IKEA is known for its practical, minimalist style that showcases Scandinavian roots and a more modern sensibility. Not exactly the first place you’d look for boho flair.
But Barbarella (Silke Barbarella @silkrush) saw past the label. “I absolutely loved the look of the NORDKISA open bamboo wardrobe; I thought I could do something creative to change that!” she shared.
Her first thought was to hang a Japanese noren curtain in front of the open side to hide clutter and change up the style.
But her room’s vibe leaned more Moroccan than Japandi, so she pivoted to Plan B. She created an easy macramé curtain using a beginner-friendly knot that she says is easy to pick up after a little bit of practice. She also added a few shelf inserts to keep things tidy.
“I was really pleased with the result in the end,” Barbarella said, “making the wardrobe look less Scandinavian, minimalist and showing more of the warmth and coziness that Boho Style is known for.”
What You’ll Need
- 1 IKEA NORDKISA wardrobe
- 1 Tension rod
- 3mm to 5mm cotton macramé cord
- Sharp scissors
- Tape measure
- Masking tape or hot glue
- Spare wood (for shelf inserts) or purchase wood risers
How to DIY a Macramé Curtain For An IKEA Wardrobe
1. Assemble the Wardrobe
Build the NORDKISA wardrobe according to IKEA’s instructions.
2. Make and Hang the Macramé Curtain
The biggest, most time-consuming part of this hack is the curtain. Personally, I have never done macramé before, so you’ll have to take the hacker’s word for it that this is a simple, basic knot. She says you can learn it in about 3 minutes.
I would definitely practice a bit before setting to work on the actual curtain. Use a strip of thick paper or cardboard as a spacer when tying the knots to help keep everything uniform. (You can see Barbarella doing this in her video.)
Start the curtain on a tension rod, which you can then hang easily on the wardrobe. Then, continue to tie your knots as you work your way down. Use masking tape or some hot glue on the ends to prevent fraying.
3. Add Shelving
Barbarella had some spare wood that she decided to turn into simple shelf inserts. She basically wanted to turn the wardrobe’s two shelves into four to make her T-shirt stacks look neater.
Therefore, depending on what you plan to keep on the shelves, you might not even need this step. Alternatively, you can purchase wooden shelf risers or even monitor stands. (Just make sure to measure carefully to get ones that fit how you want them to.)
And that’s it!
New to Macramé?
Since the curtain is the main part of this hack, knowing how to do macramé is kind of important. But that doesn’t mean you need to be an expert.
YouTube is a great place to start to learn some basic macramé skills for free. Here are a few channels that provide different macramé tutorials:
- Marching North
- Macramé School
- Bochiknot (has a lot of member-only videos, but still offers quite a few free tutorials and ideas)
You could also explore dedicated sites, like the Macramé Makers Club, or check out Domestika for various macramé courses.
Boho Is Only the Beginning
Barbarella opted for a macramé curtain to fit the boho style of her bedroom. There are all sorts of patterns when it comes to macramé, so you could change things up to suit your personal preference.
But what if boho isn’t your thing? You could apply this same idea to all sorts of different materials to give the NORDKISA wardrobe a facelift that matches your style.
For example, the hacker said they started with a noren curtain, but it made the piece look more Japandi than boho. You could use burlap or canvas to give it a more rustic edge. Whitewash the wardrobe and add a lace curtain across the entire front to give it a more shabby-chic look.
How would you adapt the NORDKISA wardrobe to fit in with your design? Share your hack with us when you decide to make your idea come to life!