Should I tap it?
November 29, 2015 9:04 PM Subscribe
I'm looking for a really large piece of art for my wall and there's a couple of works I'm eyeing on society6. Unfortunately, their largest canvas size isn't large enough for my liking. Their wall tapestries, however, are large enough. But!
Would a hanging tapestry look good, or would it look kind of cheap? (It makes me think of hanging bedsheets.) Please assume I would hang the tapestry as-is, not stretch it on a canvas itself.
My decor style in general is clean and contemporary, leaning toward minimalism. Right now I have a few smaller pieces on the wall in question but I'd like to replace them with one impact piece.
I'd appreciate advice, sample photos (beyond society6's own mockups), personal experience, anything to help me decide. Thanks!
Would a hanging tapestry look good, or would it look kind of cheap? (It makes me think of hanging bedsheets.) Please assume I would hang the tapestry as-is, not stretch it on a canvas itself.
My decor style in general is clean and contemporary, leaning toward minimalism. Right now I have a few smaller pieces on the wall in question but I'd like to replace them with one impact piece.
I'd appreciate advice, sample photos (beyond society6's own mockups), personal experience, anything to help me decide. Thanks!
I wanted something really big and planned on a mirror but the one I ordered broke and I went to Hobby Lobby and settled on a really cool lightweight metalic sculpture.
My point being, free your mind. I just saw an awesome bed frame fabric light art piece on pinterest. There is a lot out there.
posted by k8t at 9:24 PM on November 29, 2015
My point being, free your mind. I just saw an awesome bed frame fabric light art piece on pinterest. There is a lot out there.
posted by k8t at 9:24 PM on November 29, 2015
You can sew a pocket in the top and run a rod through or you can even make your own frame and stretch it. You could mount the top along a rod or section of wood and mount it to the wall. Those all help with sagging. However I think they look fine just use enough tacks on the top so you don't get sagging.
posted by Crystalinne at 9:24 PM on November 29, 2015
posted by Crystalinne at 9:24 PM on November 29, 2015
Best answer: I think tapestries only work when they have some texture or heft: a weaving or rug, fabric stretched across a frame, or draped for a more sculptural look. You can either make your own frame or buy them here.
posted by acidic at 9:31 PM on November 29, 2015
posted by acidic at 9:31 PM on November 29, 2015
As a general rule, things look better when professionally photographed for advertising purposes than they ever will when you use/hang/install them. It's just the nature of the fussiness of advertising photography.
Those things look like cheap crap bed sheets hung on a wall on the website. I can't imagine how terrible they'd look in real life.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:33 PM on November 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Those things look like cheap crap bed sheets hung on a wall on the website. I can't imagine how terrible they'd look in real life.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:33 PM on November 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks! Just to keep this on track, please note I already have some sculpture-esque pieces in mind, as well. This is specifically a question about tapestries (again, hung as-is) b/c of some particular art I liked on society6 (though I think my reservations are being confirmed here). Great point about the texture, thanks.
posted by paperback version at 9:34 PM on November 29, 2015
posted by paperback version at 9:34 PM on November 29, 2015
I don't associate tapestries in general with contemporary/minimal/clean aesthetics, but I looked up the site's pieces to see what specifically you're talking about.
Those specific tapestries (which aren't of the hanging style/weight/materials that most people would consider actual tapestry) would definitely need to be stretched to achieve your purpose and even then could still look cheap but stretching would give better odds than just hanging as is which certainly looks high school or fraternity level decor to me.
posted by vegartanipla at 9:35 PM on November 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Those specific tapestries (which aren't of the hanging style/weight/materials that most people would consider actual tapestry) would definitely need to be stretched to achieve your purpose and even then could still look cheap but stretching would give better odds than just hanging as is which certainly looks high school or fraternity level decor to me.
posted by vegartanipla at 9:35 PM on November 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
And to be fair, looking cheap is... accurate. Really large artwork that looks good and is on the scale of any of those sheets (ranging in size from 51x60" to 88x104") - even just at the reproduction level - is typically going to cost substantially more just in materials.
posted by vegartanipla at 9:49 PM on November 29, 2015
posted by vegartanipla at 9:49 PM on November 29, 2015
I have a large handprinted tapestry hanging on my wall. Personally, I don't think it looks cheap, but it is not minimalist either. I think that hanging the piece in such a way that it doesn't sag is makes a big difference in how it looks, and particularly how cheap or not cheap it looks.
To hang mine, I stitched Velcro squares onto it, using a kit designed for wall hangings. (Normally the Velcro sticks onto fabric as well, but I didn't want anything permanently affixed to my print.) I used about 6 Velcro tabs across the top, one on each side, and two at the bottom for a piece of fabric that's about 4' across and 6' long. I hung it very carefully and it doesn't sag at all.
posted by snorkmaiden at 10:10 PM on November 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
To hang mine, I stitched Velcro squares onto it, using a kit designed for wall hangings. (Normally the Velcro sticks onto fabric as well, but I didn't want anything permanently affixed to my print.) I used about 6 Velcro tabs across the top, one on each side, and two at the bottom for a piece of fabric that's about 4' across and 6' long. I hung it very carefully and it doesn't sag at all.
posted by snorkmaiden at 10:10 PM on November 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
You could do a triptych and use the gaps between them to help reach the larger format you're after. Something like this, in an endless variety of composition, not necessarily photography. **edit to add this general link to their triptych offerings.
posted by yoga at 11:37 PM on November 29, 2015
posted by yoga at 11:37 PM on November 29, 2015
I just looked it up and the fabric is "lightweight polyester" which is going to look shiny, flimsy, and cheap.
If I wanted a minimalist look for a large wall, I'd buy canvas stretchers (or DIY if you're handy), stretch a canvas with a staple gun, and paint my own. I once lived in an apartment with not a lot of natural light but high ceilings and I painted a huge canvas a nice pale sunny yellow. You don't even need artist acrylics, you can do it all in interior latex and a foam roller. Just paint a base coat of white first.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 12:18 AM on November 30, 2015
If I wanted a minimalist look for a large wall, I'd buy canvas stretchers (or DIY if you're handy), stretch a canvas with a staple gun, and paint my own. I once lived in an apartment with not a lot of natural light but high ceilings and I painted a huge canvas a nice pale sunny yellow. You don't even need artist acrylics, you can do it all in interior latex and a foam roller. Just paint a base coat of white first.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 12:18 AM on November 30, 2015
Dont think using a tapestry is inherently non-minimalist or teenagery (suppose it depends on the motif and how its used), and the examples of how they drape them sort of casually is quite beautiful.
One thing that is driving me a little crazy is that none of the reviews of their tapestries mention the resolution, so i dunno about the sharpness of the image. They must be okay, suppose someone would have said something if they sucked. IMO just because they are made out of polyester doesn't necessarily mean they look super cheapo, either..crazy how they can print on fabrics these days. Plus i think if theres an issue, i hear society6 has great customer service.
If youre looking to go even bigger in size, have you checked etsy? Might be too hippy-dippy for your taste though, not sure.
What about contacting a local budding artist to paint something for you? Or do a huge charcoal (swoon) work? Vinyl stickers? DIY projects? I got bored one day back in uni and taped a big chunk of my wall with electrical tape a little like this here.
posted by speakeasy at 3:43 AM on November 30, 2015
One thing that is driving me a little crazy is that none of the reviews of their tapestries mention the resolution, so i dunno about the sharpness of the image. They must be okay, suppose someone would have said something if they sucked. IMO just because they are made out of polyester doesn't necessarily mean they look super cheapo, either..crazy how they can print on fabrics these days. Plus i think if theres an issue, i hear society6 has great customer service.
If youre looking to go even bigger in size, have you checked etsy? Might be too hippy-dippy for your taste though, not sure.
What about contacting a local budding artist to paint something for you? Or do a huge charcoal (swoon) work? Vinyl stickers? DIY projects? I got bored one day back in uni and taped a big chunk of my wall with electrical tape a little like this here.
posted by speakeasy at 3:43 AM on November 30, 2015
Response by poster: The only reason I considered the tapestry was b/c of the specific artwork I was interested in (both were very minimalist prints). I could always order them in some other product, I guess, but I'll be skipping the hanging sheets. Thanks -- I will not be making a GOB-sized mistake!
posted by paperback version at 8:58 AM on November 30, 2015
posted by paperback version at 8:58 AM on November 30, 2015
? I disagree. Nothing childlike about it and those tapestries are freakin cool.
posted by agregoli at 10:35 AM on November 30, 2015
posted by agregoli at 10:35 AM on November 30, 2015
I just got a tapestry from that site, and I was pretty impressed with the resolution and the printing. The fabric is also substantial enough to hang from three tacks without sagging. It's a different vibe than a framed painting for sure, but if you love the art and it works for your space, why not give it a try? You can always send it back if you hate it, or make it into cool curtains or something.
posted by ananci at 7:30 PM on November 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ananci at 7:30 PM on November 30, 2015 [1 favorite]
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