Reuse Fence Boards In A Decor DIY Inspired By The Emerging Fisherman Aesthetic

Coastal-inspired decor, while always a classic and casual way of decorating, is having a new surge of popularity through many different styles, including the fisherman, coastal cowgirl, and coastal grandmother decor trends. Coastal styles often marry sea-washed wooden accents with soft colors that evoke the coast like grays, blues, and greens, as well as an abundance of sandy neutrals. Most coastal spaces also take advantage of more rustic textures like woven baskets, rope and jute twine, and items like sea glass and shells. 

The fisherman style in particular embraces many of these overarching qualities but with the feel of a casual lakeside or seaside cabin, bringing in elements like taxidermy, fish imagery, rustic tackle boxes, and more.  While home stores are filled with items and accents that fit this on-trend style, you may be looking for more budget-friendly approaches to freshen up your home. If so, YouTuber Crafts the Charm shows off a fun DIY project involving some upcycled wooden pieces that is perfect for the walls of a fisherman-inspired space, creating the look of a rustic ship's wheel that evokes the nautical style of the high seas.

This project is perfect for upcycling old wooden pieces like fence posts and chair spindles but can easily take advantage of other wooden elements you have lying around your home, including scrap wood, porch spindles, or old furniture legs. You will also need some rope, jute twine, a wire wreath form, and the bottom of two soda cans. The Floral Garden Round Metal Wreath Form from Dollar Tree could be purchased for this project.

After removing the spindles from the fence, cut them down to the desired size of your piece, using a jig or circular saw to cut the ends at an angle so they fit together into a star shape. Use wood glue and heavy-duty staples to attach the pieces in the center and to each other. Before adding other elements to the decoration, you can paint the posts in your desired finish, like the weathered and distressed white seen here. Once your backing has dried, lay the wreath form in the center and thread smaller wood pieces like chair spindles or wooden dowels through the metal frame so their ends meet in the middle.

Wrap the frame with rope, using a crisscross formation over the spindles to keep them in place, then continue to wrap the rope around the perimeter to cover up the wire. If you need to use multiple rope segments, you can tie the ends together with jute twine, which you will also use to fasten down the rope where it ends. For the center of the wheel, use two tin can bases with small drilled holes around the perimeter, which when sandwiched together and tied with floral wire will hold the spindles together in the middle. Paint these with a brass-colored paint treatment to look like the real thing. Fasten the layers of the project together with heavier gauge wire, wrapping it around both of the layers. You can also use staples to affix the rope to the fence posts for a more secure attachment.

There are a number of ways to customize this DIY project, including in the paint finishes you choose for the fence posts and smaller wooden pieces like wooden dowels or paint sticks. For a more industrial spin on the project, paint the spindles or dowels with metallic paint, which will contrast nicely with the wood. Or, paint everything one color like a matte black or navy for a 'coastal luxe' beachy yet sophisticated look. This project can also be customized in size, from smaller wheels that hang on interior walls to large pieces for outdoor spaces, just by shortening or lengthening your fence posts when you cut them down. 

Furthermore, while the wreath form is one option for making your center wheel, depending on the desired size of your finished wheel, there are other options for creating that center circle. These include cardboard rounds, a frisbee, or a pool noodle molded into a circular shape. You could push the spindles through the foam or just secure them with hot glue. 

The DIYer also adds a bit of visual interest by adding a vintage map cut down to a circle between the spindles and the fence posts that adds color and furthers the fun, nautical feel. Other great custom options for backing include materials like burlap and fishnet. You could also use decorative paper with a nautical feel or seascape image, or add a mirror to make a small space look bigger.