Guide to Choosing the Right Wall Tapestry Size for Your Space

Author : Jude Noronha | Published On : 19 Nov 2025

A wall tapestry can instantly elevate a room, adding colour, texture, personality and visual interest. But choosing the right size is key: too small and it looks lost; too large and it can overwhelm the space. In this guide, you will learn how to measure, decide and hang the perfect tapestry so it looks just right in your room.

Measure your wall & furniture

· Identify the wall where you want to hang the tapestry. Will it be above a sofa, bed, or on an empty wall?

· Measure the width and height of the wall. Also measure the width of any furniture directly in front of the wall (sofa, bed headboard etc).

· Decide clear space: leave some margin around the tapestry so it doesn’t hit the wall edges or ceiling/floor awkwardly.

· Calculate usable wall space: If above a sofa, measure the width of the sofa and the wall area it occupies. Good rule: tapestry width = ~ 60–75% of the sofa width.

Placement & Hanging Height

· If you’re hanging above furniture (sofa, bed headboard): the tapestry should drop slightly behind the furniture — about 1 to 4 inches (≈2.5–10 cm) behind the top of the furniture.

· Leave a gap between the bottom of the tapestry and the furniture top so it doesn’t look like it’s sitting on the furniture.

· If you’re hanging on a free wall (no furniture): start the tapestry a few inches above eye-level or approx. 152–165 cm from the floor to centre it in the viewer’s line of sight.

· Consider lighting: natural light helps fabrics and texture show well. One guide recommends placing tapestry where it will be lit so “the natural beauty of the texture and the colours … is brought out.”

· Consider vertical vs horizontal: For wide walls above long furniture, go horizontal. For narrower spaces (like between windows) a vertical (taller) shape can help fill the height.

Common mistakes & how to avoid them

· Too small for the wall: The tapestry looks lost and doesn’t integrate. Solution: Pick size that covers ~60-75% of the available width (especially above furniture).

· Too large in small space: It can make the room feel cramped or the tapestry look like it’s crowding the wall. Solution: Measure carefully and choose proportionately.

· Hanging too high or too low: Placement not aligned with furniture or viewer leads to awkward visual disconnect.

· Ignoring furniture width: If hanging above a sofa/headboard, matching tapestry width to furniture creates harmony.

· Poor lighting / flat backdrop: Even a well-sized tapestry will be underwhelming if the wall and lighting don’t complement it. Choose a wall with simple background and good light.

· Ignoring scale in relation to ceiling height: High ceilings allow for larger wall art. Low ceiling rooms require modest sizing.

· Not considering fabric & texture: Tapestries have more visual weight (because fabric) than plain prints. That means size decisions should factor in how bold the texture/pattern is.

Quick checklist before you buy

Measure the wall width and height.
Measure furniture (sofa, bed) width if wall is behind it.
Decide desired visual coverage (~60-75% width of furniture or ~60-75% of wall width when free wall).
Choose tapestry size accordingly (use above size table as guide).
Pick orientation (horizontal or vertical) based on wall shape.
Check pattern, colours, room style — will the tapestry complement?
Consider lighting and wall colour/background.
Think about hanging hardware & the weight of tapestry material.
Visualise it: Tape out (with painter’s tape) the dimensions on the wall so you can preview scale before purchase.