We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.
We expect fishermen and cowboys to have rope on hand, but Leanne Ford? Not so much. And yet “it always has been and always will be one of my biggest hacks,” says the Pittsburgh-based interior designer. Take her latest project on Church Lane—the one where Ford debuted her Semihandmade collection. We noticed she tied the basic material around some of the kitchen cabinet handles, and we had to know more about why (and how) she did it.
Cotton braided rope, like this $6 batch from Amazon, is the key—no nylon! “We always have a roll or two handy at every install,” she says. The DIY took all of five minutes: She just wound the rope around her chosen pulls as tightly as she could, opting for two layers to ensure it stayed put. “In all honesty, the more you think about it, the worse it will turn out, so just go for it!” she says, noting that this is where her camp counselor skills usually kick in (she used to be a kids’ sailing instructor). “I even named some of the rope art I designed with Crate & Barrel after my favorite knot, the Daisy Chain,” says Ford.
In this space, the softer material breaks up all metal cabinet pulls and brings in another layer of dimension, but Ford can envision rope accents elevating all-white millwork too. “I think this is a great hack for renters or homeowners who don’t love the hardware that came with their kitchen,” she adds.
By the way, Ford’s rope hack isn’t just for kitchens. The designer would do the same thing to an ugly light cord or unsightly plumbing fixture. Furniture legs are also no longer safe. The best part? The rope is such a steal that there’s really no limit to the number of times you can replace it when it starts to wear.
Amazon Basics Natural Cotton Braided Rope, Amazon ($6)
