Wall Tapestries from Europe

Cause you could have fooled me.  Maybe I’m the one off here, but it IS May, right?  And since May is a month away from Summer, you’d expect it to be warm, right?  Well, thus far…it feels like late October here in the Northeast.  I mean, 48 degrees with rain?  Seriously?  It just makes me want to crawl under the covers for a few weeks until Summer gets here.  I constructed a counter attack on the gloomy weather this weekend though.  Hung up this beautiful landscape tapestry that just screams, “Spring!”.  Yay!  It helped a little.  What else can possibly combat chilly rain and cloudy skies?

Gearing up for the Summer is something that I’ve always enjoyed.  Not just adjusting my decor to follow the seasons, but just enjoying a warm breeze.  And getting ready for all of the fun outdoor parties I like to throw in the warm months.  I can’t wait to grill outside again!  Today is deceptively sunny and warm looking.  It really isn’t that warm.  Sigh.  I guess this awesome cityscape wall tapestry will have to wait for a month or two.

If you live in the frigid Northeast, why not at least make your home seem Summery with these great tapestry wall hangings?  You will notice an immediate improvement not only in your decor, but also in your state of mind.  Ahh!  Summer is here!

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What is negative space?  Well, it is the space on your walls between wall hangings.  Most people don’t think of the impact negative space has on their overall decor, but it really does play an important role. 

A great example of using negative space is if you have a very large wall.  Obviously, you don’t want to fill the entire wall with stuff - it would look overcrowded and the sheer size of the clutter will be overwhelming to the eyes.  So, how do you properly handle a space this large?  It’s easy.  It is all about symmetry and leaving the proper amount of negative space.  Since negative space gives proportion to a room, it kind of acts like a balancing element.  You can do many things with a large wall space.  You can create a very simple look with one large tapestry, hung in the center of the wall.  This leaves uniform negative space around the art work.  This style will draw your eyes immediately to the tapestry, using the negative space as a frame around the piece.  This works well with light colored walls, but not so well with darker colored walls. 

To get around the darker colored walls, you can break up your wall into multiple pieces using negative space.  Instead of hanging one very large tapestry, you can hang three or four smaller pieces.  For an interesting look, use tapestries that are not uniformly shaped.  For example, two square tapestries, one vertical rectangular, and one horizontal rectangular creates an interesting presentation of art.  The dark walls still frame each piece, but the negative space is “chopped” up into smaller sections. 

Play around with the negative space aspect of interior design.  I guarantee you will notice an immediate difference in your home decor.

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I was visiting our mill this weekend, and I got to see just how complicated looms are.  I witnessed the setup of a loom for a single tapestry size and design.  I only saw them finishing it up - they had been working on it for days.  Days!  No wonder custom tapestry work is so darned expensive.  Just setting up the weft for one color took hours.  I couldn’t believe it.  Seeing all the work go into the setup, before a single weave was woven…it gave me a whole new respect for weaving and all other fabric arts. 

I was so fascinated by the whole process, that I did some research when I got home.  The loom they were using is probably the most modern and it still took days to set up.  It got me to thinking about the more “archaic” loom styles that are still used today.  I mean, let’s consider the Jacquard loom.  This style of loom is still widely used today because it can make extremely intricate designs - perfect for wall tapestries.  But, these looms can take up to three weeks to rethread for a new design.  Weeks!  Most Jacquard looms are set up for one design, one size, one time only.  Those looms can be used over and over again to create the same design, but that’s about it. 

So, when you look at a tapestry, or are shopping for one you know one thing for sure…it took days to set up the loom to weave that tapestry.  Just imagine how long it took to set up the loom for these unicorn tapestries! 

Come and browse our enormous selection of handmade tapestry wall hangings for your home decor!

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For a large section of the country, the past few days (and the forecasted week ahead) looked pretty gloomy.  Cool temperatures, very little sunshine, clouds and rain rain rain.  There is nothing like gloomy weather to take the fun right out of Spring.  There are measures you can take to keep the gloom outside and make your home decor cheery and, well…Spring-like.

I know I’ve written about Spring cleaning.  If you haven’t already performed your yearly overhaul cleaning…now is a great time to do it.  You are pretty much stuck inside anyway.  So, clean if you haven’t already.  Next, all you need to do is add some color and a bit of nature.  Hang photographs of flowers or meadows around your home, or hang a delicate floral wall tapestry to lighten the mood.  Color is more important than anything, so make sure to hang something with bright Spring colors.  Light greens, yellows, oranges, reds and rich blues and purples will not only lighten your mood…they will create depth to your home decor.  Everyone reacts to colors, whether on a conscious or subconscious level.  Brighter colors are more intense, and they can really be uplifting.  The trees outside are green, so why shouldn’t you have bright green accent pillows (if it works with your decor, that is)?  Add a splash of color - I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

If you are looking for inspiration, visit The Tapestry Standard and browse our landscape wall hangings.

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I have received several inquiries recently about color matching.  More specifically, complimenting gold colored walls or flooring.  Gold is a remarkably versatile color, as long as you know what compliments it.

First, you should understand what colors make up what we know as gold.  I’m not talking about the metallic gold, but the shade of yellow gold.  Obviously, yellow is used to make gold.  Depending on the depth of the gold tone, there may be a little or a lot of brown mixed in.  Some gold tones are “brassy”- those golds incorporate some orange tones for the warm, brassy look. 

So, what colors compliment gold walls?  To start, pretty much any shade of brown will look excellent against the gold walls.  Deeper browns go better with warmer shades of gold.  Some shades of orange look good with gold, but beware…bright oranges do match with gold, but only if you are looking for a bold color combination.  Burnt sienna and adobe shades of orange look the best with gold.  Another color that many people don’t realize compliments gold is green.  Not just any green, but sage green, moss green and hunter green look stunning against gold.  If you are looking for a more neutral color for the gold, I recommend any warm shade of cream.  White looks to stark in comparison to the gold, but any slightly yellowed cream shades add a soft, subtle touch that really makes a room look pulled together. 

Stay away from shades of blue, unless it is a very small amount…like an accent color for your room.  Some shades of red compliment gold, such as wine and maroon.  However, be careful with other shades of red like burgundy, as they have a lot of purple in them and can clash with gold.

Check out these warm and wonderful wall tapestries!  The Verdure au Chateau tapestry looks gorgeous on a gold wall.

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It doesn’t matter if you live in the heart of the city or in the open expanse of the country…sometimes you need a change of scenery.  There is no better way to give yourself a new and exciting view than with landscape tapestries.  Not all landscapes are of the countryside, either.  You can find beautiful sweeping cityscapes that will take your breath away.  You can live miles and miles away and still enjoy a beautiful city view.

Check out our selection of landscape tapestries!  You can find just about every design of wall tapestries for your home decor at The Tapestry Standard.

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I have gotten many questions from customers about the best way to hang tapestries on an open staircase wall.  I’ve heard some strange configurations that people have tried and decided to just write a post about it.

If you have a staircase that is open on one side, with a big open wall facing the room…you’ve got the best place to hang a large tapestry.  I find that many people are a little wary of large tapestries and I cannot understand why.  They are just as easy to hang as smaller tapestries, and they just look so impressive! 

If you have a large open wall, there are a few things you can do to make it look grand.  You can hang smaller decor hangings in an ascending fashion up the steps.  This gives your stairs a more formal, museum feel.  This works especially well on smaller stair walls, as well as in otherwise simply furnished rooms.  The simpler your decor is, the more likely this format will work best for you.  If you have a large wall, and ornate decor, I highly recommend a large tapestry for the stair space.  One oversized wall hanging can bring all of the ornate details of your rooms together, and boy does it look good.  There is nothing quite like walking into a home and seeing a beautiful large wall tapestry.  It reminds me of old castles and their decor.

So, if you have a lot of space to fill, instead of getting lots of little pieces to fill it in…just get a large wall tapestry!  Don’t forget, if you have questions about colors or sizes you can talk to the Design Specialist at The Tapestry Standard for FREE!  Just include as much info about your color scheme and general decor as you can and you will get the best and most honest advice from our Specialist.  She doesn’t pull any punches and will make sure you are happy with your choice, no matter what.

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Featured this month from The Tapestry Standard… Lake Como Villa

You can escape to Italia any time you want by simply walking into your living room.

This enchanting tapestry is is based off of the work of Pejman and woven in Belgium from a 70% cotton 30% viscose blend yarn. It comes backed with lining and rod tunnel for easy hanging.

Lake Como Villa comes in four sizes. Click here to order Lake Como Villa.

Save 10% instantly on this tapestry for the month of April. Simply enter coupon code comocoupon during checkout to apply the discount.

Thanks from The Tapestry Standard!

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Spring is finally here! You have probably finished (or started) your Spring house cleaning and perhaps are starting to plant seeds for your gardens. The weather is finally starting to warm up and the need for heavy comforters has passed. So, do you have a nice lightweight comforter for the warmer months ahead?

Many people don’t really think about comforters for warmer weather. Everyone is hung up on getting a big thick one for the cold Winter months, but then are at a loss when warmer weather comes along. Instead of buying multiple comforters, why not get one that is suitable for all temperatures? How is that possible? Well, it all depends on the fabric.

Tapestry comforters keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. They aren’t thick and bulky like down comforters, and they are made for air circulation so they are cooler than satin and silk for the hot summer months. They combine a unique blend of fabric and air spacing for true year ’round use. The fabric is soft enough to feel good, without being so soft that it pills and sheds. The weaving of the tapestry fabric itself is conducive to air flow, which is almost better in cold weather because it prevents you from sweating at night unlike other heavy comforters. There are few things worse than waking up soaking wet from sweating under a down comforter all night. Ugh.

You will love the handmade fabric and sophisticated, but fun designs of our tapestry bedding. Be sure to check out all of our interior design decor for a fresh Spring time look and feel!

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Even though some areas of the country are still in a pseudo-winter with cold rain and some snow, the warmth of Spring is right around the corner. What better way to bring the renewal of Spring into your home than with whimsical woven unicorn art? The colors and the mille fleurs in these classic hangings is sure to bring a smile to your face and warmth into your home.

Spring really is a great time for fabric interior design additions. The best part is that they cost less than many paintings and framed prints. The woven nature of these hangings adds another dimension of sensation to your walls.

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