DIY Large Wall Art Using a Tapestry
Large scale wall art can be difficult to source at a reasonable price. In this tutorial I’ll share how to make a frame for an inexpensive wall mural for under $50!
Tea staining is a project I’ve always wanted to try. The opportunity arose with a tapestry that I purchased – I expected to be more aged when I ordered it, but it didn’t exactly posses the vintage vibe I had in mind. So I tried tea staining the fabric, and LOVED the results.
![large scale wall art new tapestry](https://ctl.s6img.com/society6/img/REsjbweU9Bz8cEzAvviJ3cds3pU/w_700/tapestries/standard/~artwork,fw_6500,fh_5525,fx_-110,iw_6719,ih_5525/s6-original-art-uploads/society6/uploads/misc/4f574822aa324979bb3f5e9036991b9a/~~/john-james-audubon-louisiana-heron-painting-tapestries.jpg?wait=0&attempt=0)
The mirror above our mantel is very practical – but I have never liked it, so I want to cover it up. The mirror emphasizes our unfinished landing upstairs. Instead of disposing of the mirror (my family likes it) I thought I could try covering it up with some DIY art.
![Dark Moody Mantel Makeover by Snazzy Little Things](https://www.snazzylittlethings.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/IMG_9420-2-1006x1024.jpg)
I found these tapestries on Society6 which support freelance artists. The tapestry sizing was perfect for our mantel project. But the fabric is very new, pure white.
I used about 5 teabags that I already had on hand. I did it twice, and it made the entire canvas look slightly aged. I dried it on our deck railing outside and shook off any tea leaves that got loose in the process.
![tea staining large scale wall art](https://www.snazzylittlethings.com/wp-content/uploads/Tea-Stained-Fabric-Tutorial-768x1024.jpg)
Once dry I ironed the tapestry. Then I constructed a simple frame using a Kreg jig. If you missed it, here is a quick video tutorial (I did this using a shower curtain on a previous project).
![building frame for large scale wall art using a tapestry](https://www.snazzylittlethings.com/wp-content/uploads/How-to-Frame-a-Tapestry-with-a-Kreg-Jig-1024x768.jpg)
This process emulated an aged, vintage vibe! But once it was up, my family missed the mirror :)
![large scale wall art with wood frame over mantel](https://www.snazzylittlethings.com/wp-content/uploads/Tea-Stained-Mantel-Art-by-SnazzyLittleThings-741x1024.jpg)
If you need inexpensive art, this cost under $50, and it’s almost 55″ x 60″! Not bad for oversized art!
![](https://www.snazzylittlethings.com/wp-content/uploads/Tea-Stained-Large-Scale-Art-1024x1024.jpg)
Thanks for following along…and if you missed it, be sure to read more about our basement accent wall (the art may end up in the basement at some point, too!)
![](https://www.snazzylittlethings.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/singature.png)
It looks amazing…. everybody has a camera on their phone they can check – who needs a mirror!!
Hope you win and the bird stays cause I think it really looks great.
We will see how it shakes out, maybe I’ll find a different canvas to try, they’re inexpensive enough we can experiment. :)
Love the vintage vibe! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you!
Love using the tea bags to “vintage” the print! Great idea
Hi For the tea stained tapestry for 5 bags how much water did you use and was it hot or cold and how long did you leave it in the water ? its beautiful! please reply