Over the past year I have noticed an antler and animal skull trend in interior decorating. As I mentioned in my post There’s No Place Like Home, I am from eastern North Carolina where everyone is a hunter, and decor with antlers and taxidermy is common. These days, everyone is decorating with antlers and skulls, no matter where they are from, or whether they hunt or not, but not everyone has hydrangeas and antlers.
INSPIRATION:
I love seeing all the trends as they happen, but I don’t always jump on the band wagon. However, when I saw Christine’s Eclectic Boho Style Foyer, I could see the possibility of this trend working for me. I love her foyer.
One Friday night date night not too long ago, Mr. Menace commented on the decor of the restaurant where we were eating, specifically an animal skull that was hanging on wall. I told him about the current trend and informed him that when he finished his beaver skull, I could use it in our decor at home.
POSSIBILITIES:
Of course, there is a back story to the beaver skull… A couple of years ago, Mr. Menace was working out of town and on his drive he witnessed a beaver crossing the road and getting hit by a car. Since he was running late, he made note of where it happened and stopped to look for it on his way back home. He found it and brought it home, but what he didn’t realize until later was that the car had actually hit it in the head and the skull, which is what he wanted, was in hundreds of pieces.
Have I ever mentioned that Mr. Menace loves a challenge? He worked on the beaver skull puzzle daily for months, painstakingly putting the pieces back together. He eventually got stuck and quit for over a year. When he went back to it after the long break, his head was clear and he was able to get it all back together.
*We interrupt this post to share this Facebook exchange that took place at this point in time:
*Now back to our regularly scheduled post:
However, he didn’t let me have it for home decor. Instead, he mounted it on a short post attached to a board and carried it around with him showing it to anyone who would listen to his story.
REALITY:
Back earlier last year, I was visiting my mama and was telling her this same story. She got a kick out of it, as she always does with any Mr. Menace story. Then she offered me my own antlers.
These have been hanging on my parents living room wall since 1979. I graduated high school that year and that is also the year that my grandfather, Uncle Henry, passed away. He had shot this deer and my daddy had mounted the antlers as a gift for him. After Uncle Henry passed away, Daddy brought them to our house.
When Mama first offered them to me, I wasn’t sure I even wanted them. But the more I thought about them, the more I knew I needed them. First of all, I love having home decor that means something to me, that reminds me of beloved family members. I forgot to bring them home with me then, but I remembered them the next time.
*This post contains affiliate links to products or companies that I truly love and believed in before I joined the affiliate program. If you use these links to make a purchase, I will be compensated at no extra cost to you.*
So I took them off her wall, packed them up and brought them home. I have some ideas for giving them an update, but first, I am going to enjoy them just the way they are.
I decided to hang my hydrangea wreath with the antlers and I love the way they look together.
This wreath was made by my mama. The base is a large (24″) grapevine wreath which I found at the thrift store. Large wreaths can be pricey at conventional stores. The silk hydrangeas were also a thrift store purchase. They were all in a bag for $3 I think it was. Mama just hot glued them onto the wreath for me.
A wreath this size would be at least $50 full price.
The more I look at them, the more I like them.
In fact, I love them.
Do you decorate with antlers?
Check out this article from Shelterness for 28 Cool Ways To Use Antlers in Home Decor.
wow this is a great idea- esp bc my husband wants to do something like this with his antlers that he received a few months ago!
What great timing! I’d love to see what you do with them Caitlin. 🙂
Well, you asking if I noticed your new antler piece makes a lot more sense now!
I never really though I’d have taxidermy or such in my house. But Mr. Menace says he did some taxidermy back in the day, so never say never! 🙂
WOW what a huge project! Love that it’s so real. Super rustic!
Thanks Summer. Mine was extremely since all I had to do was hang the antler board and hang the wreath. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Oh I love how these turned out! I love the rustic vibes.
Thanks Jenny. I am pleased with the look. 🙂
Such a cute, rustic look for the home! Love the hydrangeas!
Thank you Cara! I thought the hydrangeas softened the look of the antlers. 🙂
Very creative.
Thanks you Clearissa. I plan to give the antlers an update in the future too. 🙂
Hi! Just found and subscribed to your website through the “build your email list party”! Looks like some great projects you have here:) Nice to meet you:) I’m #42… Everything Karupped
Nice to meet you too Kathleen! And I am nowhere NEAR #42 yet, but I will get over there. I promise! Thanks. 🙂
It looks great Nikki and I like that it is surrounded by the hydrangea wreath.
Thank you Mary. My first thought, before I got it home, was totally different. When I actually had it in my house I saw that my first idea wasn’t going to work and so I had to come up with something else. I love it. 🙂
Years ago, I had a cabin theme in my living room with red and green plaid fabric on the furniture, lots of rustic looking things around to decorate. I am seeing a lot of similar things now, too. Your antlers are perfectly paired with your wreath. Love the contrast of feminine and masculine.
Yes, decor, just like fashion, repeats itself! Thanks Leslie! 🙂
This is such a cool DIY! I love the rustic farmhouse vibe!
Thanks Kristen! I love how it turned out. 🙂
This is so interesting! To me they are quite opposite elements: the flowers are delicate while the antlers look strong and manly. Never thought they will actually look so good together.
I agree Christina. And thats what I love about it. Thanks for your comments! 🙂
I just love this DIY! So fun and perfect for a living space!
Thank you Adriana. I am really pleased with how it looks. 🙂
Great Post! I am planning to do a similar project with my antlers. Thanks for sharing at Thursday Favorite Things!
I would love to see it when it get it done, Amber! Please let me know. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Love it! Thanks for sharing with us on the Homestead Blog Hop. We’re featuring you this Wednesday!
Oh YAY!!! Thanks so much Kelly. I will be over. 🙂
Can’t believe your hubby has that much patience! And your antlers look great with the hydrangeas! Thanks for sharing at The Blogger’s Pit Stop! Roseann from http://www.thisautoimmunelife.com
I call it obsessive, LOL. When he gets zoned in on something he is ZONED IN! Thanks so much Roseann. 🙂
I love the calming colours of your room Nikki and those hydrangeas are just beautiful. Thank you for sharing with us and co-hosting #OvertheMoon link party and have a great week!
Thank you Sue. The first thing I did to this house was to paint the living room this butter yellow. Thanks for coming over! 🙂
Hmm…they do look nice with the flowers ♥