Decorating Items With Nautical Style Rope
One of the easiest ways to give a room a nautical flare is to decorate with rope. Objects made out of rope can also help recycle old vases and lamps that seem like they could never have a second life.
One nifty idea is to take bright white nylon, blue nylon or yellow nylon rope and wind it around the base of a lamp. You simply use a caulk gun to glue the rope as you coil it around and around the lamp until it is completely covered.
You can also dress up an ordinary pillow by taking a handworked clothesline and sewing it to a pillow. You buy white nylon rope and then make it into a series of slip knots. The next step is to hot glue it onto a pillow or pillow case and then give it some hand top stitching to make sure that it is secure. Pillows that are navy or cherry red look with this type of “braiding” attached as trim.
You can also give tablecloths and lampshades this type of treatment as well. Simply make the slip-knot trim out of rope and then glue it to the top and bottom edges of the lampshades.
Yet another way to decorate your home with nautical style rope is to make a Sisal-Lattice Bulletin board. This is a board that is covered with diamond lattice into which you can stick photographs, cards, reminders or whatever is necessary.
The best type of board for making this type of bulletin board is homasote board which can be ordered online if you can’t find it in stores. You then cover it with fabric and sisal rope that is spraypainted gold. This sisal rope is hammered into the fabric covered homasote board with brass upholstery nails.
Another rope project is a Sailor Knot Trinket Box. This is a twine-edged box that stows cufflinks and other odds and ends. It is a very male looking storage box because the handle is made from knotted twine that is affixed to the top of a simple wood box that is stained in the color of your choice. You can then also paste the rope in a design on top and on the edge of the box. For an added bit of kick you can also line the inside of box with a bright red or blue gingham fabric.
If it has a rim, you can line it with rope. Try using your creativity and imagination to attach rope to the rims of garbage cans, jars, pencil holders and whatever else you think could use a bit of a hint of the Maritimes in your décor.