Handmade crafts have been a part of heritage and culture for decades—you see them often as part of souvenirs, gift-giving, and, of course, decorating spaces to be aesthetically pleasing. Arts and crafts, regardless of opinion, are not just meant for children—there is artistry in many things, from clothing to canvases. Handmade crafts have a special personal significance to those making them—they are timeless and unique and allow for the expression of creativity. Besides the compliments, it is also a hobby that can be endlessly practiced to bring out the beauty and warmth of a space.
Whether you like art or it’s your first time, making handmade crafts is easy, because essentially there are no rules, just some tips!
Why Handmade Crafts Make a Difference in Your Home Decor
Personal touch and uniqueness
Most handmade crafts, even when made in bulk, are one of a kind—they bring a level of originality and authenticity to any space. Plus, having something you made around you brings about a sense of accomplishment and peace.
Sustainable living
Even if advocating for the environment was not on your list, making handmade crafts is a great way to begin living sustainably. Many of those that make handmade crafts often use repurposed materials, focus on reducing waste, and use organic and natural processes—all eco-friendly practices.
Connection to culture and heritage
In many countries, especially India, handmade crafts are deeply rooted in culture and heritage. They not only support local art forms but also allow tradition to be kept alive through generations. They often become popular pieces sold for a great deal because of their uniqueness and the talent involved in crafting them.
Support for local artisans
Whether you choose to make or buy handmade crafts, you would be supporting local vendors and artisans. This helps boost the little economy of your neighborhood while also contributing to the environment and positively to your mental health.
Therapeutic and rewarding crafting experience
While handmade arts and crafts have been a thing for generations, they have recently become popular with the younger generations too—this is because they’re often used to help with mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Many people find working with their hands gently and creating something new a therapeutic and cathartic activity.
Getting Started with Handmade Crafts for Home Decor
Assess your space
Look around your home to find places or spaces that you’d like to decorate with handmade items. This will help you understand the size of what you’d like to make, what type of art it can be, and how it will complement the space. This could be your living room, bedroom, hallway, or balcony. For example, intricate fabric art or a handmade rug might be perfect for a living room, and small terracotta planters could brighten up a balcony or patio.
Choose a craft style
Sometimes choosing what style you want to work with can make things a bit easier because it provides guidance and direction. Some styles include country-style crafts, traditional art forms, or even contemporary handmade pieces.
Gather supplies
Leaving out the creative process of making the item, gathering supplies is the next most fun part of the process. You can start with simple materials around your home or even shop at local markets or thrift stores for raw materials. Some examples could be jute, bamboo, terracotta, or wooden pieces. You can also find colorful fabrics, old sarees, or furniture that has been thrown away and can be repurposed for material.
Learn and experiment
The best part of crafting is that no one is judging—don’t be afraid to try new things. Start with small projects like painted vases or handmade photo frames, and then move toward larger, more delicate crafts. You can use online tutorials, attend workshops, or even seek inspiration from local craft fairs to help you with your hobby.
Handmade Craft Ideas for Every Room in Your Home
Living room ideas: Welcoming and artistic
Wall art
You can make multiple things that you can hang up on your wall—a painting you’ve created is just one of them. Some common wall arts focus on nature, mythological stories, or more modern geometric patterns. There is no perfection here; create as you please, but should you need inspiration, looking up images on Google or websites like Pinterest will help. You can take it one step further and choose to use natural dyes or eco-friendly plants to help out the environment.
Rugs and throws
These are great for bringing in some warmth and texture into your space—you can choose from many weaving techniques like dhurries or kilims or even create your own rug using fabric scraps. Handmade crochet throws or knitted blankets can also add a cozy feel. A quick tip: handmade rugs and throws look great in areas where people go through often, like under the coffee table or in front of the sofa.
Wall hangings or planters
These, although now popular through social media applications, have been around a while—following a more bohemian style, macramé wall hangings or hanging planters are commonly found in contemporary and traditional homes. Their art is obvious in their intricate knots and is also pleasing to the eyes. Pairing macramé with potted indoor plants is one great idea!
Bedroom ideas: Tranquil and inviting
Hand-painted bed linens
Fabric paints, which can easily be ordered online or bought at art stores, can be used to paint patterns on plain white sheets and pillowcases. You can choose any designs you’d like, such as floral patterns, geometric shapes, or cultural motifs. Make sure to get the right paints so it doesn’t fade during washes.
Handcrafted lampshades
Using materials like jute, silk, or terracotta, you can make beautiful lampshades for your rooms, especially your bedroom. They help complement your decor, are friendly on the pocket, and add a personal charm to your space.
Picture frames
Family photo displays are very common in many homes, and often handmade photo frames are exchanged as personalized gifts. You can decorate wooden frames with materials like beads, mirrors, or pressed flowers. One of the best ways to display photos is with a gallery wall with frames of different sizes.
Balcony and garden ideas: Nature-inspired crafts
Terracotta gardens
Terracotta pots are great for making planters—you can easily paint them with many colors and designs, and they can be placed anywhere in your home. They also have drainage holes and can hold heavy plants depending on their size. One of the best ways to display a terracotta garden is by grouping different sizes of painted terracotta pots together for a layered effect.
Wind chimes
Wind chimes are often handmade and placed on balconies—they can be made from materials like shells, bamboo, glass beads, or metal scraps. Keeping them near windows or doorways to catch the breeze is the best way to display them.
Planter boxes
You can make planter boxes from old wooden crates to grow herbs or flowers. You can paint these boxes as you can; it’s also a great group or family/friend activity.
Including Indian Craft Techniques
- Block printing on fabrics and upholstery
Block printing is a traditional Indian craft where patterns are stamped onto fabric using wooden blocks. For homes they can be used on curtains, table runners, cushions, or even on upholstery using natural, organic fabrics like cotton or linen. - Terracotta figurines and statues
Terracotta figurines and statues can be put on shelves or near entryways for a spiritual touch. - Phulkari embroidery
Phulkari, a traditional embroidery technique from Punjab, uses colorful threads to make intricate floral patterns. These can be added to wall hangings, pillowcases, or even bedspreads for a splash of color and cultural vibrance.
Maintaining and Caring for Your Handmade Crafts
- Make sure to keep delicate crafts like fabrics and paper art in a dry, cool space away from direct sunlight to prevent fading or damage.
- Clean all your handmade fabric items, like cushions and throws, with mild detergent to prevent damage to the intricate designs. For wooden crafts, wipe down regularly with a dry cloth to avoid dust build-up.
- Make sure that items made from materials like wood or clay are kept away from humidity to prevent warping or mold growth.
FAQs
How can I make arts and crafts with only a little time?
When you start, try to start with smaller projects—this will help you not get overwhelmed and have fun rather than being stressed. Some examples of these would be hand-painted mugs, fabric art, or even upcycling jars. These projects don’t need too much time and effort.
What are some materials I can use to make handmade crafts that are good for the environment?
Some materials that are environmentally friendly are jute: you can use them to make coasters, placemats, and decorative baskets.
- Bamboo: You can use them to make furniture, wall art, picture frames, and planters.
- Terracotta: You can use them to make pots, figurines, lamp bases, and decorative tiles.
- Recycled glass—you can use them to make vases, candle holders, mosaics, and home decor items.
- Repurposed fabric—you can use them to make quilts, bags, patchwork cushions, and fabric wall art.
- Natural paints and dyes—you can use them to paint on wooden crafts, color fabrics for quilts or cushions, or dye yarn for knitting projects.
- Corks: You can use them to make boards, coasters, table mats, and jewelry.
- Recycled paper: You can use it to make handmade paper, greeting cards, paper flowers, and scrapbooks.
- Upcycled wood: You can use it to make shelves, tables, picture frames, and decorative signs.
- Hemp—you can use it to make ropes, bags, clothing, and home textiles.
- Palm leaves: You can use them to make leaf baskets, trays, wall hangings, and mats.
- Clay and mud—you can use them to make pottery, sculptures, vases, and mud painting.
How can I add more color to handmade crafts?
You can choose a color palette that works with the colors of your home, space, and mood—these could be vibrant-colored cushions, hand-painted pottery, or colorful wall art. Brighten up dull corners with fabric art, handmade curtains, or rugs in bold hues.
