Images via Home In The Hills, Cottage & Vine and Kristen F. Davis Designs

Grasscloth is experiencing something of a revival as ideas such as the slow home movement have begun to reshape the way we look at the use and design of our homes. Last popular back in the 1970s, with the expanded choices of colors, patterns and weave available now, grasscloth is a natural decorative material. It can add great warmth and style to homes of varying décor. And now creative DIYers have gotten into the act. They’re pasting grasscloth onto bookcases, nightstands, mirrors and all sorts of other places in the home.

Grasscloth Wallpaper from National Geographic

What is grasscloth? Grasscloth is an interwoven fabric of natural grasses and fibers, such as bamboo, sea grass, arrowroot, rush cloth or jute that are glued to paper or fabric. Though grasscloth comes in many varieties, the most are single strands of sea grass held together by a thin cotton thread.

What are some of the cool properties of grasscloth? It’s eco-friendly, renewable, and since most are constructed from natural fibers, grasscloths are usually 100 percent recyclable. As a decorative medium, grasscloth is also quite functional. When applied to walls or ceilings, it absorbs noise and helps to hide any surface imperfections.

How is grasscloth used? It’s typically used as a wall covering. You may also encounter it being used to make tablecloths, place mats or even rugs.

What can you use grasscloth for? In addition to wallpapering a wall or ceiling, consider experimenting with grasscloth in other areas of your home. You can use scrap pieces of grasscloth to give added texture to a tabletop or serving tray, to jazz up a switch plate cover or to make an alcove in your home a little more inviting.

Read on and you may find yourself inspired to use grasscloth in ways you would never have imagined.