If you’ve got a big collection of beautiful buttons that never seem to make their way onto a garment – there are a ton of different creative ways you can use those buttons! Nothing looks more unique and just plain awesome than handmade home décor and accessory items featuring beautiful, decorative buttons.
Here are five fun ways to use decorative buttons that will get your creative juices flowing and result in some beautiful pieces for your home and wardrobe!
Button Wall Art
Buttons make for beautiful wall art! This is a great way to display some of your most beautiful and unique buttons. Plus, putting together a piece of button art is a fun way to explore your creative side!
To make your button wall hanging, first choose a base to attach the buttons to. A painting canvas, a piece of wood, or burlap fabric are all great options. Next, gather a good selection of buttons – a mix of colorful, basic buttons and standout decorative buttons usually works well.
Then, simply use a hot glue gun to glue the buttons to the canvas or other surface, gluing them so that they overlap and form a shape. If you like, you can sketch out the outline of your intended shape with pencil first, then fill it in with buttons. Or, if you want the process to feel really natural and free flowing – just wing it and create the design as you place the buttons!
DIY Button Lampshade
Another unique way to use beautiful decorative buttons is on a DIY button lampshade. There’s no better way to dress up a basic lamp that with some gorgeous buttons!
You have a few different options for upcycling your lamp’s shade. The easiest option is to simply glue a range of different sizes and colors of buttons across the entire surface of the lampshade. Then, when the lamp is turned on, the buttons will appear to glow!
Another option, which looks even more fancy and unique, is to strip away the outer fabric layer from the lampshade, leaving just the metal frame. Then, cut several pieces of 20 gauge wire to a few inches longer than the distance between the lower and upper wire on the lampshade frame. String decorative buttons on the wire – glass buttons look especially nice! Then, wrap the wire ends around the upper and lower wires of the shade frame, hanging the string of buttons vertically along the lampshade. Repeat this process until the entire lampshade frame has been filled in with vertical strings of buttons.
Handmade Button Headbands
If you’d like to use your buttons in an item you can wear, but that isn’t clothing, try making button headbands! Start by purchasing a package of basic elastic headbands with no additional decorative elements. The dollar store often has headbands like this.
Next, select a range of coordinating buttons for your headband. Unique buttons in interesting shapes will really make your headband stand out!
Then, stitch buttons onto the headband so that they are side-to-side along the length of the headband. Continue adding buttons until about 2/3 of the headband is covered with buttons. Leave the last 1/3 of the headband button-free, this portion will be at the base of your head while you wear the headband. Leaving the buttons off this last bit of headband helps to prevent buttons from getting caught in your hair!
Button Bobby Pins
Another cool, easy-to-make accessory item that you can use decorative buttons for are one-of-a-kind bobby pins and hair clips.
To make button bobby pins and hair clips, purchase a package (or a few packs!) of basic bobby pins or hair clips. Next, choose 1 or 2 buttons for each bobby pin that you want to decorate.
Grab a hot glue gun and glue a button to the back of the top side of the bobby pin or hair clip. If you like, dot some glue on top of this first button, then stack a second, smaller button on top of it to add some texture.
Button Christmas Ornament
If you love unique Christmas ornaments – one made with buttons is sure to add a fun touch to your yearly Christmas tree.
To make a round button Christmas ornament, start with a Styrofoam ball in the size you want your finished ornament to be. Glue a loop of ribbon to the top of the ball. This will be the loop that the ornament can be hung from.
Then, choose buttons to cover this Styrofoam ball in colors that coordinate and in a range of different sizes. Next, use a hot glue gun to glue the buttons to the Styrofoam ball, taking your time to make sure that the entire surface of the Styrofoam is covered. Overlapping and layering the buttons creates texture and helps to make sure all the Styrofoam is covered. During this process, the buttons will cover the glued base of the ribbon loop, making it look as if the ribbon is emerging from the buttons.
