Wall hangings have always played a central role in home décor. Available in various shapes and sizes, tapestries give the space a complete makeover. This guide will walk you through what are tapestries and how they can be used in your home décor. Read on.
What is a tapestry?
Tapestry can be defined as a heavy textile piece mostly hand woven and depicting pictorial designs that is used to decorate homes. These textiles that tell a story are available across many art forms such as landscapes, floral, medieval etc. By providing a rich cultural backdrop, this is an interior décor element that is durable and evergreen.
What are tapestries made of?
The most popular material for tapestry weaving is the use of natural materials.
Wool tapestry
Wool is one of the most preferred materials especially for the traditional tapestry wall hangings as these are long lasting and easy to maintain. They also easily absorb the dyes and pigments so that the weave gets the desired colour look. However, these days, synthetic fibres are combined with natural wool to increase longevity.
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Cotton tapestry
This is easy to use and maintain, versatile and strong making it an ideal choice to make tapestry wall hangings.
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Silk tapestry
Silk is one of the preferred materials of tapestry as these look classy with the shine that they give. These are also durable.
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Chenille tapestry
Chenille is made from many different fabrics such as polyester, cotton, silk, wool, linen etc.
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10 ways to use tapestry in your house
#1 Hanging like a curtain
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If you have a long passage or a large living room with a small wall and want to try something different as opposed to hanging frames, try this look.
#2 Tapestry as frames
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These give a fusion look of modern plus traditional tapestry. These are easy to manage and you can make a collage on the wall with these frames.
#3 Covering an entire wall: Living room
You can hang an oversized tapestry covering an important wall of the living space to achieve a grand look. However, this look can backfire too if other things are not taken care of. If you plan to go with this décor, ensure that the room sports a minimalist look and all attention goes to this piece. If you are not mindful of this and use a lot of colour and other pieces of hanging décor in the space, those will overpower the large piece and finally instead of a classy look, you will get a cluttered look.
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#4 Covering an entire wall: Bedroom
This is a good option to do up your living room or bedroom with.
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#5 Tapestry hanging from the ceiling
Ideal for the bedroom, this is an option that makes the room cozy. It is recommended to go sober when you opt for this kind of look as any mistake makes the entire look of the room shabby.
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#6 Tapestry framed with glass
These will go well if your house is sporting a chic sophisticated look and you also want to incorporate the richness of tapestry. A down point about this look however is that because of the glass frame, the textured look of the tapestry will be compromised as you will have a smooth finish. However, these are easy to maintain and clean.
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#7 Tapestry wall hangings
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#8 Tapestry as part of functional décor
You can use tapestry as a curtain or a room divider to create a cozy space or a nook in a large living space. For instance, a part of your living room can be converted to a reading corner by adding this element.
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You can also wrap it around a furniture like throw that will look good as well as protect the upholstery. It can also be used as a dining table runner, coasters etc.
#9 Tapestry to make a small room less cluttered
To make a room less cluttered choose a tapestry that will act as a single point of connection. If you use a tapestry that is horizontal in nature, the room will give a bigger look.
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#10 Tapestry to downsize a large room
When you want to downsize the room, use smaller tapestries across the room. With several connect points, the room will give a small cozy look.
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How to identify tapestry?
The threads will be visible clearly.
The stitching will be unique and uneven.
There will be an array of colours used that will complement each other and tell a story.
There will be a signature of the person at the bottom of the tapestry.
Benefits of using tapestry
Focal point: By putting a tapestry in the room, the attention is automatically drawn towards it when one walks into the room.
Accentuates the décor: If you are a fan of minimal décor and have large blank spaces in the walls without knowing what can be put there without overdoing opt for a sober tapestry wall décor.
Adds texture to the room: This holds a big advantage if you go for a monochromatic look for the room. The texture will add a new dimension to the room décor.
Showcases your personality: The tapestry that you hang is unique and depicts your personality. As these tell stories, choose the ones that you believe in and which will add weight to the home décor.
Housing.com POV
Tapestries are an ever beautiful home décor element that adds to the style of your house. You can pick up the smallest piece or the largest of the tapestry and make a unique statement in your house. As these are mostly hand woven, these take time to be made and hence are expensive as compared to other décor elements.
FAQs
Why are tapestries so expensive?
Weaving of tapestry is a labour-intensive process and hence the time taken to make them is long. Thus, these are expensive.
Can you wash the tapestry?
It depends on the instruction manual given along. The best is to dust with dry cloth, soft brush or vacuum it. Never wash a tapestry in the washing machine.
Do tapestry make the room hot?
Similar to area rugs, these provide insulation to the room, thus making it hot.
Can I use a tapestry outdoors?
Although tapestries are made from materials that are durable they may not go well with the harsh outdoor climate.
How can I hang a tapestry?
Attach a rod to the wall using wall brackets or the door and hang the tapestry. You can also use Velcro strips by sticking one side of the Velcro strip to the tapestry and the other side of the strip to the wall. Another option is to use pins or nails where in the edges can be hanged from those.
Got any questions or point of view on our article? We would love to hear from you. Write to our Editor-in-Chief Jhumur Ghosh at jhumur.ghosh1@housing.com
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