Martha Stewart's Home Decor Hack Will Bring Beach Vibes Into Your Home

If you're looking for a way to decorate your home like a beach house, this Martha Stewart hack is an easy and elegant option. With a mirror, some nautical rope, a foam board, and glue, you can make a gorgeous mirror to accent your living room or act as the perfect addition to your beach-themed bathroom. While Stewart uses a round mirror for this project, a rectangular or square mirror works just as well to achieve your desired aesthetic. Additionally, you might choose to have just a few layers of rope around your mirror, or use it to make a unique, thick border. To hang the mirror, you could employ more rope to craft a cute hanger with knots, make a ring with the rope and attach it to the top of the mirror, or glue a string to the back for a more subtle option.

You can find a round beveled glass mirror at Michaels for under $13, though this would be a great project for repurposing an old mirror you already have. You might also check thrift stores to see if you can get an even less expensive mirror. Nautical rope can be found at Dollar Tree, along with a large white foam board, making for a budget-friendly DIY project. You might also use a leftover thin, wooden board from another project as your backing. 

To start making your Martha Stewart-inspired coastal decor, you'll need to decide how you want your rope to look. If you prefer a more rustic option, you may want to have about three layers of rope around your mirror with a larger knotted handle. For this project, cut your foam board so that it's a ½ inch larger around than your mirror. Cut a length of rope that can just cover the outer edge of the foam and super or hot glue it into place, so that the ends of the rope meet. These ends can be taped down until the glue dries to ensure the rope doesn't move.

Now, glue your mirror into the center of the foam board. Attach another piece of rope around the edge of the mirror, gluing it the same way as before and ensuring your ends are at the same point as the previous rope. Add one more piece of rope in between the first two to totally cover the foam. Finally, take another, longer piece of rope and tie a knot on each end. Attach one knot over your previous seams by threading a thin piece of wire through the knot and foam and twisting it tight. Repeat this with the other knot on the other side of your mirror, and hang your new decoration. This same method can be applied to a rectangular mirror.

If you'd prefer a wider, flatter rope border, you can cut the foam to be even larger than the mirror. With this option, you might try wrapping the rope around the backing, gluing as you go, rather than using separate pieces. This method would also work with a rather large, round mirror, but you could glue the rope directly to the outer portion of the glass. 

For those that don't like the look of the large rope hanger, simply get a small piece of thinner rope, such as nylon rope (just over $1 per foot at The Home Depot). You should only need a few inches, so that you can glue your handle to the back and have just a small portion stick up for hanging. For a more decorative option, you might cut a small piece of nautical rope and glue the ends together to form a ring. With this method, you'll need to leave a few inches of the rope on the top of your mirror unattached to add the ring. Now, tie your ring onto the rope on your mirror with a white string or cord. This option may not be able to support the weight of a heavier mirror, but you could add a hook for hanging on the back. For more nautical-themed decorations to enhance your home, you might try reusing seashells to DIY a stunning soap dish to pair with the mirror in your coastal bathroom.