8. Nautical Rope and Driftwood Basket
For coastal-themed homes, or anyone who loves the look of sea and shore, a nautical rope basket featuring real driftwood is a dream project. The combination of weathered wood and chunky rope brings instant beach house vibes, even if the closest beach is hundreds of miles away.
Materials: Chunky manila or sisal rope, hot glue, two pieces of driftwood roughly 8 inches long, sandpaper, clear matte sealant.
Instructions: Coil a flat base using your rope and hot glue, roughly the same width as your driftwood pieces. Once the base is complete, stand the driftwood pieces upright on opposite sides of the base and begin coiling rope around them, treating each driftwood piece like one side of the basket wall. Continue coiling up the sides, sandwiching the driftwood between the inside and outside rope rows. Finish the top with a single neat coil.
Time: 2.5 hours. Difficulty: Intermediate.
Sand any sharp edges off the driftwood first to avoid splinters. A light spray of matte sealant keeps the driftwood from shedding dust over time.