stocks other basket objects of entertainment, such as tunnels and toys, which your pets will leap through in excitement.
Opt for basket ottomans
The next way to style baskets in your home is by creating additional seating in your living room. You can either purchase a ready-made basket ottoman or, using a tire and jute ropes, you can create a DIY version. According to Hangin With The Hughes on YouTube, you can actually create an ottoman using an old tire as the base, and the finished product would rival the store bought product which would go for a hefty price. Measure your tire diameter and then cut out circles of particle board that will attach onto both sides of the tire to create a firm seated platform. One key item which you would use to decorate the ottoman is sisal rope. With a very strong adhesive, wrap the sisal around the tire, gluing it down as you go. This will give you a rustic basket-like finish. Do not forget your stool legs — these can be purchased independently within most construction stores.
Alternatively, if the basket seat is not comfortable to sit on, you can wrap the sisal rope around the bottom and the sides of the tire, leaving the top part bare. Then, you can add a cushion for comfort. If the DIY life is not for you, rest assured that you can simply purchase a basket ottoman from Gardenista, or head over to Temple & Webster and grab the rattan storage stool to do the trick.
Create a DIY basket coffee table
We now know that basket ottomans and stools exist, and can be easily added to your current decor. With this in mind, what is stopping you from creating an actual basket table like the one pictured above? This sort of furniture can work well within a small room or a big room, either as a main table or a side one. Baskets have airy spaces between each reed pattern and this creates a minimalist look. According to Liz Marie, the first step to achieving such a feat is to find the perfect baskets with the measurements that would seamlessly fit into the empty table space you wish to fill. Liz Marie opted two round baskets, which she displayed side by side as a coffee table. Or, you can use an extra large basket to create a single basket table, as seen on Home Talk.
Balance baskets on top of each other to form a shelf
Pictured above is a bathroom with two rectangular wooden baskets that have been placed on top of each other to create a DIY storage shelf. If you choose this decor format within your home, consider the height of the room first so you know how many baskets you'll need. Also, it's best to place it against a wall — it goes without saying that if you choose to let this basket shelf stand freely, you will encounter a higher chance of it falling over. Whatever you choose to keep within your stacked basket shelf is up to you, but if you keep this shelf in your bathroom, it would be a perfect container for items like extra towels, toilet paper, and even cleaning products.
You can further define the space within this stacked basket shelf by adding wooden planks to differentiate the levels upon which you can display your items. Or, you can mount the baskets to the wall for a floating shelf look, as seen on The Kim Six Fix. Be sure to use L brackets to secure them to the wall, as just screws or nails won't support much weight.