Incorporating a little bit of Mother Earth into your home is the easiest way to give your space more warmth and a natural feel. While most people stick with potted plants and flowers, branches are also a great and extremely versatile way to bring the outdoors inside...
If you happen to find a sturdy, relatively uniform branch on the ground (no maiming of healthy trees, please!) try using it as a rod for hanging clothes or curtains. 
Make sure the circumference of the branch is small enough to fit hangers around it but large enough to support the weight without bending or breaking. You can try painting it or leave it bare - whatever works best with the room. 
Images: 1 and 2, Desire to Inspire via me melodia; 3, Apartment Therapy via emma's designblogg; 4, Apartment Therapy via DIY Ideas
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This brings back memories of my rural upbringing. When I wanted a longer closet rod, my dad and I drove into the woods and cut a straight poplar sapling, peeled it, and installed it! I was pretty embarrassed as I slid the hangers over the knots and bumps.
Very cool ideas, I especially love the curtain rods.
I grabbed a bunch of branches recently from a neighbour's yard trimmings pile. They are darkish grey with little reddish nubs on the tips. I put them in a big nice umbrella stand I'd been wanting to have some use for. I put it in our dark painted living room next to a dark painting of the moon. It makes all the difference, needs no light, and I never have to water it :)
oooo. I really like the curtain rod idea. I wonder how it would do as a towel rod...
I think that the curtain rod idea is really nice...not crazy about hanging clothes from branches though...looks a little sloppy.
Actually some trees are better for the pruning, and not maimed. Maybe making friends with a tree service might be useful.
I like the curtain rods, but the clothing looks messy and too retail-space.
Am I the only one who is wondering how exactly those curtains in the photo would function? I mean, I agree with the general opinion that it looks nice, but I can't imagine trying to pull the blinds closed every day with the smaller branches getting in the way...
@ milesdavis2277: of course a branch has a purpose: to hold leaves up where they can get sunlight.