DIY Red Carpet Rope Stanchions & Step-and-Repeat Tutorial

Sharing is caring!

Bring a little Hollywood glam to your next celebration with this easy Dollar Tree DIY! These rope stanchions and a step-and-repeat backdrop are the perfect way to create a red carpet moment on a budget. I originally made this setup for my daughter’s Life of a 10-Year-Old / Taylor Swift Showgirl birthday party, but it’s such a fun idea for graduation parties, milestone birthdays (think 16th, 21st, 30th, or 40th!), award-show-themed events, school dances, or even New Year’s Eve.

If your kid ever says they want to be famous for their birthday… this is your sign to make it happen (without breaking the bank).

For my daughter’s 10th birthday, we threw a “Life of a 10-Year-Old” Taylor Swift Showgirl–themed party — complete with a red carpet, rope stanchions, disco ball balloons, and all the glitz a soon-to-be pop star could dream of.

But honestly? This DIY red carpet setup would be amazing for so many occasions — think:
✨ Graduation parties
✨ Sweet 16s
✨ Hollywood or Oscars-themed events
✨ 21st, 30th, or 40th birthday parties
✨ Retirement celebrations
✨ School dances or fundraisers

It’s the perfect way to add a VIP moment to any event, whether you’re celebrating a big milestone or just want to make your guests feel like stars for a night.

The best part? The entire red carpet setup was made from Dollar Tree finds and a few Amazon extras, and it looked so glam in person.

What You’ll Need

Most of these items can be found at Dollar Tree (or similar stores):

For the Stanchions:

• 4 plungers
• 4 gold charger plates (these make the base)
• Large clear Christmas ornaments (for the stanchion toppers)
• 3 pool noodles (for the ropes)
• Red “Santa scarves” (seasonal Dollar Tree item) or red velvet fabric
• Gold spray paint
• Rope (to connect the pool noodles to the stanchions)
• E6000 Glue

Shop supplies on my LTK!

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep Your Base

Cut the pool noodles for the stanchion stands to 28″, you can make it taller or shorter, this just seemed like a good height to me!

Slide the pool noodle over the plunger handle then attach each plunger to the center of a gold charger plate using strong glue (E6000 works great). This creates a sturdy, decorative base that gives the illusion of a real stanchion stand.

Tip: Make sure to slide the pool noodle on the handle of the plunger FIRST. I tried doing it after gluing the plunger to the charger plate and when I pushed down I cracked the plate!

2. Add the Toppers
Glue a clear ornament to the top of each stanchion handle using E6000 Glue.

3. Add Some Glam
Spray paint everything gold — the handle, pool noodle, charger base, and ornament. Let them dry completely.

4. Create the Rope Effect
If you can find red pool noodles, you can leave them red as is, or level it up by sliding “Santa scarves” over the noodles for that velvet rope look.

The scarves I found are a seasonal Dollar Tree item, but you can create the same effect with fabric, a velvet tee, or even felt or spray paint if you can’t find the scarves.

Thread rope or string through each pool noodle and tie the ends to your DIY stanchion stands.

5. Assemble Your Red Carpet Line
Place the stanchions along your red “carpet” (I used a red shimmery tablecloth from Dollar Tree as the carpet). Slide or hook your rope noodles between them, and ta-da — instant VIP moment!

📸 Step-and-Repeat Backdrop

To make the perfect “photo op” moment, I grabbed a few Dollar Tree tablecloths and Amazon finds to complete the look:

• Dollar Tree or Walmart Plastic Tablecloths in Party color scheme
• Disco Ball Balloon Garland Kit
• Fringe Backdrop Garlands
• VIP Stage Door Banner

Shop supplies on my LTK here!

I hung 3 plastic tablecloths across the garage door and secured with duct tape.

Then, I used my printer to print fun logos for Amazon, Google, and some decorative items as well to mimic a “Step and Repeat” backdrop that usually has advertisements and the name of the event at Red Carpet parties.

You can hang your banner on a wall or patio, fill in with balloons and twinkle lights, and set up a phone tripod or ring light for kids to take “paparazzi” photos all night long.

Final Thoughts

This entire setup is budget friendly and totally stole the show. Whether you’re planning a kids’ red carpet party, a Hollywood movie night, or even a Taylor Swift–themed sleepover, these DIY stanchions are the easiest way to add instant sparkle on a budget.

So go grab your plungers, pool noodles, and spray paint — your next party is about to get the VIP treatment.

Shop the Supplies in my LTK here.