Forget Framed Art, Designers Are Hanging Tapestries Instead – Here’s Where They Source the Best Old and New Designs

Mixed media, miniature sculptures, monumental mirror-polished balloon figures – art is, as ever, in its avant-garde era. And yet, over the past year, among both serious collectors and interiors-minded aesthetes, vintage tapestries are the decidedly un–forward-thinking category that has, ironically, emerged as the asset du jour.

Once ‘old-fashioned,' tapestries are now understood as a shortcut to cool, but not all are created equal. There are wonderful vintage examples and weaker ones, and as interest has surged, so too has the number of convincing reproductions that offer the look without 16th-century-level prices. The challenge isn’t appreciating them; it’s finding the good ones.

Despite how saturated feeds have become with textile wall decor, sourcing well-made, well-scaled pieces remains surprisingly difficult. To cut through the noise, Homes & Gardens spoke with designers and collectors about where they’re sourcing tapestries, both for client projects and their own homes.

Ahead, the places the most stylish people you know are actually shopping for woven wall art, new and old.

1. Look Out For European Designs

Yes, it’s obvious. Yes, it’s still true. Eye roll away, but if you want the real thing, Europe remains the gold standard. It’s where Circa Antiques founder Cindy Smith sources, and where designers like Nina Takesh and Studio Thomas James founder Philip Thomas Vanderford look for both personal collections and client projects.

‘When sourcing wall tapestries, we head to Europe and search far and wide for antique tapestries,’ says Cindy. Because she’s buying for the Circa showroom, her criteria is exacting. Europe, she notes, is where she’s able to source the most in-demand scenes of the moment, particularly wool-woven nature motifs (as opposed to the cherubs, knights, and battle scenes more commonly found stateside).

‘I’m drawn to specialized antique textile dealers and European markets for historical pieces with visible wear and authenticity,’ adds Philip. ‘Provenance matters – the story woven into the textile is part of its resonance.’

To narrow the focus further, Nina Takesh points to Paris. ‘For antique and historically significant works, I rely on established European dealers, particularly in Paris, as well as auction houses when clients are open to truly one-of-a-kind pieces with clear provenance.'

If provenance is the priority – and detail is non-negotiable – Europe is the playground.

2. Head to 1stDibs for Vetted Pieces

Among designers, 1stDibs comes up again and again – not as a casual browse, but as a serious sourcing tool. Nina Takesh, Shea McGee, and Olive Ateliers co-founder Laura Sotelo all point to it as their go-to for vetted antique and vintage textiles online.

‘Online, I’m very selective, with 1stDibs remaining an essential source for vetted antique and vintage pieces, and integrity in craftsmanship and materials always guiding my choices,’ says Nina Takesh.

For Laura, the appeal lies in the people behind the listings – sellers with ‘a distinct point of view and intentional curation,’ offering collections that feel ‘edited, considered, and singular.’

‘I’m always on the lookout for great textiles, and for my own collection I love hunting on 1stDibs,’ adds Shea. Having debuted her own widely popular Hortensia Tapestry for McGee & Co – celebrated for its subtle irregularities, depth, and narrative – she knows exactly what separates convincing reproductions from pieces that genuinely feel storied. ‘I like sourcing this way because it feels a little like a treasure hunt – you can discover something truly unique,’ she says.

3. Rely on Etsy for Accessibility

From candle sconces to alpaca wool balaclavas, Etsy has become a catch-all for the internet’s most niche obsessions – and tapestries are no exception. With its global network of small-scale artisans, the platform offers a surprisingly strong entry point for woven wall art.

‘Etsy is a great place to source tapestries from around the world,’ notes Michelle Accetta, Founder & Principal Designer at Michelle Accetta Home.

When sourcing for a recent project, Etsy was her first stop for a very specific brief. ‘The project that I recently sourced a tapestry for I was looking for something that was large in scale, was interesting, and did not have a huge price tag,’ she explains. ‘I found a vendor out of Turkey on Etsy who handmade a piece for me. The colors, textures, scale, and price tag worked perfectly for the project!’

For accessible, genuinely beautiful options – and the chance to support independent makers – this is where to look.

4. Check Out Worldwide Tapestries for Variety

‘For newly made tapestries, I gravitate toward European and U.S.-based studios that honor traditional techniques, prioritize hand weaving and natural fibers, and offer custom scale and palette,’ Nina Takesh shares – citing Worldwide Tapestries as a favorite.

Renowned for its expansive collection of handwoven, 100% wool tapestries in the Aubusson style, the brand makes it easy to search by size and subject. From Italian landscapes and French vineyards to Tuscan town scenes, each one is polished enough to pass as antique, yet accessible enough – by every metric – to meet your exact vintage art needs.

5. Olive Ateliers for a Design-Forward Selection

If you’ve ever admired a perfectly aged tapestry in a celebrity home and wondered where it came from, there’s a good chance Olive Ateliers was involved. The destination is known for its tightly edited selection of antique wall tapestries, ‘including rare early 1900s examples hand-sourced from French brocantes,’ Laura Sotelo, Olive Ateliers’ co-founder, tells Homes & Gardens.

‘Our approach centers on the romance of European craftsmanship, with each tapestry selected for composed artistry, nuanced patina, tactile richness, and the narrative it brings to a space,’ she continues.

Some tapestries read cooler than others (you might remember the general avoidance of knights and dead horses noted by Circa Antiques’ Cindy Smith). But if you want a pre-vetted, design-forward selection you can see in person (or shop online), Olive Ateliers does the hard part for you, sourcing from Europe and bringing the best of it stateside.

6. LiveAuctioneers for the Thrill of the Bid

For antique and vintage tapestries – with the added adrenaline of a live bid – Shea McGee turns to LiveAuctioneers. The platform offers what she describes as tapestries with ‘incredible substance and craftsmanship,’ pulled from some of the most sought-after regions, including France and Belgium. At any given moment, there are hundreds of pieces in rotation, ranging widely in scale, age, and condition.

‘Even if I’m not buying, browsing keeps me inspired and connected to the history behind the pieces we [McGee & Co.] create,’ Shea muses.

7. Travel to Round Top for Thousands of Options

If you’re serious (or just romantically inclined) Round Top is worth the pilgrimage. Founded in 1968 and spanning eleven miles of vendors, it’s one of the largest antique fairs in the country.

‘We always trust the Round Top Antique Fair semiannually for most of our vintage finds,’ says Erin Sander of Erin Sander Design.

While she sources widely, Round Top’s scale is unmatched. ‘From French antiques to Southwestern Native American works, tapestries are adding depth and textures to walls throughout our newest designs,’ she says.

Go with time, stamina, and an open mind – the payoff can be extraordinary.

8. Matt Camron Rugs & Tapestries for Amazing Reproductions

Another Nina Takesh–approved source comes in the form of Matt Camron Rugs & Tapestries, which – as the name suggests – is a true one-stop shop for textiles. The studio consistently produces rugs worthy of the wall, working with master weavers around the world to craft pieces that feel faithful to antique originals in tandem with styles that are entirely their own.

Alongside original designs and thoughtful reproductions of historic patterns, Matt Camron also carries a strong selection of genuine antiques for those who want the real thing. Whether you’re after something aged to perfection or convincingly new, this is a rare place where both camps are equally well served.

9. Always Explore Local Antique, Vintage, Thrift, Garage, and Estate Sales

Antique shops, thrift stores, estate sales, and even garage sales all belong in the same bucket here – because the experience varies wildly depending on where you live. Some destinations (Round Top, for example) are as legendary as they are enormous. Others are far less obvious, but can be just as promising.

‘I’ve only ever found the perfect tapestry by chance, in the constant, endless treasure hunt that defines sourcing for eclectic, stylistically rich interiors,’ says Jennifer Salvemini, Creative Director at Studio Hinterland. ‘For Studio Hinterland, my regular circuit includes garage sales, thrift shops, antique stores, and – of course – estate sales and auctions, which are often the best places to stumble upon a decorative textile.’

That process isn’t always glamorous. ‘You must be willing to riffle,’ she continues, ‘sometimes for hours, through bins and stacks of actual trash to find the treasure buried within. Though it can be tedious and time-consuming, we love sourcing one-of-a-kind pieces that give each space its defining character. A tapestry can really do that!’

One of her most recent finds is a 19th-century rose-motif tapestry discovered at a barn sale with her mom. She’s bringing it back to the city to drape over a crib in a nursery she’s designing in a Federalist townhouse in Brooklyn. ‘Like sourcing anything for an interior with an emerging aesthetic, you’ll just know it when you see it,' she hums.

Looking for more advice on decorating with on-trend antiques? Our series Better Vintage explores the specific pieces to have on your vintage collecting radar.