Tree of Life as a Family Gift: Naming, Personalising, and Choosing the Right Piece
A personalised Tree of Life is one of the most enduring gifts you can give a family — the roots hold the names of the people who came before, and the branches leave room for the ones still to come. Art on Steel's Custom Family Tree of Life and Custom Founders Tree of Life are laser-cut and powder-coated to order, from R1,299 to R4,799 across five sizes, backed by a 4.93/5 rating across 1,201 verified customer reviews.
Why a Tree of Life works as a family gift
The roots-trunk-branches structure of the design maps naturally onto a family: roots for ancestry and where a family comes from, the trunk for the people holding it together now, and branches reaching outward for children, grandchildren, and everyone still to be added. That structure is what makes a personalised piece feel like more than decor — it's a stand-in for the family tree itself, displayed rather than filed away.
Custom Family Tree of Life vs. Custom Founders Tree of Life — which one fits?
Both pieces share the same five-size range and pricing, so the choice comes down to what you want the design to say.
Custom Family Tree of Life
Built around a family surname or chosen word worked into the design, this is the more common choice for an anniversary, a milestone birthday, a wedding, or a housewarming — a piece that names the family living in the home.
Custom Founders Tree of Life
A double-ring design personalised with a name, date, company name, or meaningful words. This is the stronger choice for marking the founding of a business, a corporate milestone, a personal achievement, or as a legacy gift for a founder or leader.
What sizes and pricing are available?
- 480mm, from R1,299 — suited to a hallway, stairwell, or smaller wall.
- 610mm, from R1,799
- 760mm, from R2,399
- 920mm, from R3,399
- 1200mm, from R4,799 — a genuine centrepiece for a living room or entryway.
Both designs are available in black or white powder coat at every size.
How does personalisation work?
Names are worked into the design during the digital proofing stage before any steel is cut — you'll see and approve the exact layout before production starts. Because it's a genuinely custom piece, it's non-refundable and non-cancellable once ordered, since the design work is engaged and paid for immediately regardless of how the proof is approved. Up to 3 free design revisions are included; further revisions are R450 each.
Is this made to order?
Yes. Custom and personalised pieces like these take up to 6 weeks, since dispatch is gated on drawing approval even though production is engaged and paid for at the time of order — worth factoring in if you're timing a gift for a specific date.
What does shipping cost?
Shipping is free on orders over R2,000. Below that, it's R140 within Gauteng or R160 elsewhere in South Africa.
Want the full symbolism and history?
This piece focuses on choosing and personalising a Tree of Life as a gift. For the design's cultural and spiritual meaning across different traditions, see Tree of Life South Africa: Meaning, Symbolism, and Design, or The Celtic Tree of Life for the Celtic-specific version.
View the Custom Family Tree of Life or Custom Founders Tree of Life to start personalising your own.