Animal Prints: Walk On The Wild Side

It seems animal prints have been in style for about the last 10 years! My husband thinks I like ANYTHING in animal print! Truth be told, I have always been a fan of animal print in both fashion and decor. It brings out my wild side! I do, however, find It’s a hard sell for many clients but I think a touch of animal print, even subtly makes a room interesting and adds texture.  I did have one client who wanted to do the whole room in several animal prints, which is very rare and probably way too much for most people. But I have to say, even with all the different prints, leopard, tiger, zebra and even sheepskin, the room worked. As with fashion, I think a splash here and there works the best. I love bright colors with animal prints, they seem to complement each other. Like magenta with leopard. The brown shades in the leopard actually tone down the magenta. Lime green or aqua with zebra has a fresh clean feel. If you are afraid to use them, try introducing them as accents such as with pillows or trim on a solid drapery fabric. As I started to look at the many rooms I have designed, I realize I have been using them quite often….so maybe my husband is right!

Here are some examples……

A whole room of animals!

Accent towels & rug that can be easily changed out.

Although the rug is a large area the colors make the animal print subtle.

Placemats add a touch of animal print to the room without commitment!

Even the granite in this kitchen is called “Jaquar”