Deer Antlers | Decorating | And a Confession
I have a confession to make…….
I’ve never been a fan of deer antlers. There I said it.
I know they are super BIG in decorating and I’ve never understood why.
I’m from the country and I believe in hunting, if you’re going to eat what you kill or give it to someone that will. So it’s nothing like that.
It’s just that a dead carcass or part of one has never been my idea of a decorating trend I wanted to take part in.
I mean for heaven sake you can buy these antler rods at the “Walmark”!
{Disclaimer there’s nothing wrong with shopping for decor at the “Walmarks”. I’ve actually done it many times. I’m just trying to make a point that the antler trend is alive and well all over the place.}
And I’m just not feelin it!
Even Better Homes and Gardens says they’re the “in” thing.
But they’ve never done anything AT ALL for me.
Until now……..
A couple days ago I got to do some painting work for one of my favorite customers, this gal has style and her home is fab!
I’ve done lots of painting work for her including her kitchen cabinets and her bathroom vanity.
So when she said I need you to paint some deer antlers for me I was like, yeah ok?
When I got to her house this is what I found….
OK nothing special, right?
She wanted them spruced up with some turquoise paint so I choose Annie Sloan Provence. It is absolutely dreamy!
Remember how I said I didn’t like antlers? Well folks.
I WAS WRONG. I APOLOGIZE!!!!!
I CHANGED MY MIND. FORGIVVVVEEEE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!
Because now I was standing there looking at this……..
Hello beautiful!
What is it about some turquoise paint that makes my heart skip a beat!
From now on I’ve decided that as long as the antlers have some form of turquoise near them….
I’m ok with it.
The ones I use in decorating had fallen off naturally, as they do during the lifespan of a deer. Here in Virginia you can find them in fields.
I love it! I feel the real antlers look so much better then the fake ones. Awesome
Nope, sorry, it’s still a dead animal thingy stuck on a wall to me. Pretty blue, nice white but nonetheless dead bits of animal do not a decor make. Don’t mind whether the animal died of natural causes, shed antlers in a paddock or whatever, but hanging dead bits on a wall just isn’t my thing.
I think the antler obsession will be another one of those things, like the orange and lime green nylon curtains of the ’70s, or men wearing yellow flairs, where everyone eventually says, “What were we thinking!?”. It has been a real eye opener watching this fashion trend take off, and how we just go with whatever someone told us to think. Much like Marian’s cow paintings. I love cows, always have, and I have a beautiful cow painting which I bought in the ’90s. But now Miss Mustardseed has cow paintings, everyone wants them! This is very much an ‘Emporer’s New Clothes’ mentality and we really need to find our own things and not be dictated to by fashion and trends.
Aaah! That feels better! Ha ha. Sorry, this has been bugging me. End of rant. 🙂
Ha Elisabeth that’s too funny!!! Sometimes you’ve just gotta let it out. 🙂
Blessings,
Beth
Hi, I love the antler decorating trend! I am a licensed hunter in Virgina and have used them for years in my Christmas décor. Just an FYI….. I also work for The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and it is against the law (Va Code 291.-521 paragraph 11) To buy, sell, or trade antlers, taxidermy mounts, or any animal part in the State of Virginia. So be careful about buying and selling these items. I don’t want anyone to get a ticket 🙂
Hi Kim,
I’m not in Virginia, nor did I buy, sell or trade these antlers. They were owned by my client. Thanks for the heads up. 😉
Blessings,
Beth
Just like wearing camo, and animal prints, decorating with antlers will always be popular. Maggie
This is so awesome! Thank you for sharing your experience! I totally get you though! I’ll never understand why antlers are part of rustic home decor when it’s not at a cabin or something like that.