How to Decorate Your Home with Bamboo

Bamboo is a versatile material that can be used to make everything from window blinds and bowls to clothes and yarn. This renewable resource is an affordable green option for eco-minded folks and is a great addition to any décor.

Bamboo is easy to work with (it can be made pliable by soaking in water) and can be fashioned into furniture, picture frames, wall coverings and baskets. Bamboo shoots are available in a variety of lengths and diameters at most craft and home stores and can be easily cut down to the appropriate size for your project. It comes in a variety of natural colors, or can be stained to suit your needs.

For decorative tables, counters, bars and desks, cut bamboo shoots into the desired length and then cut them in half. Glue the shoots in rows, or in your own design pattern, onto your flat surface, then cover with a sheet of glass for a smooth, easy to clean surface.

Bamboo can also be used as a wall covering by attaching it with glue or industrial staples, or you can create your own screen to lay against the wall by tying the shoots together. These decorative bamboo screens can also be used as an easy décor accent behind a sofa, as a headboard, or as a room divider.

Outside you can use purchased or DIY bamboo screens for privacy on decks and patios or to give a new look to an old fence.

Alternatively, you can create a simple décor piece for corners or small areas by bundling bamboo shoots together in a variety of lengths. Bundles of bamboo are also available at craft stores and home stores and are a great way to incorporate bamboo into your décor without having to take care of a living plant. They also provide a cost effective decorating accent for corners and smaller spots and are a great way to bring nature into your home in an aesthetically pleasing way.

Bamboo mats are also available to use as rugs or under office chairs, and bamboo blinds can be bought off the shelves or custom ordered to fit the windows in your home.

Of course, living plants are always a great way to improve the air quality and energy flow of your home and this fast-growing grass is no exception. Placing living bamboo in your home is a wonderful way to bring nature indoors and to improve the feng shui of your home as well.

As bamboo becomes more recognized as a versatile, renewable resource the number of products made from bamboo will continue to increase. Serving bowls, salad servers, trivets, placemats, steaming baskets, napkin rings, cutlery handles and cooking utensils are only a few of the functional unique bamboo products available for your home.

This is an exciting time for bamboo lovers like me. With its growing popularity, products made from bamboo are becoming much easier to find and much more affordable. We no longer have to depend on expensive import stores to find bamboo items for our home. I purchased my bamboo salad serving utensils at Target and cooking utensil sets are now even available at Wal Mart.