Ways to use Animal Prints in your Home for a little Wow Factor!

October 4, 2018

While we all love wearing a vibrant animal print every now and then it's not so easy to incorporate those beloved patterns into our homes. Many people think that animal prints are too bold, dark and overwhelming for a house especially those that have conservative taste. However, what I share with my Fairfield and Westchester clients is that adding a modern interpretation of an animal print is actually a way to add a chic detail to a room.

The construction of this Foyer is very typical of a New England Colonial. This one, with picture frame and crown moldings, a craftsman style door with side lights, the inlay hardwood floor and neutral paint color. It all looks beautiful and is all very classic in style. However, once we installed the cheetah rug in true-to-life colors the mood of the whole room shifted, adding an unexpected surprise to an otherwise very traditional space.

The owner of this home wanted to incorporate zebra print into the design so we opted to recover the chairs in a palette that matched the rest of the room but that was bright enough to pop. Since we were going for an eclectic style, the animal print was the perfect addition to this traditional Dining set. Combined with the transitional side board and modern art, we created a fun and happy space in which to entertain family and friends.

We gave this traditional chair a whole new lease on life when we recovered it with a fun zebra print. Because it is such a large element in the room, we made sure to carry the muted tones of the space into the colors of the print. Now this chair is not only functional, it is a knock-out statement piece.

When it comes to animal prints in home design, don't just think about patterns, consider textures too. We got so much bang for the buck with the simple addition of a two tone animal skin rug to this office. The layered look and multiple textures, not only added dimension, it created a focal point that brought the room to a whole new level.

Animal print mixes very well with other bold patterns as long as you use complimentary tones. Here we wanted to bring the sitting and sleeping areas of the room together so we used navy and white elements throughout, topping it off with two zebra print throw pillows on the couch. By keeping the color of the pillows similar to the rest of the space it blended seamlessly but also provided an eye catching detail as well.

Speaking of throw pillows, they are one of my favorite ways to add animal prints to a room. Here we jazzed up this neutral entry foyer by adding cheetah print pillows to this custom bench in a similar palette to the upholstery and wall paper. What's great about this method, is that if you get tired of the print you can easily and inexpensively switch it out.

In addition to making your home design look current, adding an animal print creates an element of surprise and is just plain fun. Try incorporating it into your space with upholstery, pillows and rugs. If you want to reupholster a piece kellydesigns can get the job done for you in our workroom and for fun throw pillows check out my store.