How and Where to Hang Tapestries in Your Home

If you're like me, you became well-acquainted with tapestries during your freshman year in college. Your bookstore carried them in surplus. They came in a multitude of patterns and sizes and served just as many purposes-bedspread, throw, curtain, and even wall art. You may have figured that, now that you're all grown up and no longer living in the dorms, you have to say goodbye to your tapestries, just as you had to say goodbye to your old, ratty futon and that hat that allowed you to drink two cans of beer through a straw. Well, fear not. Your favorite tapestries can, with a few tweaks, follow you into a more sophisticated stage of adulthood. Just leave the multi-colored thumbtacks and double-sided sticky tape behind in a box next to the futon and let your mom sell them at her next yard sale.

How and Where to Hang Tapestries in Your Home

The Tapestry Headboard

If you're handy with a staple gun and a saw, you can now turn your tapestries into an unique, colorful, upholstered headboard that can be hung on the wall behind your bed. All you need is a piece of plywood or MDF, a staple gun, a saw, and some batting. If the plywood or MDF is not the correct width, height, or shape for your bed, simply cut it to the desired dimensions with a saw. Then cover the plywood or MDF with batting, and staple the batting to the back of the board. For extra padding, try laying down a layer of foam first, attaching it to the board with spray adhesive, before adding the layer of batting. Finally, cover the batting with the tapestry, and staple the fabric to the back of the board as you did the batting. Be sure to pull the tapestry tight as you staple so that wrinkles don't show on the front of the headboard. Your newly upholstered headboard can then be hung on the wall with brackets, attached directly to your bed frame, or propped behind the bed.

If you're not quite ready to tackle upholstery, try hanging the tapestry vertically above and behind your bed, either with nails, staples, or spray adhesive. Then, using molding, frame out the tapestry to give the illusion of a headboard.

The Tapestry Shower Curtain

For a no-sew shower curtain, attach clip or curtain rings-metal rings that have a clip hanging from them-to the top of the tapestry. These rings can usually be found wherever curtains are sold, as well as at home improvement stores and art supply stores. Then, if your shower rod is removable, slide the rod through the rings or, if the rod is fixed, hook the rings onto your existing shower curtain rings. Just be sure to use a shower curtain liner with the tapestry, as the latter won't be waterproof.

If you prefer a more finished look to the shower curtain, you can purchase a grommet setting kit at your local sewing or craft supply store. The kit will allow you to cut holes into the top of the tapestry and to then seal those holes with metal grommets. Once the grommets are set, you can hook your shower curtain rings through the grommets. Again a shower curtain liner is recommended.

The Tapestry Window Treatment

You can turn a tapestry into a window curtain panel following the methods outlined above, just lose the shower curtain liner before hanging the tapestry at your window. If you're a sewer, you can also try sewing color-coordinated tabs onto the tops of the panels or cutting the tapestry down into café curtains or a valance. If you're sewing-challenged, try folding over the top inch or two of the tapestry, and then use iron-on hem tape to seal a pocket for the curtain rod. You can also drape the tapestry over the curtain rod for a valance effect.

The Tapestry Canopy

If you have a four-poster bed, a tapestry can be stretched across the canopy frame and hung down the sides at the four posters to create a canopy effect. You may need to use upholstery tacks or a staple gun to attach the tapestry to the canopy frame. If you don't have a four-poster bed, try hanging the tapestry directly from the ceiling at the corners of your bed for the same effect.

The Tapestry Art Display

Tapestries can be cut down into different sizes and either stretched onto a canvas frame, stapled or glued to an existing piece of canvas, or framed and matted in a wooden or metal picture frame. You can then hang this tapestry art wherever you would normally hang pictures-above sofas, beds, buffets, dressers, etc.-or prop them on display easels throughout your home.

Non-Hanging Uses for Tapestries

You can use your old college tapestries just as you would any other fabric in your home. For example, do your dining room chairs need updating? Try unscrewing the seat cushion from the chair and recovering it with your tapestry. Do you need some new throw pillows for your bed or sofa? Sew or use iron-on hem tape to create new throw pillows from the tapestry or covers for the existing ones. Has your dog's bed seen better days? Cover his bed with the tapestry. Do you have a stain on your furniture that won't come out? Drape the furniture with the tapestry, and then tuck the extra fabric into the cracks, creating a slipcover effect. Can't find your old tablecloth? Drape the tapestry over your table. Is your beige bedroom boring you? Fold the tapestry, and place it at the foot of the bed for a layered look and a much-needed shot of color. Having chills one rainy night? Use the tapestry as a throw. The possibilities for using tapestries in your new, grownup space are endless.