10 Fearless Ways With Zebra

kandy smith Oh My do I love that headboard!!!!

Pat Lukes Shame on you, glamorizing the use of zebra hide.

prior1 The deer looks like a stylized sika deer (Japanese deer) and cheers to you on the zebra decor...They are beautiful animals that remind of adventure and world travel. Although some of your examples are obviously not real, the real ones are consumed and to waste such a beautiful part of the animal would be a shame...

georgetownsandi gorgeous ideabook - caption for the last photo: Is Animal Planet on?

UPSTAGING YOUR HOMES luv all the pix - thanks for sharing

Ellen T. This is probably my favorite Ideabook to date. While I can't support the use of a real hide, I love the faux zebra pattern rugs and fabric. Their bold black and white irregular stripes add such zing to many a decor that a standard pattern just can't match. Thanks for all the great ideas!

storklady As always, I love your ideabooks Becky. This one is no exception.

stmichael Excellent ideabook, Becky. You gave me many decorating ideas. All zebra fabrics/rugs today are faux. It has been illegal for many years to import real skins, thankfully. But we can still enjoy the natural beauty of these incredible animals in our interiors without harming the real deal. Thank you for showing us so many accessible design alternatives.

Becky Harris The real hides wig me out too. Georgetownsandi - I love it!

jlwms123 I love zebra prints used sparingly. Most real hides are a result of wildlife management's attempts to reduce the effects of overpopulation on farm lands and is perfectly legal. For those who are opposed to using a real hide, a great option is a zebra print on a white cowhide rug which is shown in picture nine.

Becky Harris Oddly enough, we have had two different zebras on the loose in Atlanta over the past few years. I think one was from a circus and the other one was around Emory somewhere.

diplocase There are ranches in Namibia that run controlled herds of zebra, and sell the meat and hides like any other ranch animal. These wild animals can 'make a living' on land that could not be farmed, providing livelihoods for local people. There is a very well run cooperative that beautifully tans and transforms the hides into everything from purses to wall art. It employs over a hundred people and gives them skills and a future. You don't need to feel bad about using zebra hide if you source it well.

louyan I love your ideabooks Becky

Becky Harris Thanks for the information diplocase, I did not know that. Thanks for educating me!

Thanks to everyone for your comments. It's always a treat to see a "someone left a comment in your ideabook" message in my email inbox and to link over and read them :)

Linda McMahon I love the comment for the last pic. Good one. I'm glad to be informed about the use of real hide, I had to admit a gasp when I saw the picture. I used a zebra print in my previous home, to add a surprise element to a closet that I transformed into storage for my decorating and cooking magazines. I don't have one in my new home....yet!

ellie48 I love zebra. In small doses it creates that element of wonderful surprise. Touches of zebra look great even in a traditional setting. It is modern and fun!
You have given me good ideas.

nixmommy When we have the option of using faux hide.. I no longer see the reason for using a real one. Kinda gross. But I love the print and I will be using it ( faux of course) in my media room! :)

prior1 Great that most don't support the use of animal hides as a fashion statement...I'm an unapologetic hunter and see nothing wrong with the use of any part of an animal that has been ethically harvested. Reverence for an animals' spirit can be portrayed in many ways and remembrance via displays of it's beauty hold no revulsion for me...To use an animal purely for "decoration"? Use a faux print...

Pat Lukes Don't be delusional. If zebra hides would 'catch on' as a design hit, don't think for one minute that they are all being consumed for their meat. When you make statements like that, you are showing how dense you are.

prior1 Not sure if the delusional comment was directed toward me but let me inform...ALL game animals are managed and the harvest is limited by law...Everywhere in the world...There are strict laws on the use of meat from these animals. There is poaching of course, but that is outside of the law and punished harshly pretty much everywhere.
If your reference is to commercial production, don't think for one minute that a producer would waste a valuable resource (meaning meat that has value).
I'm not dense by any means,,,Your statement does however show that you have a very limited understanding of wildlife management and business...

Pat Lukes Yeah, pretty much the comment was directed at you, the 'unapologetic hunter'. Zebra hides are illegal to export. I spend my life and a whole lot of time, that I could be spending doing other things to make sure species are not decimated by people like you.

Anyone who wants to know the truth about poaching and illegal hunting can just Google this information. I do not understand how some animal's dead hide laying on your floor can make you feel good.

BTW...there are only 5000 Grevy's Zebras left in the world. When 5000 people just like you want their hides to decorate their homes, what do you think the impact on the world will be?

So, let's let the zebras keep their skins and stay alive. The world will be a much better plan if we start taking better care of it's creature.

Go faux...the technology is so good these days, you cannot tell the difference.

prior1 Sorry, you're wrong...Zebra hides are NOT illegal to export from countries that support sustainable numbers. I have one that was legally and ethically taken. It was exported from Namibia where, by the way, there is a healthy and thriving population because a value is placed on them. You distort by using the Grevy's as an example. Grevy's are threatened and are NOT legal to hunt. Actually populations are stable but considered threatened. There have been 2 reported poaching incidents since 2005. None of this has anything to do with legal hunting activity. Hunted species are Mountain Zebra (limited hunting) and Burchells (not to be confused with Quagga which are extinct) or plains zebra which are plentiful. As for your comment about protecting animals from decimation by "people like me", you need to be reminded that conservation has been promoted by hunters more than any group, including the one you support. Great for you, and I commend you, for helping to preserve an endangered species...Good work that needs to be done. I as well support endangered species restoration via my hunting license fees and pro hunting organizations that mount anti poaching initiatives, and, by the way, economic support of subsistence populations of native people. Along with my support of conservation as mentioned above, I've given up my farm assessment status on my own land because I feel that the animals need resting cover and I wasn't willing to level that cover in order to qualify for farm exemption (by the way, I don't hunt here so no benefit in that regard). So before you start throwing accusations, you should get your facts straight. Yes, I'm unapologetic about hunting and although you claim to know why I do it and what my values are, in truth you know nothing about me except what your obvious bias tells you...Now, back to the subject...Zebra hide or zebra faux, according to how you feel, it's beautiful. Thanks for highlighting that beauty!

diplocase to reinforce that importation of responsibly sourced zebra hides is legal: I recently brought one home from a business trip to Namibia. When I entered the US the hide was inspected by the Dept of Agriculture representative, to be sure it was properly tanned and not harboring insect pests that could endanger US agriculture. Customs wasn't interested.

Pat Lukes To justify the killing of these beautiful animals to stroke your egos may work in your world, but the majority of the people who care about the earth and it's inhabitants think it's disgusting. We reap what we sow, remember that.

Becky Harris ENOUGH! This is a story about a print on a design website. Take your name calling and judgements somewhere else, rudeness won't be tolerated here.

Dona Rosene Interiors Well done Becky! I love to use animal prints. They add just the right drama and edge sometimes.

Laurie S Woods ASID FABULOUS idea book! Illustrates how a small dose of a strong statement can have a very positive visual impact on any room. Thanks, Becky!

Lynne Barton Bier - Home on the Range Interiors I love the unexpected element a zebra print can add to a traditional room. I agree that you found some wonderful examples Becky and thank you for getting the discussion back on track. You have a great knack for beautifully illustrating your ideabooks with appropriate photos and it takes quite a bit of time and research to accomplish that.

love2deco8 I just read the thread of comments on zebra hides and I personally think Becky did an amazing job. I have a zebra stenciled cowhide in my family room and it's gorgeous.
Pat Lukes: just a piece of advice. I think you should spend most of your time correcting your negative and insulting attitude, rather than worrying about the zebras of the world. There's qualified people out there, to deal with wildlife issues, but only you can adjust your attitude.

Pat Lukes Mircea27: You're a little full of yourself, no wait, a lot full of yourself. You sound like an airhead who just doesn't understand that, just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Read up on the facts of what's endangered and going extinct and if you still don't get it, then you're just a lost cause. I am qualified to speak on behalf of the wildlife and their protection, just as you would be if you donated time and money to their well being.

So, maybe you're having a bad day and decided to insult me, but I'm definately not going to allow a clueless being post such a nasty comment without responding. Consider yourself responded to.

prior1 Becky...Can you ban this guy??? I think everybody else has agreed to disagree...

Pat Lukes Yes, it's true, we did agree to disagree, but when Mirsea27 decided to chime in and insult me after 4 weeks of no comments and made it personal about me, I will defend myself against someone who is just clueless and self absorbed.

prior1 Well, you have been insulting and negative...Everybody else has been civil...Please don't read as an attack. Just the way it seems...

Pat Lukes You're wrong. No comments for a month and then yesterday someone made a comment on his use of zebra, but doesn't stop at that and used my name and read me the riot act about my attitude. I, at least use my real name...who are you? No, I'm sorry, I'm not the one who's insulting and negative here. BTW, there is nothing positive about killing to decorate. Bottom line.

So, I think that you don't seem to understand that I was personally attacked. There was no need for the paragraph that this person wrote yesterday about me. It showed a lack of class and when I pointed that out, you attacked me for defending myself. What does that say about you. This is no room for bullying here.

prior1 Not many people use their real names here...Has nothing to do with courage and of course I'm wrong...After all you said it...It seems to me that you're just looking for an argument...Me, Mercia...Doesn't seem to matter just as long as you have someone to use to promote your agenda...I really wish Becky would/could ban you and save us all from having to listen to your preaching...This is the last I'll say to you...You're on "ignore"

Pat Lukes I may be ignored by Prior1, but I did not post any attacks after 4 weeks. Wanting to ban people just because their opinion is different shows immaturity.

tjaklitsch what an angry (I assume) man . . . .