Take a Walk on the Wild Side: 16 Ways to Decorate with Animal Prints

Animal prints are a fashion favorite, but how do you incorporate the bold patterns into your home? These rooms are the perfect example of exotic animal prints done right.
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Seeing Stripes

What's Your Decorating Style?

Direct attention to a gallery wall with a zebra stripe rug. The directional lines of the print force the eye toward this unique wall-mounted desk and beautiful framed artwork. Be sure to choose a rug with neutral colors so as not to distract from the art.

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Pairing Prints

Can't choose a favorite animal print? Neither can we. Try pairing multiple prints in the same color palette for a fun and cohesive look. The tiger rug, cowhide ottomans, and zebra pillow in this living room work well with a mix of orange, tan, and brown. Use a contrasting color, like this teal blanket, to add interest.

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Rustic and Relaxed

Worried animal prints won't match your home's decorating style? Have no fear. Even a rustic bedroom feels fresh with a pop of animal print. Simply throw a cowhide rug on the floor and pair it with gold and yellow accents. A metallic animal figurine on this bedroom's nightstand completes the fun look.

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Be a Pattern-Mixing Pro

Watch and learn how to mix patterns like a pro with tips from designer Bridgid Coulter.

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Bold and Beautiful

Use animal prints in unusual colors to claim attention in a sitting room. Allow a guest to feel like royalty in a seat upholstered with zebra print fabric, or keep it all to yourself while reading a good book.

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Center of Attention

Don't be afraid to go bold and make a statement with your favorite hide. This zebra stripe ottoman is the perfect focal point and adds a little contrast to the soft gray, white, and green palette, anchoring the room's design.

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Think Beyond Leopards and Zebras

Stripes and spots are great, but there are plenty of other animals to add to your menagerie. This giraffe-print Parsons desk fits right in with this space's textures and neutral palette while taking a walk on the wild side. Pops of green -- the perfect colorful accent for a nature-theme space -- also enliven the decor.

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Hide in Plain Sight

Hide rugs are a hot home accessory. Keep in mind that real hides can be difficult to clean, so they're best placed in a room in your home that isn't used a lot. This low-traffic, but still highly visible, seating area is perfect for such a statement-making piece. (But you'll find plenty of faux-hide rugs on the market, if a real one isn't up your alley.)

 

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Versatile Appeal

Small accent furniture pieces are a fun way to add animal print without a long-term commitment. This cheetah side table is decked out in shades of black and gray, giving it versatile style and ability to camouflauge into a variety of color schemes. In the center of the room it makes a bold statement, but tucked away to the side it adds visual interest to an otherwise empty corner.

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Subtle Stripes

Just because you want to include animal prints in your home doesn't mean you have to make your space feel like a safari. This pale zebra stripe is subtle and relaxed. It's a winner for any room.

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Tie It All Together

Sometimes an animal print isn't bold enough on its own. That's when it's time to bring in additional colors. These green cheetah print chairs are the perfect example. Not only do they have raised green spots, but the fabric of the chair also has a subtle yellow background stripe, which perfectly pulls in the other colors in the room.

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Layered Look

Hide rugs tend to be smaller and work well for the ever-popular layered area rug effect. This brown-and-tan zebra-inspired hide layers perfectly on top of the natural fiber rug, adding another pop of pattern without overwhelming the room.

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Sit in Style

Ready to incorporate this fun pattern trend into your decor? Work with what you already have by reupholstering the dining room chairs you have now in a fresh animal print. It's an unexpected touch that adds a bit of fun to a traditionally formal space. And if true animal prints are still a little out there for you but you want to give it a shot, go with an abstract interpretation -- like the print on these chairs, which is a nod to zebra stripes.

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Repeated Pattern

How is it possible that leopard print could read as a neutral? This living room shows it perfectly! Because the same print is repeated multiple times and mixed with a range of other patterns, colors, and textures, it reads as a background element rather than the star, proving it can be a grounding alternative to solid neutrals.

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Subtle Take

Animal prints don't have to be in-your-face to make an impact. The ivory hide under the table anchors this predominantly neutral room, and the subtle palette makes way for the bright yellow accents.

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Play Up One Pattern

You don't need wildly modern decor to go wild with animal prints. Leopard print makes a splash in this traditional space while maintaining a timeless aesthetic. The room's wood finishes add a playful layer to the decor, while clean white lines keep the space bright.

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Embrace Color

Just because you've never seen a green zebra doesn't mean you can't have a green zebra stripe chair. To keep your upholstered piece from feeling too outlandish, stick to a pastel print with a neutral background.

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