How to Hang a Tapestry 8 Different Ways

If you’re looking for a way to decorate your bare walls, but don’t want to do the typical gallery wall, may we suggest a tapestry? We don’t mean that your apartment needs to look like the Vatican—we’re talking all kinds of textile art, from weavings to vintage fabrics. These artful pieces add color, texture, and pattern to a space, whether you hang them over the sofa, or behind the bed to serve as a bold headboard alternative. Not sure how to get your new fabric find up on the wall? We’ve gathered ideas to show you how to hang a tapestry anywhere, including in rental spaces where the walls need to remain pristine. Get inspired to find your perfect tapestry and add some life to your walls.

Use Nails or Pushpins

The easiest way to hang a tapestry? Use nails or pushpins. (No unsightly thumbtacks, please!) This method works well with larger weaves; otherwise it may result in holes in the piece. Hang by the corners for a casual drape or attach with a row of nails spread across the top of the piece for a straight look.

In the guest room of an oceanfront estate in the Dominican Republic, the custom-made beds feature lace canopies, linen bedding by Cuddledown, and coverlets by Matouk; the Turkish suzani displayed on the wall is from John Rosselli Antiques.Oberto Gili

Stretch over a Frame

Turn fabric into a work of art by stretching it over a wood frame or plywood board. Stretch and fold the tapestry over the frame, and attach with a staple gun. Use sawtooth picture hangers to mount on the wall. If your textile is thin, you may want to stretch and staple canvas to the frame first so the wood isn’t visible through the fabric.

Secure with Velcro

If you’re living in a rental and trying to avoid holes in the walls, here’s how to hang a tapestry and still get your security deposit back: Use self-adhesive Velcro tape to attach the tapestry to the wall. This is also a great method if you have a curved wall or don’t want to put holes in the fabric.

In antiques dealer Bernd Goeckler's New York loft, the entrance hall's curved wall displays an 18th-century Flemish tapestry. The gilt-wood chairs, covered in a Bergamo fabric, were made around 1780 by ébéniste Jean-Baptiste-Claude Séné, who counted Marie Antoinette among his patrons.William Abranowicz

Use a Baseboard

Weighty textiles and tapestries may need more support, and a baseboard will help secure the piece to the wall. Select a board that will fit in the rod pocket in the back of the tapestry. If your tapestry doesn’t have a pocket, you can hand-sew one using a heavy fabric. Cut the board so it is smaller than the width of the tapestry. Mark where the screws will be inserted and drill holes. Slide the board into the pocket. Fold the sides of the tapestry back and screw the board into the wall.

Hang from a Rod

Use a rod to hang tapestries with pockets in the back. If your piece is rectangular or particularly large, you could also drape it over the rod to create a faux headboard or an eye-catching display over the sofa.

Frame It

Fragile fabrics and smaller tapestries may be best behind glass. A frame or shadowbox will protect the piece and give it a worthy display.

Create a Canopy

No need to limit yourself to the wall. Hang your textile from the ceiling or drape it from the ceiling onto the wall to create a dreamy bed or intimate sitting area.

Try a Poster Hanger

Poster hangers aren’t just for artwork on paper. Use the wood device to keep the tapestry flat against the wall.