How to Decorate a Cottage With Lights & Tulle

Create Elegant String Lights

• 1

  Lay a string of white fairy lights on the floor. Cut a strip of tulle three times longer than the fairy lights and place it next to the lights. Put the fairy lights onto the tulle.

• 2

  Join one end of the tulle to the end of the fairy lights and tie together using a piece of fabric, a curtain tie or a piece of wire.

• 3

  Wrap the tulle around the fairy lights tightly and continue along the length of the lights. Once you reach the other end, use another piece of wire, fabric or curtain tie to secure the tulle in place.

• 4

  Attach the wrapped string of fairy lights to the banisters of the stairs, use it as a border for a mirror or fireplace or drape it across the walls of the sitting room. It can be secured in place using sticky tape -- strong enough to hold it but easy for the lights to be taken down and moved at any stage.

Create a Soft Curtain to Use as a Backdrop

• 5

  Cut a piece of tulle large enough to cover an expanse of wall. You could choose to cover the wall next to a bed or an area of wall behind a sofa or other large piece of furniture.

• 6

  Cut a piece of cane or bamboo (available from the hardware store) so it is the same length as the piece of fabric. Run glue along the bamboo in a straight line. Wrap 1 inch of curtain over the bamboo so it glues into place.

• 7

  Drill small holes in the bamboo at 20-inch intervals and attach picture hooks. These will be used to attach the tulle to the ceiling.

• 8

  Place the tulle curtain up to the ceiling where you want to create the backdrop. Mark on the ceiling the places where the picture hooks touch. Drill small holes in the ceiling where the marks are and attach more picture hooks and hook the curtain on.

• 9

  Plug a string of lights into a nearby socket and arrange the lights behind the curtain, attaching the wire to the wall using sticky tape so the arrangement can be altered at a later date. Turn on the lights to see the effect and alter as necessary to create a beautiful look.