While on a trip to visit family in Florida, we OF COURSE swung by a couple of thrift stores. I spotted this bamboo wine rack right away. It was begging to become a Boho Christmas tree in my mind, mostly because bamboo and rattan is so popular in Boho decor. Either way, I couldn’t wait to transform it into retro Christmas decor!
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
But, I started to panic about painting it.
Bloggers get hate mail all the time from people who think they shouldn’t have painted a certain piece.
But the price was written on it in Sharpie. Apparently I had shopped at one of *those* thrift stores that think Sharpie is ok.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
That made me stop fretting about it. Hate mail or not, it had already been ruined with marker. And with that in mind, I started to transform it into a retro Christmas tree.
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Transforming a Bamboo Wine Rack into a Boho Christmas Tree
First, I needed a bunch of ¼” cup hooks- twenty of them, to be exact.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Because the wine rack was made of rattan (and not, for instance, a hard wood), I planned on screwing a cup hook into the top of each circular rung. A very similar approach to this upcycled soda crate project, if you might recall.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
My dainty child-size hands came in, well…handy for this! The wine rack rungs were just big enough for a bottle of wine, but perhaps not a normal-sized adult hand.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Once the first hook was in, I continued to work my way through the entire rattan wine rack.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Retro Christmas Decor with a Rattan Wine Rack
After I finished adding cup hooks to each rung, it was time to start spray painting. Before I did anything else, though, I wrapped the legs with painter’s tape to keep them a natural brown.
It was going to become a retro Christmas tree after all!
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
I started with a light coat of primer first. I had inadvertently chosen a can of paint that didn’t already have primer in it.
AND the rattan was pretty shiny-smooth, so I knew starting with primer was a smart step.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Next, I finished with a dark green that would be perfect for my Boho Christmas tree.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Once the paint dried, I carefully removed the painter’s tape from the base and admired my little tree. It had a very retro look to it, which was exactly what I had been hoping for!
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Boho Christmas Tree from a Bamboo Wine Rack
The best part was hanging my vintage Shiny Brite ornaments on all those little cup hooks! I decorated both sides and just fell in love.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Now, I suppose I could have tied my vintage ornaments to the rungs with green thread, but the cup hooks worked like a charm.
And after seeing it all put together like this, I was so glad I added them before the spray paint so that they blended in.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
What do you think of my Boho Christmas tree from a bamboo wine rack? Did I make the right decision to paint it?
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. But, a natural color with white and silver ornaments would have also been pretty, too.
If you enjoyed this upcycling idea for Christmas decor, then you’ll love this winter Christmas scene with a cheese dome!
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Also, did you know that my book, “Crafting with Flannel”, contains an entire chapter on Christmas projects?
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Craft on!
S
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Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Sarah Ramberg is the owner of Sadie Seasongoods, a website that celebrates all things secondhand. From upcycling ideas and thrifted decor to vintage-centric travel itineraries, Sadie Seasongoods is a one-stop shop for anyone who loves thrifting and approachable repurposing ideas. Sarah is also the author of “Crafting with Flannel” and has been featured in numerous media outlets and magazines.
Love it! Paint away! And the hooks are smart – you can easily swap out ornaments to follow desired color schemes. PS I’m not sleeping this early either!
OH NO, did my early riser tendencies rub off on you???
Thank you for all your wonderful craft ideas. I have a passion like you and its wonderful. Happy Christmas Sadie, I look forward to your email updates always.
Thank you oh-so-very much! Happy Holidays!
Super cute!!
Thank you, Rita!
What a wonderful idea! I love it and painting it was the perfect idea! I’m not normally a paint over original finish person, but the wine rack isn’t that old, and as you said, the sharpie ruined it anyway! (What is it with thrift shops and sharpies?!)
Right?? It would be so much better if they used inexpensive masking tape or just stapled a loop of scrap paper on it for the price. I feel like I need to do some thrift store coaching.
I think they run into the problem of people taking off the price tags in hopes of getting a better deal. The thrift store I go to has a sign that says – if it doesn’t have a price tag we can’t sell it to you – that way they can use regular tags and not worry about them just disappearing. When something comes to the counter without a tag they send it back to the storage area out back to be priced again.
I think its adorable! This would be perfect for a very small space like a dorm room! Love it!
Exactly! And we have a pretty small house (~1400 sq. feet) so we don’t put up a big tree, either!
LOVE it! Wish I could find one! It would be a great gift filled with wine bottles too! ?
Hahaha! Isn’t that the truth? 😉 Thank you!
That is SO darling! Great job. Thanks for sharing.
Merry Christmas!
Thank you, Marcie! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you, as well!
I LOVE your ideas ans the tree turned out wonderful. So original too. Always fun to receive your emails. cg
Thank you so very much, Connie!
You absolutely made the right call. Adorable!
Whew!! 😉 Thank you, Tammy!
As always, you see what others don’t… what an ingenious idea!
Thank you so much, Margaret! Hope you are having a lovely holiday season!
The perfect little tree and a used piece saved! It’s adorable Sarah 🙂
Thank you so very much! Happy Holidays, Christina!
Same to you!
Love the tree and how you decorated. Now I have to go on a hunt for a rattan wine holder!❤️
Thank you, Helen! Sprinkling you with good luck thrifting dust!
This is brilliant! I hope I can find one of these wine racks – Merry Christmas!
Thank you, Patty!!
What a cool idea! Now my brain is whirling trying to think of ways to keep it out year round. Like hanging little birds for springtime and maybe apples in the fall? Hmm . . .
I love that!!!
Absolutely perfect!
Thank you so much, Robyn!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!!! Like the green paint and hooks. Great idea. Love your projects!
Thank you so very much, JoAnn! Happy Holidays!!
I think it’s super cute! It was a great idea. I love painted furniture. Hugs,
Thank you very much, Sandi- so do I!
you make such adorable items
Thank you for your sweet words, Cindy- they mean an awful lot to me!
Absolutely brilliant!!! What vision you have!!!….I will have my eyes peeled for one of these.
Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Thank you so much, Joan! Happy Holidays!
While you’re at it, could you tell them to NOT wrap packing tape around towels and other fabrics??? I love your Christmas tree!
…and around cardboard boxes and other paper ephemera! Ugh, it’s so awful!
I love this idea. You always have great ones. Keep them coming,
Thanks, Rebecca!
I adore this idea!!! What a creative idea! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Tracy!
WOW WOW WOW!!!! Just to dang cute!!! I want one!!!! But, my thrift stores around here are getting HIGH in prices!!! I’ll have to be on the lookout for one of these!!
I’m so sorry if you get hate mail…SAD SAD!!! Chin up butter cup!! Looks like you have a few painters on here with ya all the way!! LOVE paint!!!
Blessings my friend
Thank you, Susan! Thankfully, I get far less hate mail than my furniture-painting contemporaries.
this is so pretty!!!!
Thank you, Vickie!
Love your tree and trucks. I would leave the trucks up year around and add different things for the holidays as you have already done. You are an inspiration to me. On the lookout for wicker trees and old vintage trucks.
Thank you, Nancy! It’s fun to think of new ways to decorate the trucks, that’s for sure!
absolutely perfect choice to paint and display the old shiny brite’s! Love your blog posts!
Thank you so very much, Molly! Happy Holidays!
Love this- really cute idea!
Thank you, JoAnn!
That is just stinkin’ adorable! Lovely – Merry Christmas and all the best to you in 2020!
Thank you so much, Beverly – to you and yours, as well!
Oh my goodness, I LOVE this!! I have never seen one in that shape before but you better believe I’ll be paying more attention and searching for one now!!
Tania
Thanks, girl!! And yessss…may the thrifting gods be smiling in your favor as you hunt!
???????????
Thank you, Lori!
It’s brilliant…and ADORABLE!!!!
Thank you so very much, Jenni!
I think this is so clever of you, I just love it…………(paint on girl)
Thanks, Janice!
This is awesome, Sarah! Pinned! And I think that retro rattan stuff is way cuter painted; no hate mail coming from me!! Merry Chirstmas, friend!
Thank you so much, Lora – to you and yours, as well!
This is so cute!! Putting cut hooks on makes it easy to change out the ornaments. Also would make a great tree in a kids room especially if they have an allergy to the real thing. Painting it green was the perfect choice!
As for the black sharpie, I hear ya!! I keep a small bottle (4-6 oz) of acetone in my kitchen to remove expiration dates from containers that I reuse. One swipe with a cotton swab and the ink is gone. I did try it on sharpie ink and it worked, but it wasn’t on a porous surface like the rattan.
Love your creativity!!!
Thanks, Cathy!!
Catching up on mail I missed! This is adorable and a perfect setting for vintage ornaments!