In case you haven’t heard, analog hobbies are having a major moment. More and more people are reducing the amount of time they spend doomscrolling day in and day out. Instead, they’ve happily shifted their focus towards screen-free activities like gardening, sewing, and reading.
This trend has given way to another craze that you might have spotted on TikTok and Instagram lately: hobby walls. Rather than keeping essentials for their favorite hobbies tucked away in cabinets, people are proudly showing them off on their walls.
These well-organized wall displays of everything from colorful craft supplies to sports equipment (think tennis rackets) add personality to their home, while making it easy to grab items whenever the mood strikes.
Examples of the Trend
Even actress Alyson Hannigan Denisof, who also happens to be a crafting enthusiast, has put the hobby wall trend to the test. Scroll through her Instagram, and you’ll notice that her striking yarn wall is the backdrop for many of her DIY craft posts. And just a few weeks ago, she even showed her followers how to recreate the look.
Of course, the compliments rolled in right away. “Omg this is so fun,” one Instagram follower shared. Another wrote, “Both cool and practical. Love it!” “This is the most amazing storage idea. I can’t wait to see what you knit and crochet out of this yarn,” another commented.
Karly Santiago, a creative director based in Southern California, is also a fan of hobby walls. When she revealed her yarn wall on Instagram, her followers couldn’t get enough. “The yarn wall came about because I needed a functional storage area for my supplies while living in a small space,” Santiago shared with Good Housekeeping. “As a plus, it doubled as art!”
Content creator Eileen Esmee, who likes to crochet and knit, also received a similar reaction from her TikTok followers when she posted her yarn wall tutorial, which is shown below.
How to Pull off the Look
Want to try assembling your own hobby wall? Interior designer Sarah Storms says there are a few things to keep in mind. Believe it or not, your goal shouldn’t be to have a perfect setup. “It is similar to a gallery wall, where an organic arrangement feels cooler than a perfect tidy grid,” Storms explains. “If you are working with a pegboard, I do like when the ‘grounding pegs and board’ are similar tones and the items hanging are colorful and fun.”
Feel free to experiment with different items that reflect your hobbies and even collectibles you treasure. “This is the case where you absolutely have fun. Hobbies are a celebration of you and the things that make you happy,” Storms says, noting that even things like LEGO mini figurines and Polaroid images can work.
Monique Valeris is the home design director for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand's home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor. In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, "What's in My Cart."
