6. Metallic Skull Specimen Jars
Bring the aesthetic of a mad scientist’s laboratory into your living room with metallic skull specimens. Purchase inexpensive plastic or foam skulls from a dollar store. Coat them in metallic spray paint, such as brilliant gold, antique bronze, or bright copper. To add depth and age, brush a dark brown or black acrylic paint wash into the crevices, wiping away the excess with a paper towel so the dark paint remains only in the deep shadows. Place these metallic skulls inside large glass cloches or apothecary jars. Line the bottom of the jars with preserved green forest moss, dried twigs, and faux autumn leaves to ground the display, turning cheap plastic toys into high-end museum specimens.