Rope occupies a rich position—and yes, at times a knotty one—in the design pantheon. Naturally, the uber-adaptable material has its roots in the nautical lexicon. From Brittany to Bridgehampton, the braided sailor’s cord has evolved from swashbuckling sea shanty closer to soigné and has taken on infinite applications. You’ll find it everywhere from chandeliers to chaise longues and as an ornamental motif that’s practically ubiquitous in accessories.
Rope is a surprisingly genre-fluid tool; it’s not just for a coastal crowd, despite its humble origins. Over the centuries, it’s been used everywhere from Shinto shrines to Baroque bordellos. In the hands of postwar European furniture designers—think Hans Wegner’s iconic Wishbone chairs or the rustic modern chic of Adrien Audoux and Frida Minet—rope was used to soften modernism’s harder edges. Later, it would acquire a bohemian flair, as evidenced by the pervasive 1970s mania for macramé and suspended armchairs.
Today, decorators play with these cultural connotations as they skillfully work with rope, serving up a touch of the natural world to stark or high-gloss surfaces. To its detractors, rope might conjure images of Gilligan’s Island, tiki bars, and ‘gone fishin’ signposts. But in today’s visual remix culture, rope decor has been elevated beyond expectations. And like any irresistible yacht rock classic, it’s unlikely to be taken off the playlist any time soon.
Shop the full curation of inventive rope-filled pieces from the latest issue of our print publication, Magazinish. To read all of Magazinish, click here.
