Boys vs. Girls - The Decorating Dilemma

Decorating a new house with your new spouse is always a challenge. His college frat house furniture and decor from IKEA meets your girly girl red couch and vintage french advertisement prints = not cute. That was the challenge when we moved into our first home in Round Rock. The outside of our home is Kirby Stone rock - of course - and the inside reflects that same country feel. Without being too country. I call our look Texas Tuscany, a little bit rich rustic ranch, a little bit Tuscan with rich olive greens, rust and dark wood furniture. I think this is a pretty good mix of our two styles.

Now, anyone that knows my husband knows he has a passion for hunting. Mammal, bird or fish, he will catch it, trap it, or shoot it. This has resulted in several deer "mounts" that have a happy home staying at the ranch. No deer heads over the mantle here. But, as a good wifey, I try to incorporate his hobbies and personal interested into our decor. We both like to decorate with things that have meaning when we can. We have a painted duck decoy on a stack of books on a sofa table and we now have my latest craft project, antler art. Inspired by one of my favorite sites, This Young House. Below is a pick from their living room/den.



Note the painted white items on the fire place ledge.

So, on his last trip to the ranch, I asked Blake to bring me back some shed antlers. As a wife of a hunter, I know that deer shed their antlers every year. Who knew?

Using some white paint I had on hand from putting up a chair rail in the breakfast nook, I painted them and placed them on a tray on a side table.

I have seen similar all white antler art at ZGallerie and Pottery Barn and a quick call to the best friend gave me reassurance that I was not crazy and it had potential to work. So, what do you think, kitchy or creepy?

Thanks to Google Analytics, I know I have readers all across the country. So, maybe this posting just applies to those of us in the South. But, don't think I'm a redneck or anything, you better believe I am sporting Uggs, jeans and a North Face fleece while I sit in the deer stand reading an InSytle!