How to hang your Retreat Hanging Chair.

Creating your own calm and stylish retreat begins with the smallest details — and a beautifully hung Malawi Cane Chair is one of our favourite ways to enjoy any space. Handcrafted with timeless character, these chairs add warmth, texture and gentle movement to your home.

Hanging them can feel overwhelming at first, but with the right guidance and a few simple tools, the process is easier than you might expect. This step-by-step guide walks you through the essentials, along with our recommended hardware, rope options and knotting techniques.

Where You Can Hang Your Chair

A Malawi Cane Hanging Chair is wonderfully versatile. Some favourite retreat-worthy spots include:

• Porch or balcony
• Children’s reading corner
• Living room
• A quiet bedroom nook
• Bathroom (yes — we’ve had customers hang them here, and they look stunning)
• Outdoor Patio or from a sturdy tree branch
  Tip: use a carabiner for quick removal if rain is forecast.

What You’ll Need

1. Your Malawi Cane Hanging Chair

Suitable for both indoor and outdoor settings, depending on your design and finish.

2. Hanging hardware

If installing into a ceiling joist, you will need:

• One 20–30mm eye screw (rated at 140kg+), with at least 10cm of thread
• Two quick-link chain connectors, S-hooks or locking carabiners
  (Choose hardware rated to support 140kg or more)

3. Electric drill

4. Rope or chain

We recommend a natural sisal rope — strong, untreated, and beautifully textural, ideal for both indoor and covered outdoor spaces.

Suggested rope sizing:

• Single Chairs (Original Egg or Hanging Pod):
  20mm diameter | 5m length | 2845kg break load
• Double Hanging Chair (Traditional Hanging Loveseat):
  16mm diameter | 10m length | 1285kg break load

Measure the distance from your ceiling to the attachment ring on the chair when positioned at your preferred height — generally 50–100cm from the ground. Add at least 50cm extra for knot-tying.

Prefer a different finish?
Galvanised chain or marine-grade nylon, polyester or polypropylene rope are also suitable alternatives for outdoor conditions.

Hanging Your Malawi Cane Chair

Before you begin

• The Original Egg and Hanging Pods require one hanging point.
• The Traditional Hanging Loveseat (2-seater) requires two hanging points, approximately 130cm apart.

 

Step 1: Locate your ceiling joist

Find a sturdy joist at least 15cm wide. If your ceiling is lined, use a stud finder and mark the centre point.

Allow clear space around the chair:

• 100cm behind
• 50cm on each side

If you’re unsure about the structural integrity of your joist, a builder or handyman can help reinforce it or check its load capacity.

 

Step 2: Drill a pilot hole

Drill a 10cm-deep pilot hole into the marked centre point. Your drill bit should be slightly smaller than the eye-screw thread.

Step 3: Install the eye screw

Twist the eye screw into place until no threading is visible.
For extra leverage, place a screwdriver through the eye and turn gently.

Step 4: Attach your hardware

Clip a locking carabiner or S-hook through the eye screw.
This makes height adjustments and removal simpler over time.

(You can loop rope directly through the eye screw, though it may require more frequent knotting.)

Step 5: Attach the rope to your chair

Secure one end of the rope to your chair’s attachment ring and the other end to the carabiner at the ceiling.

For the Traditional Hanging Loveseat, the rope threads through both chair sides and only requires one knot at the top.

 

Our Favourite Knots

Over time, we’ve tried many different knots. These are the most reliable and attractive:

Bowline French Knot

A strong, secure knot that’s easier than it looks. Ideal for the top knots on the Malawi Hanging Loveseat.

Hangman’s Knot

A neat, compact knot that works beautifully on Hanging Pods and Eggs — both at the chair and ceiling ends.

(Knot diagrams and visuals are available at 101knots.com, a wonderful reference.)

Final Tips

Don’t worry too much about getting each knot looking perfect — what matters most is that your chair feels secure. With a little practice, the process becomes surprisingly simple, and soon you’ll be tying knots like you’ve done it forever.

Once installed, take a moment to enjoy your retreat — gently swaying, relaxing, and taking in the calm you’ve created.