From rattan furniture, leafy wallpaper and earthy terracotta colour palettes, home decor inspired by nature is on the way up. Amounting to that irresistible bohemian vibe, the use of natural materials in interior design is a must right now, and will only become an increasingly coveted trend as summer approaches. 

A corner stone of this look is macrame. These knotted, tasseled pieces that hang from walls, plants and even light fixtures, have become synonymous with beach chic locations like Bali and Byron Bay. 

If you’ve found yourself drooling over macrame wall hangings and the like, we don’t blame you. In fact, we’re joining you with our guide to all things macrame including its origins, the best macrame homeware to buy and kits to make it yourself. 

Shop and knot your way to macrame heaven with our edit below. 

What is macrame?

Macrame has sky-rocketed in popularity recently thanks to its bohemian aesthetic, which is an especially big trend this summer.

It’s clear from some internet browsing that macrame home decor products involve the weaving and knotting of material to create a multi-layered and textured effect, but what actually constitutes something as being macrame?

Knotting is at the heart of macrame, so a piece made by the macrame method must involve a special type of knot (usually the ‘square knot’) from which the item can work outwards. This knot can start and finish there, or more knots can be created for design or practicality.

You don’t need much to do it, either. Simply armed with your material of choice (like string, twine, leather or chunky wool), scissors and a holding hoop to keep it in place, you can start making all sorts using just your hands.

Macrame has been popular in a string of different eras. Most recently in the 1970s, when crotchet waistcoats were all the rage, and it was big in Victorian times, too. But macrame has actually been around for hundreds of years, stemming from 13th-century Arabic culture and reaching Europe via Spain. Macrame is a Spanish word, but comes from the Arabic for “ornamental fringe” or similar. 

Macrame pieces to buy and get the look for yourself:

How can I macrame at home?

Lockdown has got many of us trying our hand at new crafting projects, and macrame seems to be among the most popular. If you’d like to try making something using the macrame method at home, it’s more than an achievable goal.

There are plenty of macrame kits out there which will equip you with the tools, materials and instructions to make something of your own. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Images: Getty / courtesy of brands