10 Ideas For Using Macrame as Home Decor

By
Shelby Deering
Shelby Deering, Contributing Writer for The Spruce
Shelby Deering

Shelby Deering is a lifestyle writer who specializes in decor articles and home tours. She spends her spare time at flea markets and hunting for vintage finds. Shelby is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors.

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Updated on 09/16/22
Macrame wall hanging over wooden bench with books stacked and houseplants in white pots

The Spruce / Leticia Almeida

Macrame is synonymous with all things hip and happening from the 1970s. But, macrame is enjoying a resurgence as trends shift toward unconventional and eclectic decor, and innovative artisans, crafters, and designers continue to turn a fresh eye towards this knotted and woven art to make its muted palette and heavily textured patterns look better than ever in today's home.

Macrame has a charming vintage appeal to it. Each piece gives your home an incomparable touch of cozy, neutral texture when white and cream macrame string, cording, or roping (plies and thicknesses vary) is woven into plant hangers, one-of-a-kind wall art, or light-diffusing coverings for votive holders and hanging LED bulb chandeliers.

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Free Up Your Counter Space With This DIY Macrame Fruit Hammock

Before Macrame Was Groovy

The knotted art's popularity predated the era of hippies and bell-bottoms by hundreds of years. It was first the rage among 13th- century Arabic weavers. Queen Mary II of England learned the craft during the 17th century and it became a Victorian-era favorite. It then reappeared in the counterculture fashion world of the 1970s.

Here are 10 elegant decor ideas honoring the old-fashioned art of macrame that show you how to incorporate the look into your home in the most refreshing ways.

  • 01 of 10

    Twisted Plant Hangers

    twisted macrame plant hangers

    KuznetsovDmitry / Getty Images

    It doesn’t get more classic than a macrame plant hanger. The look here is delightfully fresh and care-free as the varied green leaves weave in and out of the twisted and textured white cording. You can find macrame plant hangers in different colors and accented with wooden beads, or you can make your own.

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  • 02 of 10

    Dreamy Fiber Art

    macrame wall hanging decor
    Teddy and Wool / Etsy

    These two pieces of macrame artwork look like large and contemporary versions of dreamcatchers. The lightly woven macrame pieces are woven on hoops that become integrated frames. Keep your woven works pristine and free of dust to retain their soft and delicate appearance.

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  • 03 of 10

    Charming Votive Holders

    macrame votive candle holders

    thisiswhatido / Instagram

    Small glass jars dressed up in macrame creations softly diffuse the glow of candlelight. Purchase them from Etsy or try your hand at it through tutorials. The weavings add a bit of Victorian beauty to the candle holders, where they can be displayed outdoors or indoors on your nightstand or bathroom counter.

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  • 04 of 10

    Flowing Wall Hangings

    macrame wall hanging urban outfitters
    Urban Outfitters

    When it comes to macrame, there's a dizzying array of wall hangings you can buy or you can make your own. Learn how to create a one-of-a-kind macrame wall hanging using a reclaimed piece of driftwood.

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  • 05 of 10

    Indoor Woven Hammocks

    woven hammock
    Patina Rentals

    A macrame hammock is traditionally used outdoors, but it can work even better inside to bring a feeling of relaxation where it's needed. Hang a hammock in a corner to serve as a laid-back reading nook or on a three-season porch where you can take in the outdoor scenery while binging on your favorite streamed show.

    20 Ideas for Adding a Hammock to a Room
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  • 06 of 10

    Pretty Patterned Stools

    Macrame stools

    lespetitsbohemes / Instagram

    Macrame can be made to be sturdy, soft, and pretty all at the same time, making it a comfortable and uncommon topping to a stool. A macrame stool looks charming when it's set into a corner among plants and other decorative objects. Display several around a dining table for decor that has a creative edge.

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  • 07 of 10

    Soft and Decorative Garlands

    macrame garland

    macramama / threesparrowsboutique / Instagram

    A macrame garland brings a touch of hipness to your home. Add a creation on a wall hanger placed above your bed or on a door. Hang a piece of macrame garland off of a fireplace mantel, floating shelf, or windowsill for an unexpected way to dress up bare ledges.

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  • 08 of 10

    Textured Chunky Placemats

    macrame placemat

    thelittleknotshoppe / Instagram

    Make your home look as if it jumped from the pages of an Anthropologie catalog by displaying chunky macrame placemats or a runner on your dining room table. Macrame communicates a relaxed aura and works for a wide variety of decor styles from vintage to beachy.

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  • 09 of 10

    Easy Breezy Door Curtains

    door curtains

    Earthbound Trading Co.

    A more hushed version of beaded curtains from the 1970s, a flowing macrame covering adds a dash of dreaminess to any doorway or window. A macrame curtain can even replace a closet door that makes access quieter, quick, and simple.

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  • 10 of 10

    Magical Hanging Chandeliers

    macrame chandelier coverings

    modernmacrame / Instagram

    Cast a mystical glow throughout your home with a cluster of macrame covered chandeliers. Integrate this soft version of woven lighting in with other artisanal woven pendants made from bamboo and rattan placed in the same room for an eclectic flair.

’70s Decor Trends That Are Back In Style