At The Tapestry Standard we get a fair amount of questions about caring for, hanging, and where to place tapestries. Here is a reprint of a great article I recently found that answers a lot of these questions.

Tapestries are a great addition to the home. For those who are considering displaying this instead of a painting, here are some questions that people frequently ask.

First, how do you hang tapestry? Well, there are two ways to do it. You can either use a wooden dowel or a decorative rod. You do this by putting in the rod through a hidden pocket similar to what you do when you hang a curtain which you can easily get it from the hardware store.

The difference with the two is that the wooden dowel can only hold short tapestries while the decorative rod can hold longer ones. To make it look nice, you can hang a set of tieback tassels that coordinate with the colors in the tapestry on each of the rod. Another suggestion will be to use other decorative items to accentuate the tapestry.

But what if the tapestry you purchased does not have a hidden pocket for the rod? If that is case, don’t worry because you can make one by getting some thread. The other option is to use special clips which can also be attached to a rod.

What do you do if the tapestry has creases? The only way to get rid of creases is to iron it out. If you have steamer, that shouldn’t be a problem but if you are using an iron, put the tapestry on an ironing board face down including a soft cloth along the crease. Gently iron it until the crease has been removed.

So far, we’ve uncovered some interesting facts about Tapestries. You may decide that the following information is even more interesting.

If there is a flaw in the tapestry, does this mean it is a factory defect? When we see this in clothes, the answer is yes but in the case of tapestry, the answer is no. This is because hand woven tapestries are individual woven on a loom which means you can’t expect it uniform. Of course the story is different when this is made by a machine which is why you should check it carefully before leaving the store.

How do you clean tapestry? The best thing about tapestries is that it requires low maintenance. This means you can get it cleaned by using a light brush or vacuuming the front and back once or twice a year. You also have the option of bringing it to the laundry for dry cleaning.

What if the bottom part of the tapestry curls? Such things happen because of the weather and the only way to stop this from happening is put some weight in the bottom. The other option will be to sow a pocket in the bottom so a rod can be inserted because the more pull it provides, the greater the chances that crease issue will be resolved.

Should tapestries be only displayed indoors? The answer is no but be warned that frequent exposure to direct sunlight will make the fabric of the tapestry fade. If you still want to display it outside, make sure that this in hung somewhere that does not get a lot of exposure from the sun.

Now that you know a thing or two about tapestries, you should not have problem displaying and taking care of it. The only challenge now is finding one that will follow the overall theme of the room.

Here is a link to the original post: http://www.nfrbiz.com/tapestries/commonly-asked-questions-about-tapestry.htm

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.

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.

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.

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.

I get a lot of questions from people who are trying to decide where to hang their tapestry and also a few from people who aren’t sure how to hang their new wall art. It’s not complicated but there are some general guidelines that are good to follow. And there are actually many different ways to hang or display your tapestry. I wrote an article detailing the things you should decide before you buy and different methods for hanging. There are also tips for hanging with a tapestry rod. You can read it here: How To Hang a Tapestry and you can always email with any questions!