Instead of a Macramé Basket, This Hanging Planter Uses a Wood Shelf to Hold the Pot
Macramé plant hangers often use knotted cord to cradle a pot from below. Homedit contributor Francesca Stone took a different approach, placing the planter inside a square wood shelf and using the cord to suspend the structure above it.
She combined plywood, natural jute, pink cord, and a white planter, with the wood taking the place of the woven cradle. The pot rests inside the center opening, leaving its sides exposed while the knotted cords connect to the four corners of the shelf.
Plywood Takes Over the Job of Supporting the Pot
A square piece of plywood provides the base, paired with a planter that will sit inside it rather than on top. Jute supplies the hanging structure, with a second cord color adding narrow accents among the neutral fibers.
The key difference from a standard macramé hanger is already present in these materials. The cord does not need to form a basket beneath the planter because the plywood will carry the pot.
Circle Marks Where the Planter Will Sit
A circle drawn across the center of the plywood defines the opening for the planter. Crossed lines locate the center, while enough wood remains around the perimeter to create a square frame.
The opening is smaller than the planter’s upper rim. This allows the body of the pot to pass through the board while the wider section stays above it.
Center Cutout Turns the Board Into a Planter Support
Starter holes provide access for the jigsaw before the circular center is removed. Four smaller holes near the corners create separate attachment points for the hanging cords.
Once cut, the plywood has two jobs. The large opening holds the planter at the center, while the four corner holes connect the shelf to the suspension system.
Two Cord Colors Break Up the Jute
Natural jute forms most of the hanger, with pink cord mixed into selected strands. The fibers fold at the top to create a loop, then divide into groups that will run toward each corner of the shelf.
Using two colors puts the contrast inside the cord structure rather than on the wood or planter. Pink appears in narrow sections, while jute remains the main material.
Spiral Knots Add Structure Above the Shelf
Four strands work together to create each hanging section. Two stay through the center while the outer strands cross and knot around them, building the spiral seen along the finished cords.
Pink cord passes through some of these knots, creating alternating sections within the natural jute. The knotting stays above the shelf rather than spreading around the planter.
Four Hanging Sections Replace the Cord Basket
The completed sections show how far this arrangement moves from the usual macramé cradle. Four separate lengths descend from the top loop, with spiral knots followed by loose strands that will connect to the wood.
There is no woven base for the planter. Each cord group has a destination at one corner of the plywood, leaving the center open for the pot.
Knots Set the Distance Between Cord and Wood
The long strands alternate between twisted sections and exposed cord before reaching the shelf. Small knots mark the transition points, while pink sections interrupt the neutral jute across several strands.
Once the four groups pass through the plywood corners and are secured underneath, the load transfers to the board. The cords suspend the shelf; the shelf supports the planter.
Wood Frames the Planter Instead of Wrapping It
The finished planter drops through the circular opening, leaving the layered plywood edge visible around its upper section. Succulents spread across the top, while the white pot extends beneath the board without cord crossing its surface.
This creates a clear division between materials: jute above, plywood through the center, planter below. The square wood frame becomes part of the look instead of disappearing behind the plant.
Wood Shelf Changes the Shape of the Hanging Planter
The finished piece puts the square plywood frame between the long knotted cords and the white planter. The pot drops below the wood, while the succulents spread across the opening and trail past its edges.
Beside the wood-framed mirror, the exposed plywood becomes part of the display rather than a hidden support. The cords stay above the planter, leaving the container uncovered and giving the hanger a shelf-based structure instead of a woven cradle.