Getting Wild: Decorating with Animals

Using animals and animal influences in decorating is a controversial subject. The ethical dilemma surrounding taxidermy is complicated and people's attitudes toward using animals in decorating is necessarily tied to where they fall in the debate.

I happen to like the incorporation of a little animal, faux or real, but I also think that it's really necessary to show restraint or very careful placement. I'm not a huge fan of the hunting lodge look. That said, occasionally I see an over-the-top use of an animal print or texture and I fall in love.

Here are some cool - and thought-provoking - interiors using animals:

Kit Pollard

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This room, in the home of designer Jeffrey Bilhuber (as is the peacock room), does appeal to me. It's busier than my usual taste, but the faux antlers and textured walls combine for a modern Western feel that's kind of ironic but cool in its own right.

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I have mixed feelings about this peacock. On one hand, I think it's kind of cool and it's definitely shorthand for "opulence." Plus, it really works with the rest of the room. On the other, as with the deer in the first photo, it kind of creeps me out. Maybe it's just too real.

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Broad, rough-edged cowhide rugs are kind of cool and organic looking, especially in rooms with simply constructed furniture. I like this one, especially in contrast with the green backdrop.

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This little rug is so obviously faux that it's cheeky, which makes me love it, especially in this serious, minimal room.

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Zebra works on the floor, too. I love it as a runner - since it's confined to the floor, it's not too much. And it's a great match for the black and white gallery. Minimal color balances out the intensity of pattern.

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This zebra wall - certainly faux, so without the ethical issues - is so over the top that I love it. It reminds me of a restaurant scene in the Mad Men series premiere. Zebra walls and opulent furnishings - those combine to create spaces that beg to be filled with cocktails and cocktail attire.

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This chandelier poses the same questions, but also shows that light fixtures like this look great in a variety of spaces.

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Antlers in the chandelier are cool and minimal - I love the look. But is it too disconnected from the animal itself? Is it unfair to the animal?

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It is quite possible that sleeping this close to a deer's head would creep me out. At the same time, I like the combination of such traditional, iconic taxidermy with a modern, interesting interior.