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Image / Editorial

How to DIY a Hanging Branch Rail


By IMAGE Interiors & Living
18th Sep 2015

A rail of clothing from The Tweed Project hangs in the Galway home of Aoibheann MacNamara (owner of Ard Bia at Nimmo's restuarant); her partner in The Tweed Project is Triona Lillis of ASt?r vintage furniture and clothing shop, also in Galway. Photograph: Doreen Kilfeather

How to DIY a Hanging Branch Rail

A rail of clothing from The Tweed Project hangs in the Galway home of Aoibheann MacNamara (owner of Ard Bia at Nimmo's restuarant); her partner in The Tweed Project is Triona Lillis of ASt?r vintage furniture and clothing shop, also in Galway. Photograph: Doreen Kilfeather

Interior designer, DIY diva and blogger Alex Carberry – aka Hydrangea Girl – shares her expert tips for fashioning a hanging rail from a driftwood branch: a perfect?way to add personality to?your pad, whether you rent or own.

Q. We’re?loving the trend of hanging branches and suspending clothes, lights or photos from them. How hard is this to set up in real life, what tools do you?need, and what kind of wooden branch should you?look for??

Alex answers:?This is a beautiful trend and one I’ve incorporated into our own home. You’ll need…

* a branch (any type of wooden branch will do as long as it’s sturdy and not too heavy)
* a’saw
* a stud finder
* a pencil
* two cup hooks
* a drill
* something for hanging your branch – twine, ribbon or fishing line

Scroll down for the step-by-step…

DIY branch rails
Left: Image via coconutlemonandlime.blogspot.com. Right: Image via architectureartdesigns.com.

How to…

1?Take your branch and remove any?unwanted smaller branches with a saw, then’trim it to a size you are?happy with.
2?Clean the branch and let it dry thoroughly.
3 Using a stud finder, locate a ceiling joist in the area you’d like to hang your piece. Mark the placement of the joist.
4?Get?your drill?and make two holes for the cup hooks.
5 Tightly screw in the hooks, add the twine, ribbon or fishing line to your branch, hang it, get decorating, and enjoy!

Alex Carberry blogs about all things DIY at theinteriordiyer.com

Main image: The Tweed Project, photograph by Doreen Kilfeather.