When we were building our house, we ended up with a pile of construction leftovers — you know, random scraps, offcuts, and pieces too good to toss but not quite useful for building. One of those scraps was a cut-off piece of an I-Joist truss, and as a crafty, decor-loving soul, I couldn’t let it go to waste.
Instead of letting it sit forgotten in the garage, I decided to give it a new life — and honestly, it turned out way better than I expected!
Step 1: A Clean, White Canvas 🎨
I started by giving the whole piece a fresh coat of white paint. This instantly cleaned it up and created a perfect blank canvas. I love using white when I’m working with patterns or fabric because it makes colors pop without looking too busy.
Step 2: Gorgeous Floral Accents 🌸
I had this beautiful floral fabric in my stash — white background (perfect!) with blue flowers that felt both fresh and elegant. I carefully cut out each flower from the material, trimming close to the design so they looked almost like hand-painted art once applied.
Using a hot glue gun, I arranged and glued the flowers across the face of the I-Joist. The effect was delicate but bold — soft florals against a clean white backdrop with that charming homemade touch.
Step 3: A Finishing Touch of Blue 💙
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To tie it all together, I painted the sides of the I-Joist blue to match the floral design. That small detail made a huge difference — it pulled everything together and made the whole piece feel complete and intentional. It added just enough color to make it pop without distracting from the florals.
The Result: Rustic, Upcycled Elegance 🏡✨
What started as “junk wood” is now a gorgeous piece of custom decor that I love. It’s the perfect blend of rustic, handmade, and meaningful, especially since it came from our home’s actual building materials.
Whether it ends up on a wall, a shelf, or even as a seasonal centerpiece, I’m just proud to have taken something that could have ended up in the trash and turned it into something beautiful.
Want to Try It?
If you’ve got leftover wood, extra fabric scraps, or even cut-up old clothes — don’t toss them! A little paint, glue, and creativity can go a long way. And bonus points if the material comes from something personal or meaningful, like your own home build.
I’ll definitely be making more from these I-Joist scraps. Stay tuned for more DIYs as I keep turning our house leftovers into heartfelt home decor.
Dandychandee 