How to Make Indoor Artificial Trees

Paint your trunk multiple browns like a real tree.

Indoor trees add a calming touch to any room. Artificial trees come with additional conveniences—you will never have to worry about plant maintenance; you'll never have to deal with pests. Creating an indoor artificial tree also gives you the freedom of displaying any kind of tree you choose. Indoor artificial trees often cost a fraction of a real tree, are fun to make, and will last forever.

Things You'll Need

• Tree pot
• Foam block
• Wire
• Wire cutters
• Pliers
• Newspaper
• Papier-mache
• Scissors
• Paint
• Paintbrush
• Hot glue
• Artificial moss
• Artificial foliage
• Artificial fruit

Instructions

The Trunk

1. Choose what type of tree you want to create. Gather artificial foliage, flowers and fruit that will correspond with your tree. Also consider other additions, like fake birds.

2. Decide how tall you want your indoor tree to be. Use pliers to cut at least eight pieces of wire to about a foot longer than the desired height. Stick these wires into the foam block base, in a circle, to create the width you want.

3. Bend these wires into the shape of a tree you choose. Start curving the wires to create a spiral shape in the trunk. Separate two or three wires from this spiral to twist off and create a branch frame. More wires will produce more branches. Leave room for foliage.

4. Cut strips of newspaper about 5 inches long and about 2 inches wide. Dip these in papier-mache. Wipe of the excess papier-mache and apply the strips to the wire frame. Wrap the strips around. Add two more layers. Wait for the paper to dry in between layers.

5. Paint the papier-mache trunk the hue of brown your chosen tree is. Add highlights of different browns; real trees aren’t one consistent color. Leave it to dry.

Decorating the Tree

1. Decorate your tree container if it needs it. Set your tree in the pot. To add height in a large pot, add rocks to the bottom. Cover the foam block and tree base with artificial moss.

2. Apply the foliage. Glue individual leaves on tips of twigs and branches to create a more genuine look. Fill space between branches by hot-gluing strands at intermittent points, letting the foliage drape in between. Or you can use bush foliage if your tree style was available at the garden or craft store.

3. Glue on any embellishments. Hide a few fruit and flowers in the thicker foliage. Keep most of the flowering to the outer perimeter of your indoor artificial tree.

Tips & Warnings

• Create a cool abstract tree with wire. Use the same base, but leave out the papier-mache and foliage. Add essentials like a wildlife creature or single blossom.

References

• Essortment: Paper mache projects: how to make a paper mache tree

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish