Barn boards for Christmas trees are a familiar sight on most Christmas tree farms, and for good reason. Barns are places where families gather to spend the winter, and it’s the perfect setting to bring the joys of the season to life. Many people build their own Christmas decorations from scratch at home. Others buy beautiful, hand-made decorations at big discount stores. And some, in a pinch, even use leftover materials from previous projects.
You may have seen pictures or noticed an ad on television of a person in a barn making Christmas decorations. What does this mean to you? To a craftsman or craftswoman, a barn board is the ultimate material to create something unique and enduring. The fact that each board is unique makes it easier to customize your tree to reflect the style and spirit of the holidays. Whether you want a simple, country look or a fancier, more decorated version, there’s a barn board for you.
When you build a Christmas tree from scratch at home, you’re basically starting from scratch. This means that you can’t settle on just one barn board. If you buy one at a big discount store, chances are, there are probably several other similar ones in your price range. You might even be able to find something like a Victorian or French Country barn board. Still, with your own design ideas and creativity, you can create a design for your own home that will leave your neighbors jealous. Here are some barn board design ideas to get you started.
Country Kitchen and Country Bedroom Decorations – These designs combine elements of country and rustic into a very naturalistic yet festive design. Think hay bales and roosters. A barn motif adds depth and dimension to your design. Try adding barn colors to your decor – think golden yellow or rustic red. Add pinecones or cinnamon sticks to give it that little country feel!
Country Nightlighting – This is a great theme if you have lighted windows. Think cheerful pumpkins, bats, ghosts and candles. How about having your light shine in the shape of a pumpkin, so it’s glowing in your home? Make it sparkle with fairy lights or put some battery-powered lighted candles around the room.
Barn Mixtures – Think of barn animals in various poses. Sheep, cows, dogs, cats and turkeys. How about putting a few horses in a pen and add a barn scene? Simple additions such as this make your design very simple yet charming.
Animal Inspired Crafts – Do you love doing needlework or cross stitch? Then these animal design ideas will tickle your fancy. Think of drawing an animal, sewing it and making it into a cloth. You can do a simple sweater for winter or an afghan for spring.
If you’re good at bead work, consider making Christmas decorations out of beads that match your barn board. If you don’t want to put beads on your tree, use cloth instead. This way you have a different look each year. You could even tie ribbons or Christmas stock around your arms, legs and other parts of the body. The choice is yours.
Animal themed crowns can be made using beads and embroidery. This can be a simple DIY project for younger children. If you’re good at needlework, you can do a better job with a professional jeweler. You can even use rhinestones for crowns and add small gems or pebbles on top.
Barn Designs – Think outside the box when it comes to your Christmas tree. Barn themes are very popular at this time of the year. Think of animals in a barn like cows, sheep, turkeys, bulls and more. For more rustic and natural designs, choose trees that come with branches. Decorate with hay bales or dried corn rows and you’ve got a great looking tree.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money on your tree. Just a few simple ideas and items can make your tree beautiful. Take some time to find out what other’s are using and then borrow ideas. Make it your own and enjoy the beauty of nature at Christmas time.