If you’re on the lookout to keep your hands and mind preoccupied, consider trying out some of the best DIY paper mache ideas. Paper mache, otherwise seen as “papier-mâché”, is a historic type of art that dates back centuries. Back then, it was lauded as an affordable building material in contrast to the expensive woodwork. Nowadays, do-it-yourselfers have latched onto the versatile art form to create interesting and unique crafts.
16 Creative Ways to Decorate Your Home with DIY Paper Mache Projects
The lack of expenses needed to create something that looks like something you’d buy out of the store is one of the many reasons people have turned to paper mache. It is remarkably adaptable too, so what you are able to create is limited only by your own imagination.
How much skill and time is needed for such works of art depends on what you’re doing. Some of these projects may go by quickly, while others might require you to set aside a bit more time. The best way for you to hone your skills is simply by practicing various paper mache styles. The real question now is: where do you begin?
There are countless of paths to take during your paper mache journey, so we understand how overwhelming it can be to find a new project. To help you start up your venture, we discovered 16 different ways that you can transform paper mache into something incredible. You can create beautiful bowls, decorative signs, festive piñatas for a fun party, and much more.
Read on to discover more about what you can make using this economical, yet multitalented material. With each of these ideas, we hope to awaken your inner artist, allowing you to come up with some awesome paper mache projects.
1. Stunning DIY Paper Mache Bowls
No longer do you have to go out and buy those fancy decorative bowls seen in stores. With the right materials, you can create paper mache versions that are just as beautiful. In fact, this DIY project even allows you to completely personalize the bowls as you can use whatever paint color and put on any design you want. With a little bit of patience and time, you can create bowls of various sizes, preferably rounded ones with no ridges on the bottom for smoother molding. They can make for wonderful home décor items or as the perfect holiday gift for a loved one.
2. Thrifty Cool Paper Mache Pumpkins
General crafting tends to be an economical experience, but nothing’s quite as thrifty and fun as diving through items from the Dollar Tree. In a store like that, you can easily find these Styrofoam pumpkins and use them as a way to elevate common home decorations into something more with a paper mache design. Gather up some vintage book pages of your choice and get to work adding an old-fashioned, retro touch to your Fall décor. This project needs less than five materials, so it’s a simple as they come. The whole family can even join in for an exciting bonding experience.
3. Perfect Paper Mache Confetti Bowl
Some of the best DIY paper mache ideas stem from using random pieces of paper that you may initially think to throw away. So, the next time you feel like tossing that magazine, for instance, check out some of the corners or sides of the pages without any pictures. Notice any fun colored patterns? You can cut those out and use them to create vibrant paper mache confetti bowls. What’s so awesome about these bowls is that you can use them year-round. You can fill them with different seasonal items and rely on the colors to provide a livelier touch.
4. Paper Mache Glam Ram Trophy Head
Do you have a fondness for animal trophy décor, but you’re not exactly thrilled on having an actual stuffed animal head on your wall? Well, if you’re crafty enough, you can just make one. This gold and pink glam ram paper mache is a sweet piece that any animal lover can love. It’s an awesome idea particularly for a child’s room. This may take some time to nail down considering all of the shaping and molding required. Even so, the end result is this gorgeous trophy head display that is arguably more compelling and attractive than the real thing.
5. Cute DIY Paper Mache Love Heart Wreath
If you have a love of Valentine’s Day or simply enjoy spreading the feeling around your home year-round, check out this neat paper mache wreath. It can hang on your wall or your door. No matter where you put it, the love wreath is a beautiful way to add some more joy to your home decoration skills. It’s rather remarkable how you can transform a simple wire hanger into this gorgeous piece using torn music sheets. Beyond crafting the word “love” in the center, you can personalize it further by adding sweet decorations around the wreath like flowers, butterflies, or anything else that elicits that warm feeling of adoration.
6. Paper Mache Easter Confetti Eggs
For those of you seeking out the best DIY paper mache ideas for the whole family to dive in and enjoy, then these paper mache Easter eggs should do the trick. It’s not the quickest craft project to tackle, but it’s one that you can use as both fun and a learning method for your kids. They may not be painting eggs, but their creations will be just as vivid and eye-catching. Find some colored or patterned paper, glitter, ribbons, and go crazy with the decorations on the eggs. Your family will love creating colorful Easter eggs without resorting to using actual eggs and paint.
7. DIY Bookshelf Sign Paper Mache Art
Is your bookshelf looking a bit “bare” whether you have dozens of books or just a handful? Consider adding some decorations to your bookshelf. This not only fancies the shelf itself, but it also adds an extra touch to your home décor overall. This particular paper mache design is unique to bookshelves themselves as it spells out the word “books”. However, you can decide to use any word or phrase you wish from a famous quote from your favorite story, to simply the title of the most beloved book on your shelf. What you’re left with is incredible three-dimensional word paper mache artwork.
8. Burger & Fries Cool DIY Paper Mache
Plenty of people enjoy food art, so this is an awesome idea for you to add food sculptures to your home in a cute, inexpensive way. Every section of this burger and fries combo is crafted by your hands. The buns, the tomato, cheese, meat, and lettuce are all paper mache. It’s an exciting way for you to push your creativity in order to create authentic food items. Painting the food is where even more fun comes in as you can really stretch your artistic skills. This can be a great décor item for anyone interested in quirkier, funny artwork. It’s enjoyable enough that you can stick it in almost any room and prompt a conversation with guests.
9. Massive DIY Paper Mache Moon
Do you remember those school science fair projects that involved making the solar system? This DIY project takes a new route to that using paper mache. You can try tackling this with your child or children whether they’re using it for a school project. Otherwise, you can simply use this as a means to recycle things like cardboard, cereal boxes, grocery bags, and newspaper you have lying around while giving your kids something to do on a lazy day. After some gluing, molding, and painting, they’ll come away with some sweet paper mache art in the form of an oversized moon. It’ll look great hanging up in a space-themed bedroom.
10. Colorful Pineapple Paper Mache Piñata
No more do you have to rush out to the store to buy a piñata with the usual animal or character design used. Now, you can discover the best DIY paper mache ideas to create your own custom piñata. This pineapple one, specifically, is wonderful to use for a beach-themed or otherwise summer party. Since a balloon is involved in this project, you and your guests won’t be able to smash this open for candy to fall out though. It’s simply a way to add some colorful, fun décor to a party or just to hang up somewhere around your home if you have a love of pineapples.
11. Adorable Paper Mache Piñata Fish
Piñatas and paper mache are a perfect pairing when you want to personalize your decorations in a budget-friendly way. This can work wonders at a birthday party for a kid who has a strong love of cartoon-like fish. The cute face on the paper mache design ups the childlike and fun factor, making it a talking point at any party. You may have no desire to let the children actually beat away at it with sticks since you’re using a blown up balloon as the main base. Of course, if you made it purely for them to enjoy, then by all means let kids have a good time busting it open.
12. DIY Vintage Paper Mache Faux Fruit
Do you have some faux fruit lying around that you may have forgotten about? Perhaps you’re looking for a way to elevate the standard fake fruit bowl so many of us have in our kitchen? Then take a look at this paper mache art. Grab some faux fruit, paint them up, and apply the Mod Podge and strips of paper from an aged book. Now you have added some vintage vibes to your home decoration. These fruits are transformed enough that people may actually take a second look at that bowl sitting on the table or counter instead of just glossing over it.
13. Unique Paper Mache Fruit Bowls
Bowls are popular items to create with paper mache, and these fruit bowls are no different. It takes some patience to add all of those intricate, tiny details inside the bowls, but that certainly adds to the authentic feel of them. You can use whatever fruit you wish for inspiration here. Fruits have such varied appearances and bright, bold colors that any you choose will capture the right mood. As far as paper mache projects go, this is a straightforward one that can work with many different types of style and décor you already have around your home.
14. Fun Paper Mache Sailboat Decoration
If you have a love of boating or the open sea, consider some of the best DIY paper mache ideas focused on sailboats. This one, in spite of the end project looking complex, doesn’t actually take that long to create. You do need a good deal of materials for it, but it’s still as simple as they come for those of you used to dealing with craft projects and paper mache. You’ll finish with an adorable sailboat that looks as good in your study as it can in a nursery. There’s even enough room inside that you can place something there like a little sailor.
15. DIY Bee-Covered Paper Mache Beehive
This is another one of the best DIY paper mache ideas to do with kids. It may get messy, but it isn’t complicated, and the little ones are sure to enjoy creating this epic beehive. The balloon used is plenty large enough to give you a lot of space to work with. You’ll finish this off with a pretty, yet simple beehive. The added touch of placing bumblebees all around the hive using colored pipe cleaners truly brings the entire creation to life. You can use it as simple décor around the home or in a bee-themed kids’ bedroom. Or consider adding it to a Halloween costume or decoration. It’s universal enough to work well anywhere.
16. Mannequin DIY Paper Mache Jewelry Stand
If you have a lot of jewelry lying around, it’s so easy to tuck it all away in a box or on standard small stands. Why not elevate that though? Find yourself a miniature paper mache mannequin, paper, glue, and paint, and get to work. You can cut out strands of paper from anything you’d like, but sheet music or even a vintage book provides a more eye-catching paper mache design. It is basic, but it’s attractive enough to take common jewelry stands and raise them up a level.
16 Ways DIY Paper Mache Projects can Make Your Home Prettier
Paper mache is a longtime, classic craft hobby that many people whether they’re artistic or not have come to enjoy. There are so many fun ways that you can take this material and turn it into something to decorate your home or use for a themed-based party. Some of these crafts only require five materials, while others need you to invest in a bit more. All are still affordable though considering paper mache itself is a great thrifty way of decorating in the first place.
The above 16 best DIY paper mache ideas address the various pieces you can make from bowls to piñatas. We hope that you’ll find something exciting and thought-provoking to create for your next paper mache project.