16 Ways To Repurpose Chicken Wire Into Stunning DIY Decor For Your Home

Chicken wire might sound like something that you'll only use if you take an interest in homesteading, but this simple metal mesh is actually incredibly versatile. While its original intended use — and the reason for the unique name — is to fence in chicken coops and prevent any runaways, plenty of people have found alternative uses for this material thanks to its unique blend of flexibility and durability. Whether you're looking to completely revamp an old furniture piece or create some wall art that's able to change with the seasons, you're sure to find a chicken wire DIY project that's perfect for you and your space.

This material's various uses, of course, started off with ways to use it around the garden. It has been used to build trellises for plants, as a reinforcement layer in construction projects, and as a way to fence in areas with or without livestock — but the creative applications don't stop there. As farmhouse and rustic décor have become more popular over the years, creative crafters have started bringing chicken wire indoors and using it in their projects, both as a functional addition and as a way to add some homespun flair to their décor. Discover 16 ways to incorporate this material into all your DIY decor projects.

If you have some chicken wire on hand and are looking to also repurpose an old window into home décor, this photo display DIY might just be the perfect choice for you. After removing the glass from the window, create a backing out of chicken wire and secure it to the frame using nails, staples, or glue. From there, use some clothespins to clip photos onto the wire in each pane. If you don't have a window on hand, you can also apply the same steps to a regular picture frame after completely removing the backing.

It can be tempting to toss out and replace furniture when it longer aligns with your style, but if you're looking for an alternative that's more cost-effective and environmentally friendly, try your hand at modifying these pieces before writing them off completely. Once simple way to revamp an old cabinet is by adding chicken wire to the doors. To do this, you'll need to remove the middle panel of the doors, making sure to keep the frame intact. Swap this section out with chicken wire to create a more open and rustic finished product.

If you've already used your chicken wire for another project, it's likely that you have some scraps of material lying around. Instead of letting them go to waste, try using them to make some simple ornaments. Clip the wire into a diamond shape, add on some embellishments like jewels or pine cones, and finish them off with a bit of ribbon or twine at the top to hang. If you're feeling fancy, you can even cover the chicken wire in glitter, add some paint, or wrap ribbons around it to make your ornament stand out more.

Wreaths can bring some festive cheer to your front door. If you're looking for something that you can use for more than just one holiday, try your hand at making a simple wreath base out of chicken wire. Cut the wire into a circular shape, add a ring of a neutral material to clean up the edges, and temporarily secure seasonally-appropriate decorations to the woven wire. When it's time for a change, all you have to do is remove the existing decorations and replace them with greenery and adornments that represent the next season.

No matter how hard you try to keep your cut flowers fresh, at some point, you're going to have to deal with drooping or sagging stems. To keep your flowers standing upright for longer, try using some chicken wire to create a support that both serves a functional purpose and adds some rustic charm to your display. Cut out a piece that's about the same circumference as your vase and slightly shorter than the stems of your flowers. Wrap it around the vase, secure the ends together, and enjoy a few extra days of gorgeous blooms.

If you're feeling like your simple décor pieces are in need of a little extra accessorization, try topping them off with some chicken wire cloches. These little covers might not serve much of a purpose functionally, but they can help to put more of a spotlight on items that might otherwise blend into the background. Bend some chicken wire into a bell shape, secure it together, and top it off with a bow or some twine to create a makeshift handle. Once you're done, slide the cloche over a décor piece like a small plant to highlight it.

Storing jewelry — especially dangly earrings — can easily result in a tangled mess of metal. To help prevent this issue and ensure you can see all of your options at a glance, try making a wall-mounted jewelry holder using some chicken wire. All you'll need for this project is an old frame or window, a staple gun, and, of course, your chicken wire. Remove the backing of the frame or the glass from the window, then replace it with your wire. Once you're done, you can easily hook on your earrings for storage and display.

Chicken wire has the unique characteristics of being both incredibly flexible and able to hold its shape, so it's a fantastic choice if you're looking to make some three-dimensional décor for your space. The possibilities are truly limitless — you can go as simple as a small flower, or turn it up to 10 and try your hand at making a realistic statue. While more involved projects will obviously take more time, practice, and effort, this is a great medium to experiment with as it doesn't require a ton of specialty tools or expensive materials to get started.

If you're looking for a fun craft that you can finish in a couple of hours, try making a simple suncatcher out of beads, chicken wire, and an embroidery hoop. It's likely that routine crafters will already have some of these materials on hand, but if you don't, they can be purchased at a craft store for just a few bucks. Sandwich the chicken wire in the embroidery hoop like you would with regular fabric, then trim down the edges. Clip or tie on some beads, then place it in a window to get the full effect.

Open shelving can provide a ton of low-profile storage space without dominating the look of a room, but if you feel that the lack of backing is a bit plain for your taste, try adding on some chicken wire. This simple swap adds interest without completely closing in the shelf, helping to ensure that the final product won't look too heavy or dark in your space. As an added bonus, you can use the chicken wire backing as a spot to clip on photos or art, allowing your shelving unit to double as a display.

One of the most convenient things about using chicken wire in your home décor is the fact that you can easily clip on or insert decorations into the grid. This display idea takes full advantage of that characteristic. Start off by removing the backing on a large frame and replacing it with a layer of chicken wire. Once the frame is mounted on the wall, you can use the spaces to create shapes out of flowers, spell out words with ribbons, or simply display pieces of art with some clothespins.

Finding storage for all of your most-used items while still maintaining the look of your space can be a struggle, but when you create a storage system that doubles as décor, things become much simpler. This idea, for example, uses chicken wire to create a functional accent wall that's the perfect addition when creating a home office or craft room. Mount some chicken wire on the wall using a few strips of wood to conceal the edges, then clip on small buckets like these Solid Color Tin Pails with Handles from Dollar Tree to hold onto items.

Chicken wire's original intended use is for outdoor projects, so it only makes sense to use it if you're looking for a new way to display your indoor plants, too. Because it's so flexible and completely breathable, chicken wire is very easy to use to make your own wall planter. Create a base out of wood, metal, or plastic, then add on a basket made out of chicken wire and a layer of coconut fiber or moss. Fill it up with soil, add in your plant, and you're ready to mount it on your wall. 

Statement lighting can completely transform a space, so if you're looking for a way to bring some rustic charm to a room, a simple chicken wire lampshade is one of the easiest ways to accomplish this goal. Bend your chicken wire into a simple lampshade shape if you're okay with something more freeform, or use it in lieu of fabric to recover an old lampshade frame for more structure. Because there's so much open space on this shade, it's best to stick with a more diffused or decorative bulb so you're not blinded by the light.

Vintage and repurposed glass bottles are a popular inclusion in home décor, but if you're feeling like the options you have on hand are a bit lackluster, consider covering them with a layer of chicken wire to give them some additional pattern and texture. While you could paint your bottle to accomplish a similar goal, this is a great way to change up the look of an existing piece without altering it permanently. If you eventually decide that you would rather restore the bottle to its original state, you can easily trim off the wire cover.

Pumpkins are a popular motif in fall décor, but if you find that your grocery store gourds only stay fresh for a few weeks, it might be time to create a more long-lasting decoration that can take you all the way from Halloween to Thanksgiving. Because chicken wire is so flexible and easy to mold, it can make for the perfect base. Form a simple pumpkin shape out of a sheet or strips of chicken wire, add a jar in the middle for support, and top everything off with some ribbons and foliage.