It seems that most hammocks in the United States are purchased for the outside. This means that in most of the country - outside of the Southwest - hammock use is seasonal. By having a home for your hammock indoors, you can enjoy it all year around.
Where to Put Them. Hammocks and hammock chairs make great indoor furniture. They bring a welcoming warmth to social spaces such as living rooms, family rooms and finished basements. They can also make joyful and relatively inexpensive additions to bedrooms in lieu of regular chairs, benches, window seats or even beds. An important decision regarding indoor hammocks is to determine the types and colors that blend best with your other home furnishings. In my opinion, rope hammocks fit into many decors, from casual to more formal. Mayan hammocks and other festive fabric hammocks can enhance the atmosphere in beach houses and country cottages.
Understandably, hammocks and hammock chairs kept out of the elements (including away from insects) last longer than those that are not. Popular locations for hammocks and hammock chairs are screened and closed-in porches. Although these areas are not winterized to protect people from the cold and therefore not used everywhere all year around, they do provide shelter from
precipitation
sun
mosquitos and other flying bugs, and
wind-borne objects, such as leaves.
How to Hang Them. When considering a hammock or hammock chair for your home, be sure you have measured enough space for the product you want. Remember, they swing. Remember also to calculate a comfortable distance between the bottom of your hammock or hammock chair and the floor. The easiest way to set up a hammock indoors is on a hammock stand. Unobtrusive metal ones that do not take up much space can be found in a variety of attractive colors, to suit your room's color scheme. You can also hang hammocks from walls or ceilings. Be sure to use the appropriate hanging hardware to work with studs in drywall, wood surfaces or masonry; or ceiling beams (exposed or not). A hammock chair has unique hanging hardware for suspension from the ceiling. If you have any questions about how to proceed with mounting your hammock or hammock chair onto the interior structure of your dwelling, check with the supplier.
What Precautions to Take. Indoor hammocks and hammock chairs are fun, but be sure they are safe. If attached to walls or the ceiling, check each connection point frequently, to be sure it is secure. Discourage children from jumping on, or running or "rough housing" around these hanging objects. Falling into them could mean a quick trip to the floor! If you keep your rope or fabric hammock product indoors (or on a screened or closed-in porch) it will require very little maintenance. Just be sure that if you do not plan to use it for weeks or months at a time (because, for example, it is in a vacation home), you pack it (dry) in a bag or a box and store it in a dry place.
