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10 of the best uses for decorative rope

hanging rope chair next to tables and plant with decorative rope wall features in the background

Decorative ropes are incredibly versatile and can be used for all sorts of crafts and DIY projects. No matter your skill level, a good quality decorative rope can be used to transform existing items or create brand new crafts. From flip flops to table legs, read on for 10 of the best uses for decorative rope.

1. Trimmings

Want to spruce up your furniture on a budget? Decorative rope can be used to add stylish trimmings to any furniture or curtains in your home. Strong decorative ropes, like this coloured cotton sash cord, come in over 30 colours and are the perfect choice for creating DIY trimmings. Whatever your home’s aesthetic, you’ll be sure to find the perfect colour to complement your existing furniture. Or, if you prefer a more rustic design, you could opt for a neutral decorative rope that will add a lovely texture to your furniture without being overpowering.

2. Clothes and accessories

For all the budding fashion designers out there, rope can be an exciting textile to work with. Whether you’re crafting bag handles or experimenting with a rope belt, decorative poly braids are the perfect choice for this. You could even create some cool rope jewellery – friendship bracelets are a simple yet cute accessory that make the perfect gift..

A helpful hack that’ll save you when summer rolls around is rope flip flops. Simply use your decorative rope to reinforce the thong of your flip flops, or replace it altogether. All it takes is a couple of simple knots!

3. Gift wrapping

Ever rushed to wrap a birthday present, but there’s no tape or wrapping paper to hand? If you’re caught in a pinch, neatly tying a gift with decorative rope can act as an embellishment to replace traditional wrapping. You can also use rope to tie paper around a gift, with no need for tape or adhesive.This provides you a great opportunity to try out some eco-friendly gift wrapping techniques, and it’s reusable too.

4. Fancy dress

Rope is a versatile material that you can use for pretty much any costume. Because decorative rope is often much softer than your run-of-the-mill natural rope, it won’t irritate your skin when wearing it. If you’re attending a Toga party anytime soon, a stunning gold cord is the best solution for tying your outfit together. For those of you really looking to impress, it’s even possible to create a puppet costume with ropes that control your arms and legs.

5. Macramé

There are so many macramé craft ideas out there for you to get stuck right into. It’s a really simple craft that’s ideal for beginners, and you can make just about anything, from macramé bags to wall hangings. You can use virtually any rope for these crafts, but there is also specialist macramé twine for more advanced macramé artists.

6. Seasonal decorations

Metallic decorative braids are the perfect way to create some seasonal cheer in your house. Grab some silver and gold braid to craft some handmade Christmas decorations – you can even use them as an eco-friendly substitute for plastic tinsel. Not to mention, this braid is gorgeous for wrapping Christmas presents that you want to sparkle and shine.

Decorative rope is also great for Halloween decorations – create a quick and easy giant spider’s web with any kind of rope you have on hand! We have lots of homemade Halloween craft ideas, and many of these can be repurposed for different occasions, too.

If you want attractive decorations that won’t go out of season, metallic braids can also be used to create space-themed decorations that are truly out of this world.

7. Around your garden

A popular garden DIY craft is using decorative rope to make a fence that can be placed around decking or the perimeters of your land. A good, sturdy rope is ideal for creating a decorative rope fence for visitors to use when exploring your garden, especially if the ground is uneven. They’ll also make your decking look more attractive, and you can incorporate bold colours to make your decorative garden rope fence stand out.

Decorative rope can also be used around your garden to build DIY furniture, such as rope chairs and outdoor ottomans. You don’t need to sacrifice bright colours when using decorative rope for these crafts, and our ropes are incredibly sturdy and waterproof to withstand all weather conditions.

8. Rope signs

Decorative rope is a reliable and charming way to hang signs both indoors and outdoors. Whether for a business or inside your home, decorative rope’s a simple solution for hanging any sign or picture frame on walls.

However, ropes can be used for much more than just hanging signs. You can create your own patterns or messages by glueing decorative rope to a board to create a customised sign. Decorative rope is really easy to manipulate, so crafters of any skill set can try their hand at creating a stunning rope sign. Make sure to craft your rope sign on a flat surface so you can lay out your chosen design before sticking it down to make sure you’re happy with it.

9. DIY home furnishings

There really are no limits to how rope can be used for DIY home furniture design. Simply grab your decorative rope and set it into a coil shape to create a simple rope bowl – perfect for storing keys or nick nacks. A similar technique is used to create plant pots, vases or lampshades from rope – all you need is rope and glue. You can also use rope to replace drawer handles – this feature can create a seaside feel when combined with other simple nautical home decor ideas.

If you want more of a challenge, why not create a large rug with your decorative rope? It’s pretty simple – just lay the rope in your desired spiral and adhere it together. If you still want to go bigger, try embellishing table legs by wrapping them with decorative rope.

10. Pet accessories

Pets can be destructive, so consistently buying more toys and accessories for them gets pretty expensive. Luckily, lots of pet accessories can be DIYed using decorative rope. You’ll never run out of your pet’s favourite rope chew toy, as decorative rope can be bought in rolls of up to 100m.

A rope basket is a great way to store pet toys that won’t get damaged easily if your pet likes to chew things. Decorative rope is waterproof and incredibly durable, so no need to worry about damage from slobbering mouths. Speaking of chewing – you can create a simple chew toy for your pet by tying two knots at each end of a length of rope. Perfect for tug of war!

Some more accessories that are easy to DIY are cat scratching posts and dog leashes. As your pet engages in some wear and tear, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your leash or toy can be replaced within minutes with some rope.


Not sure where to buy decorative rope? Look no further – we have a gigantic collection of ropes, twines and cords for all your home and garden improvement needs. Contact us to order your supply of decorative rope.

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