This designer-approved tapestry-hanging secret will accentuate the size of any room
Tapestries bring hints of ornate regency to your scheme – but this is how to unlock their space-enhancing qualities
Few design features possess the majesty of a tapestry – the wall hanging that has graced – and continues to grace – the most magnificent interiors worldwide. As a favorite of royals, artists, and interior designers, the allure of the tapestry shows no signs of wavering.
However, while their regal aesthetic needs no introduction, interior experts have revealed a more discreet benefit that comes from a tapestry – and how to unlock its hidden potential.
Sharing her bedroom, hallway, and living room wall ideas, designer and Creative Director of Albion Nord Camilla Clarke uncovers the tapestry’s best-kept-secret.
‘Tapestries often help to bring the outside world in, with landscape scenes of dense foliage and earthy colors. We often like to hang tapestries near or opposite windows to create an extension of the outdoor within a room,’ Camilla explains.
The desire to blur the lines between interior and exterior spaces has grown ever-popular over recent seasons, but the solution has excited for centuries. It was only uncommonly known – until now.
Plus, in ‘extending the outdoors,’ you are consequently allowing your interiors to feel more spacious – as two separate areas become one.
‘When hanging a tapestry, consider the scale of the room and source options that fill the walls generously,’ Camilla adds in the exploration of her interior design tips.
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‘Up-scaling with statement pieces and artworks is a loose rule we use to ensure your rooms look abundant with objects of beauty. There is nothing worse than a too-small piece of furniture or artwork,’ she adds.
However, before you hang your tapestry near your window, the creative director & co-founder Fromental, Lizzie Deshayes, reminds you to ensure your piece is away from direct sunlight.
‘[Modern tapestries] should be treated as a piece of art and hung with consideration as you would a piece of art, as the wool is sensitive to the light,’ Lizzie explains.
'We need to stop thinking as tapestries in the traditional sense as being large woven depictions of hunting, musical or floral scenes. Modern tapestries take various forms and are based on poetry, abstract art, or sculptures such as those by Henry Moore,' she adds.
So, whether you’re looking for a dining room wall idea from the Renaissance or a contemporary focal point with a timeless twist, tapestries will elevate your scheme –
and make your space feel bigger in the process.
Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team. Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US while studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site. She currently lives in London with her antique typewriter and an expansive collection of houseplants.
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