Alternative Ways to Use a Wall Tapestry

Tapestries have been in existence for thousands of years: archaeological evidence has found examples dating from between 1483 and 1411 BCE in Egypt and from the Tang Dynasty in China (618-907 CE). These tapestries were woven to tell stories, to depict religious and philosophical themes, and to honor pharaohs and emperors. This tradition continued into the Middle Ages, with the best-known example being the Bayeux Tapestry: a length of embroidered cloth that showcases the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

Nowadays, such elaborate use of wall hangings is relatively rare, however! In recent times, the tapestry has evolved into a piece of home décor, and is typically a piece of cotton or polyester fabric with artistic or trendy patterns and designs. While they’re no longer isolated to the Palace of Versailles or to imperial families, wall tapestries still add a regal touch to bedrooms, living rooms, and camping trips. They even have some alternative uses, beyond wall art, as we’re about to illustrate!

If you’ve been browsing our range of hanging wall décor – or if you already own some and are looking to experiment – then here are our favorite ways to style a wall tapestry. 

Wall Art

The most conventional wall tapestry idea is, of course, still relevant. Because tapestries are made out of fabric, it might feel odd to use a sheet of cloth as wall art. However, using a tapestry as an alternative to other wall décor will add a trendy and unique perspective to any room. You could order a small tapestry to cover up an unsightly corner, or design a large tapestry to fill a whole wall. The distinctive texture of the fabric will add an unusual, layered feel to any artwork or pattern you upload, too, compared to posters or canvas prints. 

Beach Blankets 

Happily, and although we don’t tend to advertise this on our product pages, a wall tapestry also doubles as an excuse to hit the beach or go on vacation. Bring it with you next time you’re at the seaside, for example, and it’ll serve as a comfy, stately blanket. Choosing a tapestry over a traditional blanket or beach towel will give you more space to lie on, and it’s easier to brush the sand from it, too. The last thing you want is to use the sand-covered towel you’ve been basking on to dry yourself off, later!

Picnic Blankets

It might not be warm enough yet for the water, we suppose, but here’s an idea: how about a picnic instead? Similar to the beach blanket, incorporating a tapestry into your picnic décor adds more comfort and space to set up your lunch, refreshments, utensils, candles, flowers, and more. Unfortunately, grass can also be itchy, dirty, and wet, and it’s difficult to fit more than one person – and their meals – on a single blanket or towel. One jumbo-sized tapestry, courtesy of Zazzle, will ensure that you’re dry and comfortable the next time you set out with a packed lunch.

Bedspreads

Has your stale bedroom décor been giving you sleepless nights? Well, if you’d like to change up your bedding décor without having to switch up your quilt, mattress, duvet covers, and the rest, then simply dress up your bedstead with a tapestry. Cover your mattress comforter with a large tapestry to give your bed a whole new look, or replace that aging bedspread with a bed tapestry to upgrade your sleeping quarters entirely. This is a particularly good idea if you’ve been snuggling – sorry, struggling –  to find a comforter or duvet cover that matches the rest of your décor. With the help of our Independent Creators and our blank templates, you can create a tapestry that’s easy to weave into your theme or color scheme.

Camping Tents

A clever way to use a tapestry if you’re attending an outdoor music festival or going camping is by hanging them up over your tent for extra shade. If the camping trip or music festival is happening during the hottest months of the year, as is often the case, tapestries are an effective way to block the sun and make your base a fun, swanky place to hang out. Indeed, because tapestry fabric is light and easy to hang, they can almost function as tents by themselves, once they’re hung correctly. Why, they’d even make for a chivalrous retreat from the rain, should the aforementioned picnic go awry.

Photo Backdrops

Textile art can even play a role in the special events that make up life’s rich tapestry, such as weddings, baby showers, bachelorette parties, and graduations. Instead of having to rent out a photo booth or assemble a complex display, you can put together a tapestry, and it’ll be an inexpensive way to set up your own mini photo studio. Whether it’s a funny background or a beautiful scenic photograph, having a backdrop at your events for guests to pose with will help create memories that last a lifetime. Wedding backdrops are the most popular, so we’ve also dedicated an article to that particular subject: “Wedding Backdrop Ideas: 50+ Creative & Unique Options for Your Big Day.”

Zoom Green Screens

In the same vein as our photo backdrops, setting up a green screen in your home office will inspire infinite Zoom background opportunities! To hang a wall tapestry, you could drape it over a rod or curtain pole, use adhesive, stretch it over a piece of furniture, or put it in a frame. Working with a green screen behind you means that you can swap out the color with fun filters and backgrounds. And yes, by the way, we know you’re sharing your screen, and yes, we can see it, too.

Curtains

Curtains are expensive – especially if you’re decorating a whole house or apartment, or if you’re looking for lengthy curtains to cover long windows. Until your budget can accommodate multiple sets of curtains, however, a tapestry or two will serve the exact same purpose, shielding you from cold air getting in through the windows and protecting your privacy from nosy spectators. The best reason to use tapestry wall hangings as curtains is the semi-translucent fabric, which allows some sunlight to naturally seep through, thereby brightening up the room. Furthermore, the wall tapestry designs our Independent Creators have conjured up are far more vibrant than dull plastic blinds!

Tablecloths

One of the reasons we recommend bringing your tapestries to the beach or park is because they can be washed with the rest of your laundry – it’s the same as cleaning any other blanket or fabric. That’s also why we think that tapestries can make excellent tablecloths: not only are they machine-washable, but they keep the table surface clean, and will introduce new colors, textures, and personality to the kitchen or dining room you use it in. It can also be difficult to gauge the size of tablecloth you need, but a looming ‘Extra-Large (88″ x 104″) tapestry is guaranteed to cover even the widest of countertops.

Customize Your Own Tapestry or Backdrop

Finally, if your interest lies in the design rather than the décor, you can also avail of our custom tapestry templates to create a photo backdrop or bed tapestry of your own. Using our design tool, you can upload your photo collage or personally designed artwork to the blank canvas, add it to your cart, and once it arrives on your doorstep, exhibit your work to friends or family in a unique way; one that’s less showy and more subtle than a grand, gilded frame. Because of their relatively large size, they can also act as a party centerpiece, similar to a banner or yard sign. You can also adapt a tapestry design we’ve produced in tandem with our licensed brand partners, and that features artwork from one of their bestselling franchises, such as Peanuts, Sesame Street, and Harry Potter!

As should be evident by now, wall tapestries are an incredibly versatile product, and so we’d love to hear more of your ideas about how they can be hung and repurposed below. If you’re looking for further home décor inspiration, we have other articles on Zazzle Ideas that you may find useful: “Picture Perfect: Gallery Wall Ideas for Your Home” and “Unique Wall Art Ideas for Decorating Your Home.”  With so many ways to freshen up your apartment or elevate the look and feel of your new home (along with frequent updates from Zazzle about what those are), you won’t want to leave the house!

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March 2021 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

Eoin

Eoin is a Content Specialist at Zazzle in Cork. He’s recently bought a house with his fiancée, and thus most of his time these days is spent trying to keep the walls from caving in and the wolves from the door. Still, he’s always open to book, game, and movie recommendations, so if you have some, let him know: he’ll add them to a very, very long list.