If you are in the process of adding a more creative touch to your home's exterior, you may decide you would like to replace your old, ugly downspouts with copper rain chains. If so, use the following tips to help them do their job of diverting water away from your home while adding a touch of pizazz to your house.

Use Double Chains to Divert More Water

If you live in a particularly wet area, you may worry that one chain will not fully serve as a substitute for one of your downspouts. If so, install two per corner of your home so they can catch and divert more water away from your house.

When selecting the chains to wrap around each other for each downspout, choose ones that complement each other. For example, choose one chain that is adorned with butterflies to entwine with one featuring small, delicate flowers to create an illusion of the colorful insects feeding on the blooms.

Place a Decorative Bowl under the Chains

Once you have hung your double chains, you may want to put something underneath them to catch any excess rain so you can use it to water your garden. If so, choose a decorative copper bowl that matches the design of your chains. You can either have one that has patterns etched into the exterior, or select one that has small figurines attached.

If you are not interested in collecting the rainwater and would rather having it directed away from your house, choose one with an opening or spout on one side of it. You can then face this opening away from the corner so the water runs off into a small run-off ditch.

Create a Run-off Ditch Filled with Smooth Pebbles

If you have chosen to have a run-off ditch, you can also decorate it to add to the visual appeal of your home's exterior. Instead of leaving the ditch with a dirt layer or covering it with plastic, fill the ditch with smooth pebbles.

The pebbles not only add a decorative touch, they also make small channels through which the water can flow. And, because the stones break the flow of water, they help decrease the amount of soil erosion in the ditch.

Using the tips above can help you create a decorative, yet functional, way to use rain chains in place of your old downspouts. Speak with a representative from the home and garden store from which you bought your copper rain chains for more creative ideas for installing and using them.