apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

You could search for an old fireplace mantle and attach it to the wall then stack the logs inside the mantle.

Stick it in a big basket with some pine cones, maybe some greenery and a strand of clear lights. Plug it in.

Halve the logs and get some brackets from the local hardware store, drill holes and insert the brackets and you have some kickass shelves!

I've seen people drill holes in long pieces to put taper candles in or glass candleholders for tealights. You could cut it into thinner round pieces for individual tealights. If you really want to put it on the wall, I would try sawing a thin slit in the top, attaching it to the wall and using it like a plate rack for cards or christmas photos...a bunch of them vertically would make the biggest impact. But I would hate to see you physically attach something to the wall just for a Christmas decoration!

Pottery Barn is selling birch wrapped vases right now. If you can shave off the bark there's many interesting wall treatments you could do (think that old school trading spaces episodes where they glued hay or moss to the way). For something a little less permament (and rental friendly), simply framing smaller pieces of peeled bark could be striking if well lit.

You could also drill holes along a piece and use as a candle holder.

if you have enough... stack them vertically, floor to ceiling against a wall (a bit wanky) attaching the logs along the back with hardware. then attach the entire column to the wall.

if you have enough logs, it would be really cool to have a wall full of wanky log-tree trunks spaced out across the entire wall.

this would be great year-round.

like these bamboo wall decals, but you'll be using real logs and yours will go all the way to the ceiling:
http://www.velocityartanddesign.com/product.php?productid=16552&cat=401&manufacturerid=&page=1

Burn 'em!

Modern or rustic effect?

If modern, a large tempered glass cylinder.

If rustic, wrap the bundle with a vintage leather belt or leather cording and stand them vertically, unless you have a fireplace.

Or use them to surround a cylindrical planter of white poinsettias.

I remember seeing a large birch log with holes drilled into it for tealights. Bits of gold leaf may have been added to it as well. It was either from Living, Etc. or "Marie Claire Idees".

Saw in a Sunset mag once.

The birch remained bundled much like the image shows (without the box) and then was wrapped in white christmas lights (with white cord - not the green stuff) letting the natural birch show through as much as possible. It was a wonderful and decorative artificial fire, placed in the un-used fireplace.

i have mine in a Danish magazine rack to the left of my credenza/dresser:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/goodnightdean/2088684168/in/set-72157602100961779/

Legs for a glass coffee table top?

Find an old frame. Fussy and Victorian. Paint it gloss white.
Cut the birch logs in 'pucks' of different sizes, arrange and afix them in the newly painted frame. Then take a brulee torch (found at any food supply or home store) and lightly (I mean VERY lightly) scorch the newly cut ends to bring out the detail in the rings. Make sure to use heavy gloves, goggles and keep an extinguisher handy. I think it makes a nice three dimentional art piece.

it's a lovely lamp-to-be. Get a socket set from a hardware store, and either bundle a number together for a big one, or drill in/jigsaw a space for a single-limb size; cover in a nice lampshade.

where can one find burch logs in chicago??