Give Your Garden A Grand Entrance With HGTV's David Bromstad's DIY Outdoor Curtains
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David Bromstad, winner of HGTV's "Design Star" and host of HGTV's "My Lottery Dream Home", is known for his colorful and magical designs. And that doesn't just apply to home interiors. His unique macrame curtains can easily be used to add whimsy to outdoor spaces, as well as indoor ones. They're perfect for adding some grandeur to your garden or for dividing your yard more clearly into different "rooms".
To add your own outdoor macrame curtains, you'll need to first find a perfect place to hang them. They could simply add some extra color to your patio or porch, or you could use them as a gateway to another part of your yard. Do you have an arch or arbor but no climbing plants to spruce it up? Macrame curtains could be a perfect addition! You could also purchase an arch like the VINGLI 85 inch Wooden Arbor specifically for creating a grand entry into either your backyard as a whole, or a smaller, more private section of the space. Just be sure to anchor your garden arch securely.
You'll also need to find some rope or cord to create the macrame. Since the curtains will be outdoors, make sure to use something that can stand up to the elements. Paracord, like the MONOBIN Paracord Rope from Amazon, could be a good option. You could also use heavy jute twine if you want your curtains to have a more natural look. Bromstad unsurprisingly opted for a colorful look with pinks and oranges.
How to make your whimsical outdoor macrame curtains
Begin by deciding how long you want your curtains to be. You'll be looping the cord over an arbor or arch to secure it, so make each piece twice as long as you need. Remember that the process of tying the macrame knots will use up a lot of length, too, so be sure to cut your cord or rope to account for this. Next, affix your cord to the arch by folding it in half and slipping both ends through the loop, securing it. This is called a larkshead knot.
Then you can decide what kind of knots and patterns you want to use for your macrame. Bromstad uses a variety of different knot patterns, including square knots and half-square knots, in his curtains to create an eclectic look. These both use four strands (two doubled-over cords) and require knotting the outer strands around the inner ones. He also leaves some of the cords with just a simple knot at the bottom.
Be sure to check out an instructional video like Gray Wonders' macrame knot tutorials for step-by-step instructions on how to create some of the patterns you might want to use for your curtains. If you already have experience with projects like making a macrame plant hanger, then this should be a snap. You might even consider adding beads to a few of the strands. Just make sure the holes in the beads are large enough to fit on your rope.