Straight Out Of The '70s: Use A Plastic Bottle To Make A Shimmering Curtain

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Are you keen to give your home a retro 1970s vibe but aren't fond of buying new products that add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere when they're made? The era was dominated by funky interior design trends such as beaded curtains. Luckily, you can actually recreate this look yourself and reduce waste by reusing items in your home. It's true! By gathering together some plastic bottles as well as some leftover twine, string, or fishing line, you can craft your very own '70s-inspired door curtain. This is done by twisting the plastic into tight coils that resemble shimmery beads and hanging them over the doorway.

Not only can this give your space a retro feel and help you craft an eco-conscious design, but it can also be practical. Hanging curtains can sometimes be effective at keeping airborne insects like flies out, because the bugs can't tell the difference between a solid wall and dense strings of material. So, this DIY could be a great one to try for rooms where you tend to keep the exterior doors open, such as sun rooms, garden sheds, or kitchens. 

In addition to the key materials, you will also need a few tools to help you craft your curtain, including a wooden dowel, a heat gun, scissors, and something to poke holes in the plastic like a hot knife or awl. You can use clear bottles for a simpler design, or mix green and blue tinted ones in too add more color. Once you have all your materials and tools assembled, you can then have a look at the key steps for crafting your own '70s-esque door curtain from recycled materials .

To start this DIY, gather your materials. Try raiding your recycling bin for plastic bottles or asking neighbors if they have any. Also, look through craft rooms for spare twine or string, or check your tackle box for extra fishing line. As shown by creator Ubunifu Kona on YouTube, start by cutting each plastic bottle into a long, continuous strip. Then, wrap the strips one at a time around the wooden dowel. Melt the plastic to mold it around the dowel, causing it to form a tight coil. A tool like SeekOne's Hot Air Gun, is a helpful option. Just remember to avoid contact with skin. Make sure to hold up some coils in the doorway to see how many more you will need to cover the entire opening.

Once you have the coils you need, break out your hot knife or awl and poke a hole in the top of each one. Make sure to also cut the bottom off each coil with scissors to get rid of any jagged edges. Then, take your string or fishing line (you can widen the hole you've made in the plastic coil if your string is bulkier) and thread it through the holes in each coil. To keep the coils evenly spaced, attach them to a long, flat piece of plastic and mount it in the doorway where you want to bring back the '70s in your home.