Sunday, March 8, 2009

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!

1 comment:

John said...

We think they're GREAT, Kimberly. You're totally right that people pay good money for those sorts of things at ZGallerie and Pottery Barn and the fact that you made them for free is making us jealous. Not to mention you're bring your man's hobby into the room. Nice work!

-John (& Sherry)
www.thisyounghouse.com