Chicken Wire Crafts: 13 Cheap Ideas That Look Like Expensive Home Decor

Chicken Wire Crafts are having a huge moment, and it is easy to see why. One roll of this humble garden fencing costs about as much as a pizza, yet it can be shaped into glowing porch angels, light up reindeer, farmhouse cabinet doors and clever photo displays that look like pricey boutique decor. The wire is light, easy to bend and forgiving for beginners, so you do not need special skills. We gathered 13 of our favorite ideas for Christmas and all year round, each with a simple supply list and easy steps. Always wear sturdy gloves when you cut and bend the wire, because the cut ends are sharp, and use battery LED lights for anything that glows. Grab a roll and let us get crafting..

Chicken Wire Crafts Like This Glowing Porch Angel

This is the project that stops neighbors on the sidewalk. A life size angel shaped from chicken wire and filled with warm LED fairy lights glows softly on the porch every evening. Online, these wire creations are pulling huge numbers, and one simple chicken wire porch idea on MSN has been a reader favorite this season. Start with a dress form or tomato cage as a base and wrap the wire around it, then shape two big wings. Add two cone trees beside it and your porch looks like a high end display. Ready to light up the block..

You will need: A roll of chicken wire, a tomato cage or dress form for shaping, wire cutters, heavy gloves, zip ties, battery or plug in LED fairy lights rated for outdoors.

How to make it: 1. Wearing gloves, wrap the wire around the base to form the body and pinch it at the waist. 2. Cut two wing shapes, fold the edges and zip tie them to the back. 3. Weave LED lights inside and remove the base if you like.

Chicken Wire Christmas Tree Cone

A chicken wire cone tree has a light, airy, modern look that works in any style of home. Roll a big piece of wire into a cone, tuck the edges together and stuff a string of LED fairy lights inside. Make a few in different heights for a little forest on the porch, the mantel or a tabletop. They are light enough to move around and pack flat after the holidays. Add a small wire star on top for a finishing touch. How tall will your tallest tree be?

You will need: Chicken wire, wire cutters, heavy gloves, zip ties, LED fairy lights, a small wire star (optional).

How to make it: 1. Cut a large half circle of wire and roll it into a cone. 2. Overlap the edges and fasten them with zip ties, folding in any sharp ends. 3. Feed LED lights inside and add the star.

Chicken Wire Crafts for the Yard: A Light Up Reindeer

Store bought light up reindeer can cost a lot, but a homemade one has more charm and a fraction of the price. Shape the body from a rolled tube of chicken wire, add four rolled legs and a smaller head, then crown it with real twig antlers. LED lights inside give it a magical glow in the snow. Make a mama and baby pair for the front yard. Adult help is best for the cutting and shaping. Will your reindeer stand or lie down in the snow?

You will need: Chicken wire, wire cutters, heavy gloves, zip ties, sturdy twigs for antlers, outdoor LED fairy lights, garden stakes.

How to make it: 1. Roll a large tube for the body and four smaller tubes for legs. 2. Shape a head, zip tie all the parts together and add the twig antlers. 3. Fill with LED lights and stake it into the ground.

A Chicken Wire Snowman That Glows

Even without snow, you can build a snowman that lasts all winter. Shape three balls of chicken wire in different sizes, stack them and zip tie them together. Fill each one with warm LED lights, then add a cozy red scarf and a hat. At night it glows like a giant snow globe on the porch. Kids love helping choose the scarf and hat. It will greet guests from early December until the end of winter. What will you name your snowman?

You will need: Chicken wire, wire cutters, heavy gloves, zip ties, LED fairy lights, a knit scarf, an old hat.

How to make it: 1. Crumple and shape wire into three balls, small, medium and large. 2. Stack them and zip tie them together. 3. Add lights inside, then the scarf and hat.

Framed Chicken Wire Photo Display

This is one of the easiest and most useful chicken wire projects. Take an old picture frame, remove the glass and back, then staple chicken wire across the opening. Clip photos, notes, kids art and holiday cards to the wire with mini clothespins. It looks like a farmhouse boutique piece and changes with the seasons. Hang it by the front door or in the kitchen. If you love easy home ideas like this, see our junk garden art too. What will you clip on first?

You will need: An old wooden frame, chicken wire, a staple gun, wire cutters, gloves, mini clothespins.

How to make it: 1. Remove the glass and backing from the frame. 2. Cut wire slightly larger than the opening and staple it to the back. 3. Fold in sharp edges and clip on photos.

Farmhouse Chicken Wire Wreath

Chicken wire makes a wonderfully rustic wreath base that looks good all year. Crumple a long strip into a ring, then tuck in eucalyptus, cotton stems, dried flowers or pine sprigs. The silvery wire peeks through and gives the wreath that farmhouse texture people pay a lot for in shops. Swap the greenery each season, from cotton in winter to lavender in summer. A burlap bow finishes the look. Which season will your wreath celebrate first?

You will need: Chicken wire, wire cutters, gloves, floral wire, eucalyptus, cotton stems or other dried stems, burlap ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Cut a long strip of wire, crumple it and bend it into a ring. 2. Twist the ends together and tuck in sharp points. 3. Push stems into the wire and add a burlap bow.

Chicken Wire Crafts for the Kitchen: Farmhouse Cabinet Doors

Swapping solid cabinet panels for chicken wire is a classic farmhouse trick that makes a kitchen feel custom and charming. It is perfect for an old hutch or an upper cabinet where you want to show off pretty dishes. An adult carefully removes the center panels or glass, then staples wire across the back of each door. Paint the frame first for a fresh look. It costs a tiny fraction of new cabinets. Which cabinet would you open up?

You will need: Cabinet doors with removable panels, chicken wire, a staple gun, wire cutters, gloves, paint (optional).

How to make it: 1. An adult removes the door and its center panel. 2. Cut wire to size and staple it tightly to the back. 3. Rehang the door and style the shelves inside.

Dried Hydrangea Topiary on a Chicken Wire Form

Chicken wire is the secret skeleton behind many expensive looking floral pieces. Shape a tall oval or a soft dress form silhouette from the wire, mount it on a wooden candlestick or lamp base, then tuck dried hydrangea heads into every hole until the frame disappears. Add a few LED fairy lights for a gentle glow. It makes a stunning statement in a craft room, an entry or a bedroom corner, and dried flowers last for months. Which flowers would you use?

You will need: Chicken wire, wire cutters, gloves, zip ties, a wooden stand or lamp base, dried hydrangeas, LED fairy lights (optional).

How to make it: 1. Shape the wire into a tall oval or simple silhouette and zip tie the seam. 2. Fix it to the stand with wire or strong glue. 3. Push dried hydrangea heads into the mesh until it is fully covered.

Earring and Jewelry Holder

Tangled jewelry is a thing of the past with this simple holder. Staple chicken wire behind a small painted frame and hook earrings straight through the holes. Necklaces can hang from small hooks on the bottom edge. It looks pretty on a dresser and makes a lovely handmade gift for a teen, a friend or a teacher. Paint the frame to match the room. This is a quick project you can finish in an afternoon. Who would love one of these?

You will need: A small wooden frame, chicken wire, a staple gun, wire cutters, gloves, paint, small cup hooks.

How to make it: 1. Paint the frame and let it dry. 2. Staple wire across the back and trim the edges. 3. Screw cup hooks along the bottom for necklaces.

Chicken Wire Pendant Light Cover (LED)

Farmhouse pendant lights can cost hundreds, but a chicken wire shade gives the same look for a few dollars. Shape the wire into a dome or cage and fit it around an existing pendant with a cool running LED bulb. The light shines through the pattern and casts pretty shadows on the ceiling. Have a qualified adult handle anything electrical, and only use LED bulbs inside the shade. It is a showpiece over a kitchen island or a dining table. Which room needs a new light?

You will need: Chicken wire, wire cutters, gloves, zip ties, a metal ring for the top, an existing pendant fixture with an LED bulb.

How to make it: 1. Shape the wire into a dome around a large bowl. 2. Zip tie it to a metal ring at the top. 3. An adult fits it over the pendant with an LED bulb.

Christmas Card Holder in an Old Window Frame

Holiday cards deserve better than a pile on the counter. An old window frame with chicken wire stapled across the back becomes a beautiful card display. Clip each card with a mini clothespin and lean the frame on a console or mantel. Add a little pine garland along the top for a festive touch. After the holidays, it works for photos, recipes or kids art all year. Thrift stores and salvage yards are full of old windows. How many cards will you get this year?

You will need: An old window frame with the glass removed, chicken wire, a staple gun, gloves, mini clothespins, pine garland.

How to make it: 1. Clean the frame and remove any loose glass with care. 2. Staple wire across the back. 3. Clip on cards and add a garland on top.

Chicken Wire Crafts for the Garden: Planter Baskets and Liners

Chicken wire is a garden helper too. Shaped into simple baskets, it lines planting holes and protects bulbs and roots from digging critters, just like these simple wire cylinders. Make a few in the fall and plant your spring bulbs inside. The same baskets can be lined with moss or burlap and used as rustic planters on the porch. It is a practical project that pays off for years. Have critters ever dug up your bulbs?

You will need: Chicken wire, wire cutters, heavy gloves, a bucket or pot to shape around, moss or burlap (optional).

How to make it: 1. Press the wire around a bucket to form a basket shape. 2. Fold over the top edge so there are no sharp ends. 3. Set it into the planting hole or line it with moss for a planter.

Chicken Wire Crafts Can Go Big Like This Sculpture

If you catch the chicken wire bug, there is no limit to what you can make. This large sculpture in Funchal, Madeira was made from chicken wire and other materials, and the photographer said it looked like bronze from the cable car. Artists use the same cheap wire for life size animals and figures. Start small with a wreath or a cone tree, then work your way up to a bigger piece for the garden. For more ideas with wire and found objects, see our pool noodle DIYs. What would you sculpt?

You will need: Chicken wire, wire cutters, heavy gloves, zip ties, a sketch of your design, patience.

How to make it: 1. Sketch your shape and build a simple frame. 2. Wrap and pinch the wire around it in layers. 3. Seal or paint it if it will live outdoors.