Ditch Plain Paper Towel Holders: DIY One With Wood And Concrete With The Cutest Pendant Charm

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Perhaps the things we think about most when choosing paper towel holders are convenience and functionality. After all, isn't the primary goal to keep your paper towel roll within easy reach? Well, yes. But since paper towels are frequently used and the rolls are highly visible on your kitchen countertop, it makes sense to also consider aesthetics. Forget about those same-old, plain-looking paper towel holders at the store and try your hand at making your own using a wooden dowel stuck into a molded concrete base. The best part about this DIY is being able to fashion a cute concrete pendant in whichever shape you like. That's the detail that'll really make your new paper towel holder stand out. All in all, this is a low-budget decor idea to spruce up your home.

Gather the supplies and tools needed for this DIY project first. You'll need some cement or ready-to-mix concrete to create the base. Next, get a wooden dowel that's approximately 1 inch in diameter and at least 13 inches in length so it will still fit a standard 11-inch-long paper towel roll when accounting for the base. Other supplies you'll need include two nails, paint and paint stencils, oil, wood varnish, twine, and a couple of large wooden beads. For tools, get a hot glue gun, a power drill, a container for mixing your concrete, and a stir stick. You'll also need a round concrete mold for the base and a cute pendant mold. Prepare your work surface for messy concrete mixing, and let's begin!

Pour the cement and water into your mixing container in the ratios directed by the manufacturer's instructions on the packaging. Mix well using the stir stick. You're aiming for a pancake-like consistency. Now, get your mold ready by smearing oil on the inside. You don't have to use a store-bought mold; you can use a plastic container instead. In fact, it's a genius way to reuse them in your home. Select a container that's large enough to hold about 1 inch of cement and wide enough to accommodate the diameter of a full paper towel roll — up to 5 inches wide. Transfer the mixed concrete into the mold and tap it to expel air bubbles.

Quickly, without allowing the concrete to start setting, take your wooden dowel and hammer two nails into one end, each on opposite sides. Insert the end of the dowel with the nails into the cement while it's still wet. Hold it in an upright position until the concrete mixture hardens and sets. Again, if you work quickly, you can use the remaining concrete to make a cute pendant. Or, if it's already hard, you'll have to make a new batch. Fashion a tiny heart-shaped mold — about 1 inch wide — from cardboard or use a silicone craft mold with whatever cute shapes you prefer. Pour the mixed cement into the mold and leave both the pendant and the holder to cure for at least 24 hours, after which time you can carefully demold them.

Now, it's time to decorate and embellish your new paper towel roll holder. Head outside and put on a respirator to sand the concrete base. Once the base is smooth, you can apply a coat of acrylic paint or use a stencil to add pretty patterns. Using a homemade acid stain to stain the concrete is also a good idea. Alternatively, you can skip this step altogether by adding a pigment when mixing your concrete. Something like Goodtake Concrete Pigment comes in 14 colors to really make your holder stand out. You can adorn the wooden dowel, too! Apply clear varnish or paint it a color that complements the base.

Now it's time to add your embellishments. Drill a hole through the wooden dowel close to the top and thread a long piece of jute twine through it. Make the plain twine cuter by threading on some wooden beads, then gluing your concrete pendant to the end. Hide the string behind a small piece of cardboard cut to size. Or, if you had the foresight to make a hole in the pendant while the concrete was setting, you can tie it on. Feel free to also paint the pendant to match the base. Finally, you can experiment with customization ideas that improve functionality. For example, you could stick three or four small adhesive furniture pads to the bottom of the concrete base. These will help to stop the holder sliding around while you pull off a paper towel or from scratching your kitchen countertop. Your new paper towel holder is now ready for use!