9 Creative Ideas for Beautiful Beehives

A simple yet surprisingly pretty solution is to paint hives in shades that complement the surrounding flora. Be sure to keep colors on the lighter side, notes Hilary of Beekeeping Like a Girl, as dark shades absorb sunlight and could cause dangerously hot internal temperatures.

Heather Isbell of Etsy shop Izzabella Beez (whose work is pictured above) specializes in hand-painted beehive boxes. Commission one of these unctional works of art," as one customer calls them, or make use of your own paintbrush skills for a DIY version.

Play up the social nature of bees by grouping their hives into a "town" complete with all of the requisite structures: church, post office, general store, etc.

Give your bees floor-to-ceiling windows with this hive made of Mason jars and a wooden crate. Be sure to place it in a shaded area so your buzzy friends don't overheat! Get the tutorial at Remove and Replace.

If nothing else, a fresh coat of paint and a few bee stencils or decals turn an otherwise ho-hum box into an adorable garden decoration.