DIY Brass Air Plant Holder

Make this himmeli air plant holder to hold your plants in modern geometric style.

rustic shelf and hanging brass air plant holders

Inspired by traditional Swedish straw ornaments known as himmeli, these modern versions serve as a hanger for your air plants any time of the year. Their geometric shapes and subtle shine make a welcome addition to any room. Crafted of inexpensive brass tubing, these DIY hangers are easy to make for much less than the store-bought variety. Learn how to thread the tubes into an upside-down kite shape, then fill these airy holders with plants. After you’ve mastered the technique, you can make several hangers of different shapes and sizes to display your whole air plant collection.

Start to Finish 20 Minutes
Difficulty Projects Easy
Involves Cutting Wire

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What you need

Tools

Mini tube cutter
Wire cutters
Ruler
Pencil

Materials

3/32" diameter brass tube
Brass wire
Air plants

How to do it

Step 1 Measure and Cut Tubing

Using the tube cutters, carefully cut nine lengths of brass tube. Cut six pieces to be 3 inches long and three pieces to be 3-3/4 inches long. Use a ruler and pencil to measure and mark where to make your cuts. These pieces will form the shape of your hanger.

Step 2 Cut Wire

Next, cut your brass wire. (This is what you’ll string the tubes on.) You’ll need one long length of brass wire that’s double the length of tubing used. In this case, we cut 58-1/2 inches of wire. The extra allows for joints between the tubes and a top loop for hanging.

Step 3 Form Triangle

Thread three of the smaller 3-inch tubes together on the wire. Shape into a triangle. Knot the wire at one corner to prevent the tubes from sliding around.

Step 4 Form Pyramid Base

run wire back through wire to make pyramid

Thread the wire through two more short pieces. Connect them to the first three by feeding the wire through the original triangle again. Thread wire through the last short piece to create the pyramid base. This will be the bottom-pointing section of your hanger.

Step 5 Connect Long Tubes

Thread the end of the wire through two of the longer pieces. Connect them to the base of the pyramid by feeding the wire back through one end of the base triangle. Thread the wire through the last piece of tubing and connect it where the three long pieces meet by tying a knot. This longer pyramid you just formed will be the top section of your hanger. You will have created a three-dimensional kite shape.

Step 6 Create a Hanging Loop

run wire through top of structure to connect

At the top of your hanger, fashion a loop with the extra wire. You can make this loop longer or shorter depending on your preference. Tie another knot to secure. Trim any excess wire with cutters or strong scissors.