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“Don’t go there. Live there,” went a memorable 2016 Airbnb campaign. The copywriters clearly never visited the room my partner and I rented in Brooklyn that year, because if they did, they’d never want to live there, not for a second.
Seductively described as a bohemian corner of urban paradise, the “room” had nothing but a futon and a desk covered in dust so thick, it took three Clorox wipes to remove. Only one feature was exactly as advertised — an exit to the building’s roof. And, in the corner of it, hung a shockingly white crochet hammock.
How could it not? The hammock was clearly out of place, a hippy trope of exotic getaways amidst brutal urbanism, but there it was, welcoming and comforting. It did the trick, offering what the best hammocks are destined to provide: vacation mode.
But what if a hammock could be a thing of the everyday?
A couple of years later, when my partner and I moved to a new house, my mother-in-law flew across the country to gift us, of all things, a beautiful sitting hammock. I finally had a chance to find out.
Once upon a time in Hollywood, the hammock was a facilitator of cinematic romance and lust. Contouring the bodies of golden era bombshells, hammocks delivered a sexy sway, promising and menacing at the same time. Bridget Bardot in “Please, Not Now!” (1961), Elizabeth Taylor in “Reflection in a Golden Eye” (1967), and Susan Sarandon in “Tempest” (1982) all lounged in hammocks; they were usually alone, plotting to seduce a love interest as shaky as the hammock itself.
Off screen, though, the hammock has only ever been the stuff of getaways, retreats, Thai islands, and Mediterranean villas.
I recall a hammock stretching across the terrace of a Ko Chang resort I stayed at several years ago, hosting the occasional drunk and sunburnt tourist. Once, a hammock was hanging on the porch of a shabby New Orleans hostel, the star of pre-smartphone photo sessions.
We hung our new friend on the front porch, but at first, a hammock as a household object didn’t sit right with me. So strong was the association with foreign adventure, that having a hammock at my disposal felt akin to raising an exotic animal as a pet. For weeks the frivolous object remained empty, collecting leaves and looking sad, as if our house was a poorly-rated youth hostel.
Then, one weekend, motivated by boredom, I found myself plunging into it, clutching newspapers and a soda can under my chin. The ridiculousness of it all, plus the urgent need to pee once perfectly situated, was somewhat refreshing. Love it or hate it, this wasn’t a mundane afternoon at home anymore.
Slowly, I’ve grown to appreciate the domestic hammock.
Studies have shown that a gentle rocking motion, even for adults, promotes deeper sleep and improves memory.
Hammocks are often used as a therapeutic tool for adults with learning disabilities and children with sensory disabilities. But even in the day-to-day routine, fully awake and merely dealing with burnout or stress, a hammock in the house has proved to be quite the gift.
According to some theories,our bodies have a tremendous capacity for “body memory,” able to bring information back to life through bodily experiences. What’s been accumulated through years of traveling can’t be unlearned; while the hammock-supported body remained right at home, the brain, nudged by the weightless rocking and the defiance of gravity, embarked on a mini-vacation to the carefree, wild, and amazing times I once had.
Another surprising benefit of having a hammock around? How easy and guilt-free doing nothing became.
Having given up on meditating on the sofa and peacefully napping due to lack of patience, I found being trapped in a hammock, limbs relaxed and balance slightly challenged, the perfect cure for fidgeting, restlessness, and distraction. No, I can’t get up right now to look at my phone. Not with the time spent getting comfortable in here!
A hammock, I’ve come to learn, is a blissful state of mind, one that I no longer need to hop on a plane to achieve.
Want to add a hammock to your home? Here are some pointers.
- Nationwide furniture sellers usually have pretty impressive hammock sections; try Allmodern, Wayfair, and Overstock for a wide range of options.
- Handmade and boho-style hammocks (like the crochet beauty on that grimy Brooklyn rooftop) can be found on Etsy, Anthropologie, and Nicamaka.
- There are lots of different types — cotton, canvas, rope, nylon, quilted, chairs, colorful Brazilian hammocks, and more! So browse around to figure out what’s best for your needs.
- Price point ranges widely. You can snag a budget hammock for less than $50 on DFOHome.com, Walmart.com, or Amazon.com, or splurge on a sturdy hammock-for-life model at places like Pawleys Island Hammocks.