Most tapestries spend their lives pinned flat to a wall. That is a good use for one, but it isn't the only use. A tapestry is a big, light, washable piece of printed fabric, and that makes it one of the most flexible things you can own for a bedroom or a small flat. Here are six ways to use one, how to set each up, and which size to choose.
Kiyo Arts tapestries come in four sizes: 26 × 36, 50 × 60, 68 × 80 and 88 × 104 inches. They are 100% polyester microfibre with hemmed edges, and they weigh very little.
1. A headboard
A bed without a headboard looks unfinished, and a proper headboard is expensive, heavy and awkward to move. A tapestry hung directly behind the bed, with its lower edge at or just below the top of the mattress, does the same visual job. It frames the bed and gives the room a focal point.
How to do it:
- Hang it in landscape, centred on the bed.
- It should be a little wider than the bed. For a twin, use 50 × 60. For a full or queen, 68 × 80. For a king, 88 × 104.
- Let the bottom edge drop a few inches behind the mattress or pillows, so there is no gap.
- Keep it taut. A sagging tapestry looks like a sheet. Use an attachment point every 18 to 24 inches along the top, or hang it from a rod.
For the smartest finish, hang it from a wooden dowel or a slim curtain rod mounted at the height a headboard would reach, about 48 to 60 inches from the floor.
2. A ceiling canopy
Fabric overhead changes how a room feels. It lowers the ceiling, softens the light, and makes a bed feel enclosed and private. It is a good trick in a room with a high ceiling or a harsh central light.
How to do it:
- Fix four removable adhesive hooks to the ceiling in a rectangle a little smaller than the tapestry.
- Attach each corner with a clip or a loop of string.
- Let the middle hang slightly lower than the corners for a soft, draped shape. Or add a fifth hook in the centre and lift it, to make a tent.
Use the 68 × 80 or 88 × 104 size over a bed. Because the fabric is light, removable hooks are usually enough, but press them on firmly and check the weight rating on the pack.
Safety: keep fabric well away from ceiling lights, bulbs, heaters and smoke detectors. Never drape it over or near a light fitting.
3. A room divider
In a studio flat or a shared room, a tapestry can separate the bed from the living area, or a desk from everything else. It gives a sense of two spaces without building anything.
How to do it:
- A tension rod between two walls or inside an alcove is the easiest method. No fixings needed.
- A ceiling-mounted curtain wire or track lets you slide the tapestry open and closed.
- A freestanding clothes rail is the renter's option. Clip the tapestry to it and move it wherever you like.
Use the largest size, hung in portrait, so it reaches from above head height to near the floor. Remember that the print is on one side. The back shows a paler version of the image, so decide which side faces which space.
4. A doorway or wardrobe curtain
An open wardrobe, a cupboard with no door, or a doorway that needs a bit of privacy can all be covered with a tapestry on a tension rod. It is quieter and softer than a door and takes up no swing space.
Measure the opening. A standard interior doorway is about 30 to 32 inches wide and 80 inches tall. The 50 × 60 size, hung portrait, covers the width with some gathering and reaches most of the way down. The 68 × 80, hung portrait, reaches the full height.
5. A backdrop
If you take video calls, stream, record, or just take a lot of photos, a tapestry gives you an instant background. It hides a messy shelf or a blank wall, and it packs away in seconds.
- Hang it flat and steam out the creases first. Wrinkles show up on camera.
- Sit at least two or three feet in front of it, so it falls slightly out of focus.
- Choose a design that isn't too busy directly behind your head. A dark cosmic scene or a soft landscape works better than a detailed street.
- Light yourself from the front, not the tapestry.
6. A throw, bedspread or picnic blanket
It is fabric, so it can be used as fabric. The 50 × 60 size is the same as a standard throw blanket. Fold it over the end of a bed or the back of a sofa. The two larger sizes will cover a bed as a light bedspread, or go on the grass for a picnic or a festival. It is thin, so it is a layer and not a warm blanket. It goes in the washing machine on cold afterward.
Choosing a design for each use
- Headboard: something calm that you are happy to sleep under. Forests, night skies and misty landscapes.
- Canopy: a star field or nebula is the obvious and best choice. You are lying under a sky.
- Divider: a bold image that looks good from across the room.
- Backdrop: dark and simple, without strong patterns behind your face.
- Throw: anything you like. It will be folded, so the full image matters less.
Forest scenes such as Lost Forest Magic Portal and night skies such as Star Valley suit bedrooms. Purple Pink Wormhole makes a striking canopy or backdrop.
Practical notes
- Check your lease or housing rules before fixing anything to a ceiling.
- Removable hooks need clean, smooth surfaces. Wipe the spot with rubbing alcohol first, and press for thirty seconds.
- Keep fabric away from heat and open flames, including candles.
- Wash it now and then. Fabric that hangs over a bed collects dust. See how to wash a tapestry.
For hanging methods in detail, see how to hang a tapestry without nails, and for sizes, the tapestry size guide. Browse every design in the tapestries collection.