Bohemian macrame wall art has surged in popularity since around 2015, driven by Instagram, Pinterest, and the broader slow living movement that values handmade, textured decor over mass-produced alternatives.
Unlike framed prints or posters, macrame wall hangings add three-dimensional texture, softness, and movement to walls, making even small rental apartments feel warmer and more personal.
The practical benefits are hard to beat: macrame is affordable, lightweight, easy to hang with removable hooks, and works across styles from Scandinavian minimalism to rustic farmhouse.
Modern bohemian macrame ranges from minimalist cream wall hangings to colorful ombré tapestries and oversized custom installations, ensuring there’s a style for every room and budget.
What Makes Bohemian Macrame Wall Art So Popular Right Now?
Bohemian macrame wall art is popular because it checks nearly every box modern decorators care about: it’s affordable, looks handmade, photographs beautifully for social media, and instantly adds “boho vibes” to the plainest of walls. Unlike a framed poster you could buy at any big-box store, a knotted wall hanging feels personal and intentional. It signals that you care about texture, craftsmanship, and creating a space that feels lived-in rather than sterile.
Macrame wall hangings started trending again around 2015–2017 as part of the broader boho, and cozy minimalist aesthetics that swept through home decor. Hashtags like boho home, macrame wall hanging, and boho chic spread the look globally, turning what was once a 1970s relic into a must-have for anyone curating an Instagram home. By 2023, Instagram had over 2 million posts tagged with macrame wall art, and Google Trends data showed searches for “boho macrame wall art” rising roughly 150% year-over-year between 2020 and 2023.
What sets this art form apart from flat prints is the physical dimension. Knotted textile art adds both visual interest and tactile depth, making small city apartments, studio spaces, and rented homes feel warmer and more personal. You can touch the fringe, see the shadows cast by layered knots, and sense the hours of handwork in every strand of cotton rope.
The Boho Aesthetic: Why Macrame Fits So Perfectly
Boho—short for bohemian—style is relaxed, eclectic, and nature-inspired. It draws from the 1960s and 1970s counterculture, global travel influences, and a deep appreciation for artisan-made pieces that tell a story. Think layered textiles, earthy tones, and decor that looks collected over time rather than purchased in a single shopping trip.
Macrame wall art embodies these boho values effortlessly. Each piece is handcrafted, often slightly imperfect in the best way, and made from natural materials like cotton, jute, or wool. The color palette tends toward earthy tones: sand, terracotta, olive, rust, and cream. These colors create a harmonious blend that feels grounded and organic rather than manufactured.
Consider some specific examples of how this works in real spaces:
A cream macrame tapestry hung above a low platform bed, paired with linen bedding and a woven jute rug
A large knotted piece centered over a vintage velvet sofa in deep green, creating contrast between soft fiber and plush fabric
A dyed terracotta wall hanging in a small studio apartment, adding warmth to an otherwise neutral room
Macrame also pairs beautifully with other boho staples: rattan furniture, kilim rugs, leafy plants like monstera and pothos, and woven baskets. This layered, traveled look is exactly what interior designers mean when they describe spaces as feeling “curated.”
Perhaps most importantly, boho style is often blended with other trends. Boho-Scandi, boho-farmhouse, and boho-modern are all popular hybrid aesthetics. Macrame works as the bridge element tying these styles together because its texture and organic feel complement both rustic wood and clean Scandinavian lines.
Texture, Warmth, and Atmosphere: What Macrame Adds to a Room
Interior designers value texture as much as color, especially in neutral or minimalist rooms. A space decorated entirely in smooth surfaces—painted drywall, glass, metal fixtures—can feel cold and uninviting no matter how carefully you choose your furniture. Texture breaks that monotony and gives the eye something to rest on.
Macrame wall hangings add three key elements that most wall decorations cannot:
Element What It Does
Softness Fiber-based material absorbs light and sound, making rooms feel cozier
Movement Fringe, tassels, and loose ends sway gently, adding life to static walls
Depth Layered knots and intricate designs create shadows and visual complexity
Consider the contrast between a plain white wall with just a framed print versus the same wall with a large cream macrame hanging. The print sits flat against the surface, offering only color and image. The macrame piece, however, projects outward, creates subtle shadows, and makes the wall feel less two-dimensional. The room becomes more inviting.
This impact is strongest in specific placements:
Above a bed as an alternative to a traditional headboard
In a blank entryway to create an immediate sense of warmth when guests arrive
Over a sofa as the focal point of a living room
Behind a dining table as a backdrop for gatherings
In cooler climates or modern interior design settings with concrete, brick, metal, and glass, macrame’s soft texture visually warms up these hard surfaces. It’s why you’ll see knotted wall hangings in Scandinavian-style apartments and industrial lofts alike.
Handmade Appeal and the Story Behind Each Piece
Buyers in the 2020s increasingly prefer items that feel personal and crafted rather than mass-produced. Each knot in a macrame wall hanging reflects hours of handwork, planning, and skill. Common techniques include the square knot for flat, woven sections and the double half hitch for diagonal lines and intricate designs. A maker must calculate cord lengths, plan the pattern, and execute hundreds or thousands of individual knots to complete a single piece.
A 90 cm wide custom wall hanging might take 12–15 hours to complete using recycled cotton cord. That’s the equivalent of nearly two full workdays for a single piece of string art.
The handmade story also makes macrame meaningful as a gift. Housewarming presents, new baby nursery decor, and wedding gifts all feel more personal when the recipient knows someone spent hours creating the piece by hand. It becomes a keepsake rather than just a wall decoration.
Eco-Conscious Decor: Natural Fibers and Sustainable Choices
Macrame’s popularity aligns with rising interest in sustainable, low-plastic home décor that gained momentum around 2018 and has only grown since. As consumers become more aware of the environmental impact of fast furniture and synthetic materials, natural fiber wall art offers a compelling alternative.
Common materials in bohemian macrame wall art include:
Unbleached cotton rope (the most popular choice, typically 3–5 mm thick)
Recycled cotton cords made from textile industry waste
Jute, a plant-based fiber with a rustic, golden-brown appearance
Linen and hemp, both durable and biodegradable
Driftwood, tree branches, or FSC-certified wooden dowel supports
These natural materials appeal to eco-conscious consumers for several reasons. Natural fibers are biodegradable, often Oeko-Tex certified for safety, and feel healthier than synthetic, chemically treated fabrics. Parents decorating nurseries and anyone with sensitivities appreciate knowing their wall art won’t off-gas harmful chemicals.
Many small makers emphasize sustainable practices beyond just the materials:
Low-waste production that uses nearly all purchased cord
Plastic-free packaging using recycled paper and cardboard
Local sourcing to reduce shipping emissions
Specific examples bring this to life: a recycled cotton ombré wall hanging dyed with plant-based pigments, or a neutral tapestry made from undyed organic cotton for allergy-sensitive homes. These pieces let buyers decorate beautifully while staying true to their environmental values.
Placement Ideas
Above the sofa: A medium to large piece serves as an anchor for the living room, replacing the need for multiple smaller frames.
As a headboard alternative: Hang a wide macrame piece above your bed to create a soft, boho headboard without the cost or commitment of actual furniture.
In the hallway: A narrow or medium wall hanging turns a forgettable pass-through space into a design moment.
As part of a gallery wall: Mix a macrame piece with framed prints, mirrors, and small shelves for an eclectic, layered look.
Style Variations
Different decor styles embrace macrame in their own way:
Minimalist: A single cream hanging on a white wall, nothing else needed
Coastal: Macrame paired with driftwood, shells, and navy accents
Rustic farmhouse: Macrame next to wooden signs, vintage frames, and galvanized metal
Modern eclectic: Bold dyed pieces mixed with abstract art and metallic accents
Macrame can even shift with the seasons. Neutral pieces stay up year-round, while dyed or fringed designs in autumnal rust, holiday green, or spring pastels can be swapped in for variety without feeling wasteful.
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