Foraged (i.e. Free!) Decor: 9 Functional Ways to Decorate With Tree Branches this Fall

The air is getting crisper, the pumpkin spice latte lines are growing, and we can't deny it any longer—it's officially fall. To celebrate the autumn ahead and the summer we're sad to see go, I've rounded up my favorite decor ideas for using beach-combed driftwood and branches you may collect on fall hikes and strolls while taking in the beautiful weather. Rather than simply display these beauties in a vase or on the wall, put them to work as shelves, railings, even chandeliers. You'll feel like you're living in a treehouse in no time.

The best part of using foraged decor in your home is that it's 100% free. But if you live in the middle of a city with no plans to head into the woods anytime soon, you can also order branches online. Search Save on Crafts for various types of branches, and look for driftwood on Coastal Driftwood and Jamali Garden.

This color-organized clothes hanging idea, spotted at The Piece Collective on sfgirlbybay, is inspiring serious #closetgoals. Our next thought: How do we curate such a beautifully minimal wardrobe? Sounds like it's time to start our capsule collections.

Free People's blog BLDG25 used a natural tree branch and some brackets as a towel rack. Visit the blog to check out the intricate wood-burned designs on the end of the branch.

Take a cue from this kitchen remodel featured on Design*Sponge and suspend a long (and sturdy!) branch from the ceiling for hanging pots and utensils.

Use a branch and leather straps to show off a collection of aprons, as Heimatbaum did above.

When positioned between two open wall brackets, a driftwood branch becomes a functional piece for storing tea towels and kitchen utensils. S-hooks and thick twine are used to suspend items from the branch above, found on Martha Stewart Living.

A branch banister takes nature-inspired decor to the next level. The one above from Country Living is a fitting addition to a lakefront cabin (watch out for splinters!).

Another way to work a branch and open shelf brackets, Fjeldborg uses this technique to sort supplies above a desk.

My Attic propped a painted tree branch against the wall to act as a plant stand (be sure to secure to the wall with a nail). Not sure what type of plant to suspend from this perch? Consider these five hard-to-kill houseplants.

An affordable alternative to an expensive chandelier: Wrap corded pendant lamps around a branch from your backyard. Holly Becker of Decor8 constructed the statement piece above using a branch collected on a hike.