The hand-woven, contemporary tapestry is often loosely described as a wall hanging, wall tapestry, tapestry wall hanging, contemporary wall hanging, and even as fiber art or textile art for the wall. Frequently, these terms are also used to describe textiles such as quilts and various forms of embroidered work that are simply not true tapestries.

The site-specific, commissioned tapestry is widely used by architects, interior designers and art consultants working with corporate offices, hospitals, public buildings, nursing homes, hotels, public and municipal buildings and private homes to create a unique art experience for the viewer. Sometimes hand woven tapestry is the chosen art medium for murals in an atrium or entrance space not only for it's beauty and textural qualities but because the sound absorption properties will frequently enhance the acoustical qualities of an open space and reduce the need for carpeting or decorative rugs.

The finely-crafted tapestry has a texture not found in any other art form and a true tapestry is hand-woven on a loom, most often by the tapestry artist who also designed the tapestry and is thus the creative force from beginning to end. In addition, only the highest quality natural fibers such as wool, silk, linen and cotton are used in the weaving process in order to achieve a durable piece of art that will be enjoyed for generations to come.