Wind Chimes: 48 Different DIY Ideas and Unique Upscale Designs

Wind chimes are one of the most popular garden accents, and there are some different and unique DIY projects out there. And some design favorites. You can run the gambit from a simple set, created from a single wine bottle and a few beads, to a high-end Woodstock tubular chime that’s taller than you are. There are chimes full of color, some made from found objects – and some that don’t make a great deal of sound. Are they cheater chimes? The images we’ve collected include upscale, glass, bottle, tubular, wood and even fairy garden wind chimes. And some really good sounding Woodstock models. Whatever your backyard design style, you should be able to find something here.

Wind Chimes DIY Ideas and Design Favorites
Rainbow Driftwood Wind Chimes available on eBay.

Wind chimes are made from everything these days. If you’ve got an idea for an outdoor design, you can do it. There are lots of DIY ideas – from found objects and bits of glass to wine bottles (you’ll need a cutter). Or shells and driftwood. And some of them make pretty funky chimes. We’ve got 48 examples below of some of the best design ideas around – DIY and off the shelf. The top shelf. Because some of you would rather buy them, we know. Enjoy.

Glass Wind Chime Ideas & Designs

Green Sea Glass Chimes

Sea glass – from different found bits on the beach – is a great design idea. This one is a relatively easy DIY. Source

Wind Chimes Glass Driftwood Idea

The branches for all the dfferent designs at Beadworx are from fallen trees.

Blue Glass Wind Chimes

This stunning blue glass example incorporates different sizes and shades of blue. Available on Etsy (comes in many designs and colors).

Green Stained Glass Design Chimes

This stained glass chime is highly detailed. Glass chimes make a gorgeous clinking sound in a gentle wind – a toast to mother nature. Source

Antique Blue Crystals Wind Chime Design

This blue crystal DIY is dripping with vintage crystals – and heavy, we’re sure. You’d have to collect the crystals first, but you could make this one yourself. Source

Victoria Nelson Glass Jellyfish Chime Idea

Australia’s Victoria Nelson had the brilliant idea to make jellyfish glass wind chimes. And they turned out to be upscale works of art. Visit her website here.

Tulip Fused Glass Design Chimes

This fused glass wind chime was designed with a parrot tulip flower on top and multiple colored glass panels. Available from Etsy.

Glass Cats Smiling Chimes

Fused glass cat design idea  – check out those whiskers. Source

Shower of Glass Wind Chimes Design

Custommade, upscale glass panel chimes for something unique outside the front door. Source

Glass Chakra Chimes

Glass chakra chimes reflect the sun. Using chakra colors is a different way to go. Source

Wind Chimes From Teapots & Cutlery

Silver Teapot Cutlery Chime Designs

Some fine examples of upcycled vintage silver teapots and cutlery, from Gotmyreservations.com. You can DIY these designs, but if you’re a beginner, start with some of the simpler ones. Haunt garage sales and thrift shops for old, mismatched silverware. You can make a really unique piece this way.

The Octopus' Garden Wind chimes

This octopus hanger is a really creative wind chime idea – and then to have the spoons as fish – it’s too cute. Available on Etsy.

Gravy boat idea cutlery chime

Using an overturned gravy boat as a header is another great idea. Where do they get their design inspiration? Source

Candle holder idea cutlery chime

An overturned candelabra is another unique design for wind a chime header. There are so many different cutlery chime ideas and designs! Keep your eyes open and wonder, when you see an interesting anything, Could I DIY that into a wind chime?

Driftwood Fish Wind Chime

Combining driftwood and fish makes for a different piece. Source

Sailboat Design Fish Chimes

This is such a clever idea for a sailor – we’re looking at a sailboat with fish below the water line. The sails are copper, the boat is driftwood and the fish are spoons. Ahoy! Source

Cutlery Wind Chimes Crab Float

Crabfloat and fish by Neva Starr. These fish really are cute and they open the door to some really ingenious design ideas.

Sayings on Cutlery Idea Wind Chimes

Cutlery chimes with sayings are flattened spoons that have been metal stamped. An easy DIY once you get the tools. Source

Over the top Chimes Boho design

Here’s a really loaded cutlery wind chime – looks decadent, doesn’t it? Source

Natural Wind Chimes: DIY with Wood & Shells

Shells Starfish Wind Chimes

Seashells are among the easiest designs to DIY. And it makes the chime personal if you’ve collected the shells yourself, along some deserted beach.

Seashells Starfish Chimes Mirror idea

Using a dried starfish as a header keeps it in theme. This one has the addition of mirrored discs and faux seaweed. Not sure about that idea. Source

Shells Wood Chimes

A simple example of driftwood and shell design. Source

Found bits natural wind chime design

This beauty was created with found bits of sea glass and shells. A driftwood top and copper wire completes the design. An easy DIY project. Source

Driftwood Seashell Agate Chimes

Agate, shells and starfish-adorn this beach wind chime. You’d never guess it was homemade. Shell designs can have an upscale feel when put together with some design principles. Source

DIY Wind Chime Ideas From Bottles

Boho Bottle Chime Bead Idea

If you’ve got a glass cutter, this wine bottle and bead wind chime is a simple design to attempt for your first DIY wind chime. Source

Blue Wine Bottle Wind Chime

Beautiful blue wine bottle wind chimes are another easy DIY with a cutter. Source 

Assorted colors bottles chime design

Mixed color bottle wind chime, using wine and liquor bottles. Source

Funky Bottle Wind Chimes

Arty bottle wind chimes in funky colors. Source (video)

DIY Wine Bottle Idea Wind Chimes

Cobalt blue bottle – said to ward off spirits (can’t hurt). Source

Recycled Bottle Chimes

Recycled bottle wind chimes from the Appalachian mountains. Source

Woodstock Wind Chimes

Woodstock Copper Tubular Wind Chimes

Woodstock is the undisputed top designer of wind chimes – there has never been any question. Their sound is far superior to anything else on the market and their tubular design, as traditional as it is, is the gold standard of wind chimes. It’s the top of the upscale market. The best part? You can listen to each individual chime online at their website, in The Sound Room. Now, that’s cool.

Woodstock Ceramic Idea Wind Chimes

Woodstock is branching out into ceramic wind chime design, with its Forest Cascade line. Source

Woodstock Wood Top Wind Chimes

Enchantment Chimes are one of the many tubular wind chimes that Woodstock creates. They have hundreds to choose from and many are decidedly upscale, if not the most unique designs. This company specializes in the best sound possible – which kind of is the point. Source

Woodstock Human Size Wind Chime design

Do you see how long these tubes are? 71″ long. That’s 5’11”. That’s huge. Designed to sound like church bells, this 1812 wind chime is tuned to the notes of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. Awesome idea. Hopefully, the neighbors think so too. Source

Creative & Unusual Wind Chime Designs

Dr. Seuss fish chime

This little guy looks right out of Dr. Seuss. Beads and bells – and bright colors – are always a good idea, we think.

Fiary-Garden-Wind-Chimes

Fairy Garden wind chime – in miniature. Isn’t it cute? Source

Love is in the Air Wind Chime design

Metal hearts, keys & crystal beads rain down in this upscale copper chime. Source

Sandwich Glass Wind Chimes

This is another cute idea – using a Sandwich Glass teacup and saucer as your theme. Source

Colorful Bead Chimes idea

What was it we said about bright colors and glass beads? Always makes us happy. The brass bits on the end add another level to the design. And the sound. Source

Weather beaten pottery fish chimes

These pottery fish wind chimes aren’t a DIY but they aren’t expensive, either. Such good colors and they weather so nicely. Source

Gone Fishing, said the fork

These Gone Fishing pieces are simply charming. Good ideas, translated into good design. Driftwood and cutlery. Who knew? Both above and below from Neva Starr’s Twisted Metals Etsy shop.

Incredible Fishing Wind Chimes

This design line is one of the best wind chime ideas that we’ve ever seen. Source

Musical note chimes

Musical notes on glass – a simple, pleasing design for that musician in your life. Source

Heavy crystal wind chime

This is over the top. But can you imagine when the sun shines through the crystals? How heavy do you think this piece is? What a hugely decadent design. And a unique one, too. Source

Bottle Cap Wind Chime Idea

Ok, who do you think first came up with the idea to use bottle caps? This is quite bohemian. Not sure about the colander, but it kind of works. Source

Jellyfish fork wind chime idea

And another one of the neatest ideas we’ve seen for cutlery wind chimes – a jellyfish fork. From Neva Starr again. Who else? The designs are so unique and distinctive.

Brass wind chime bridge design

This 600 pipe chime in Denmark, is played by pedestrians walking over the bridge. Very different. And absolutely not a DIY.  Source

About Joe Hats 177 Articles
Joe Hats is the founder of FreshPatio.com. Joe has been remodeling homes since 1997 when he bought his first fixer-upper. He has built many pieces of indoor and outdoor furniture with his own hands and has every DIY woodworking tool in his possession. Coming from an engineering background, he has designed and built many patio fixture plans. Following his wife's lead, he is also very passionate about home decor and together they keep track of the latest trends. When he is not remodeling or trying a new woodworking tool, he is busy gardening or designing a new outdoor plan.