Expert Talk: Walk on the Wild Side With Animal Art

Climb every mountain. These prints by Joe Andoe were purchased from the Julie Nester Gallery in Utah. Momoko Morton of Naka Designs, who designed this space along with partner Robert Fitzgerald, says, "Our goal was to create a contemporary mountain look using traditional mountain imagery, finishes, textures and colors in an updated way."

She adds, "Our clients, who were Chicago doctors, wanted the space to be modern, crisp and white. But after a number of years of designing in the mountain towns of Colorado, we've learned what people want and expect when they come to visit, and we wanted to be sure our clients' condo/part-time rental property would be highly coveted. So we met in the middle and created a space that is unexpected, luxurious and warm."

The images by Andoe "were a perfect addition to the space," she says, "with the unexpected punch of color in contrast to the cool gray paint and Paul Smith for Maharam headboard fabric."

Pick up a souvenir. For this family room, Jenna Wedemeyer took inspiration from the homeowners. "I love this piece because it's a work the clients bought on a trip to Antwerp [Belgium]," she says. "It's a constant reminder and reflection of their life experiences and not a reflection of me as a designer or something impersonal or store bought. It gives the room its soul."

Create a custom work. "We created three wallpapers with animal prints for three boys' bedrooms," says designer Jarlath Mellett. "Each has a different theme — jungle, ocean, desert — and we took images of animals and then created custom wallpaper by scanning fashion and interior fabric patterns to color in the animals."

He adds, "Each wallpaper is meant to be a piece of timeless art for the kids to grow into and was based on their individual interests. It provides them with a whole world to live in and spark their imagination."

Embrace the elements. These homeowners are nature and animal lovers, and designer Marie Burgos felt it was important to choose art that made them happy and comfortable. This work by Patrick Wright is called "Passing By."

"I use the principles of feng shui in all of my designs regardless of whether I'm adopting a contemporary, eclectic, modern, tropical or rustic look. In order to apply feng shui, I use the bagua, which is an energy map. It gets applied to the floor plan, and I always place the emphasis on using a great open layout for the chi energy to circulate freely. I also utilize the two opposite forces of yin and yang to create balance, and the five natural elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) to create harmony," Burgos says.

"Animal art is a way to integrate a natural element in a stylish way. In this case, the horses, which are a noble animal with great energy, bring a spirit of openness and freedom," she adds. "In this family room, I opened the wall on either side to make the space flow better but wanted to keep the original brick wall for more texture and authenticity. The horses give this room life and a unique character."