Tapestries are one of the oldest forms of woven textile, according to the V&A Museum in London they have been used to create everything from clothing and bags to chair backs and textile art.
Yet for almost two centuries, the use of tapestries in interiors almost disappeared, overshadowed by more modern and affordable forms of decoration: wallpaper, plasterwork, paint and paintings. But there has been a veritable shift back to this unique and beautiful textile. Tapestries, which were historically designed to express a visual story, created rich in colour and tactility, are making a return to contemporary interior design.
Fabric history
The art of weaving tapestry can be traced back to the 3rd century in Egypt, well before the great period of European tapestry weaving which ran from the 14th century to the end of the 18th.
These colourful wall hangings were used to add warmth into unheated, stone and wood homes, whilst concurrently introducing an array of vibrant and cultural tones, plus on a practical level, they were totally portable. Unlike a fresco or a panelled interior, a tapestry could be simply rolled up and moved from one residence to the next. However, by the mid-18th century, tapestries began to fade from fashion.
The tactile interior
In today’s modern interiors this revival of tapestries is not simply about history or nostalgia. “Tapestries manage to remain highly relevant today,” says Frederik Decoopman, head of design, at Arte. “Connecting us to history while bringing a layered richness and warmth to contemporary interiors, which can often feel clean or minimal.” Arte recently launched their Les Tapisseries, a collection reimagining 14th- to 18th-century European tapestry designs, “to create spaces that feel cocooning and full of personality. Tapestries offer this effortlessly, adding tactility and visual depth while softening a room.” He adds.
Kit Kemp, the interior designer behind Firmdale Hotels and her own fabric collections, recognises this instinct for personality. For Kemp, the handmade is a key principle, “a machine can make the same thing again and again,” she says, “but every object made by a craftsperson will always be unique because it’s made by the human hand, and that made by hand feeling is really love.”
Old craft, new vision
“It’s not about preservation in a static sense, but about continuation through reinterpretation. Traditional crafts, like weaving, carry deep cultural knowledge patterns, materials, and methods that reflect how people lived and understood their environment.” Says tapestry and interdisciplinary artist, and Associate Professor of Graphic Design at VCUarts Qatar, Maryam Al-Homaid. “By reworking these traditions through a contemporary lens, I am not only keeping them alive, but allowing them to evolve and remain relevant within today’s context.”
In Edinburgh, the Dovecot Studios has been a global centre for tapestry-making since 1912, where master weavers collaborate with contemporary artists on bespoke commissions, blending centuries-old craft with modern design. Among contemporary artists, Sussy Cazalet is drawing attention for her colourful abstract works, alongside the antique landscapes with which tapestries are traditionally associated. Interior designer’s Rachel Aisling Walker and
Nicholas Hodson-Taylor, both regularly choses tapestries and contemporary wall hangings for their interiors projects and cite Cazalet as a sign the practice is evolving.
How do you hang yours?
“Tapestries have long been a unique layer to introduce into interiors alongside art,” explains James Thurstan Waterworth, founder of design studio Thurstan. “Not only as decorative elements but as objects of narrative and craft.” His studio, which was behind the interiors at the recently opened Zetter Bloomsbury hotel in London, finds the appeal of tapestries lies in the looseness of the category. “It’s less about strict definitions and more about the richness and emotional resonance these textiles bring to a space.” He adds.
“Tapestries should be approached as both artwork and architectural elements.” Agrees Al-Homaid. “They can soften spaces, introduce texture, and carry narrative in a way that other mediums cannot. In modern interiors, I see them working best when they are integrated thoughtfully either as focal points that anchor a space or as subtle layers that complement materials, light, and spatial flow. Scale, material, and context are key.”
Meanwhile, Hodson-Taylor approaches tapestries to diversify what he calls the “art hang”, using them to break up a wall of framed pictures with something of a different material presence. “I am drawn to tapestries and textiles that are of a larger scale, be they antique or commissioned, to ground or bring together rooms. They also help with acoustics, if I want to make a larger room feel more intimate, or a smaller bedroom envelope you, these will instantly make you feel at ease.”
The statement that never left
At Retrouvius, a reclamation and interior design studio co-founder and interior designer choses Maria Speake often choses vintage tapestries, from fine needlepoint tapestries to late 18th century pieces in her projects. “Tapestries offer a brilliant and more effective alternative to other types of artwork.” She says. “They are simple to hang, can be relocated easily and do wonders for acoustics.”
The tapestry’s original functions, covering cold stone, displaying wealth, telling stories, travelling between residences map continue to add warmth, both literal and emotional into modern interiors. “It is one of the earliest forms of storytelling and system-making.” Adds Al-Homaid. “Its history is rooted in labour, craft, and human touch, adds a layer of intimacy and meaning that I find compelling.”
Designers and makers no longer need to make the case for woven wall hanging as an aesthetic design choice tapestry credentials, historical and modern are evident. So, the question is, how do you hang yours?
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