Decorating with Animal Print

Hey KS Fans,

So excited to introduce our newest member of the KS expert’s family, Marissa Melohn of Interiors by Marissa, LLC

We got Marissa to blog about what she does best, sharing with us all her passion and love for all things interior that is beautiful and functional!

Enjoy and look out for Marissa’s weekly KS Home Decor Blog Post!

Sarah

Hey Kosher Street Fans!

So now that the long and warm summer days are coming to an abrupt goodbye, we feel those brisk chilly days creeping upon us. ‘Tis the time to retreat back to our cozy and comfy homes and enjoy warm drinks while snuggling up to the fireplace.  A great way to reinvigorate your indoor living space can be with the use of animal prints. Animal prints used in home décor add a touch of warmth and texture.  Whether it is a modern zebra cowhide rug placed in a more traditional and formal setting, or a splash of cheetah print thrown on the floor of a luxurious dressing room, or even a small upholstered animal print ottoman, the look is chic! Animal prints represent a modern interpretation of something that has been around for a long time. The most remarkable feature of animal prints is that they are actually neutral accents. They can be used in any color scheme and in any room. When animal prints are used properly, they are never believed to go out of fashion or style.

A few helpful designer tips for displaying animal prints in your own home:

1. Take scale into consideration when using animal prints. If you want to just introduce a small amount if it, do not choose a splashy large-scale pattern when you are not accustomed to it.
2. The main decorating disaster pertaining to animal print is over use.  The best way to use animal print is to only use ONE type of animal print on ONE item in your room.
3. Experiment with a pair of chairs in the corner of a living room or family room to attract attention.

Here are some fabulous treatments of animal prints in many different settings.

Here, a zebra cowhide rug is placed right on top of a traditional neutral rug.

How fun is this closet/dressing space?

Love the repetition of the orange banding around the zebra print mirror frame and how it plays off of the drapery and ottoman.

The leopard area rug adds warmth to the green colors used in this bedroom.

Crazy over those leopard swathed “Dorothy Draper-esque” style chairs.

Any color scheme works beautifully with animal prints.

Notice the juxtaposition of the animal print against the turquoise damask fabric used in a bathroom. So great!

Classic and fun entryway.

The square zebra ottomans really pop against this neutral and monotone family room.

Who says animal prints have to be neutral? Be daring and use it as a focal point in a nursery.

If designed right, many patterns can work nicely together with animal prints.

Thanks for reading and looking forward to sharing some new great home décor advice and ideas with you next week!

Marissa Melohn

Interiors by Marissa, LLC