It all started with the Bayeaux Tapestry. Well, ok, it didn’t actually all start there, but the 230-foot-long tapestry that depicts events prior to, during and after the Norman invasion of England in 1066 is the most famous tapestry of all.
Making a tapestry is traditionally a fairly involved process – the weaving, by hand, of different coloured threads to produce a picture or design.
Tapestries can be used to cover furniture but are far more commonly used as wall art.
Things have moved on a bit since the Bayeaux Tapestry so artfully recorded history in the making.
Tapestries now
5 More Minutes : Wall Art from Fine Art America
Tapestries, or wall hangings as they are also known, now take many shapes and sizes and adorn buildings and homes across the world. They offer homeowners a stylish, conversation-starting alternative to pictures. I love the way they often soften the feel of a room.
Some people opt for the more traditional style tapestry – a landscape or a scene from history. While others take a more modern, even funky approach to the wall hangings they choose.
There are some very cool wall tapestries around these days – artwork that can not only brighten a room but potentially transform it. There’s a truly eclectic range of tapestries available at very affordable prices.
Which tapestry for your walls? And where?
You can go meme or inspirational saying, blocks or splashes of colour à la Rothko or Pollock, animals, cartoons, traditional landscapes or portraits or indeed practically anything you care to think of.
You can consider a large tapestry – something to dominate or be a feature on a particular wall. Alternatively – and I’ve seen this done very stylishly – a collection of smaller tapestries positioned carefully at the same height and with the same space between them works well. This works most effectively with artwork the same size. Tapestries – or indeed any artwork – looks great at the top of the stairs or at the end of a hallway.
Your own tapestry
A more recent innovation in wall hangings is the development of custom tapestries. They are what you probably think they are – your design or image. You can upload a favourite family photograph, a design, a business name and logo perhaps or a child’s favourite drawing or painting to create your own wall art. The tapestry can be produced in a variety of sizes and turnaround is quick. Just visualise that family photo from last Christmas as a four-foot by five-foot tapestry in your home. A custom tapestry makes for a great gift.
An interesting alternative
Artworks bring a home to life. An eclectic mix of prints, paintings, tapestries and other wall hangings can evoke memories, express a range of tastes and even make a statement. Artwork displayed in a home can be mixed up a bit over time – you can move things from room to room or put them in storage for a few years. The days of expensively commissioned paintings resting over a fireplace for three generations are gone. Tapestries offer a cool alternative to more traditional art, won’t break the bank and are easy to move around the home or store.
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