Animal-Themed Décor Ideas

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May 5, 2009

From the intricate lines of a zebra to the long, graceful silhouette of a giraffe at play, sometimes the best inspirations for your décor come from unexpected sources. With exotic animals as your guide, you can add a serious statement to any space. Enliven your living room to look like a lush jungle, or style your study in the spirit of a safari, using easy idea from Home Made Simple TV’s Home Maven Wanda Colón. Take a cue from her easy-to-make Zebra Rug and Giraffe Wall Puzzle to get started in your own space.

Zebra Rug—By Wanda N. Colón

ubr body ed img ar90 1 When it comes to design, the philosophy of less is more tends to keep a space feeling fresh and focused. In keeping with this notion, try crafting an easy-to-make zebra-print rug for your space, an ideal craft for someone experimenting with animal prints for the first time. Crafted in understated shades of ivory and black or mocha, it’s the perfect way to make a statement on your floor while maintaining a neutral palette. And with our downloadable Zebra Print Template, it’s easy to achieve a perfectly polished look.

MATERIALS

1 1/2 yards felt, in ivory
1 1/2 yards felt, mocha or black
Zebra Print Template
Craft scissors
3 yards fusable interfacing
1 1/2 yards carpet backing

INSTRUCTIONS

Print the zebra template, then enlarge to your desired size. Trace the zebra print from the template onto your mocha or black felt, then cut out with craft scissors. Following the product’s instructions, use the fusable interfacing to adhere the zebra design to the ivory felt.
Trim the size of your rug as desired, then use fusable interfacing to fasten the felt piece to carpet backing, which will add stability to your rug.

Tip: You can craft this Zebra Rug to fit seamlessly into any space. For the Home Made Simple show, Wanda created a 6’-long piece that fit perfectly in the nursery. Measure your area, then tailor the rug as needed, purchasing more or less felt, fusable interfacing and carpet backing based on your measurements. For a smaller rug, you can follow the instructions above, then cut the rug down—cropping the zebra pattern gives it a dramatic, graphic look.

Giraffe Wall Puzzle—By Wanda N. Colón

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No matter what your inspiration is, crafting an oversized puzzle you can hang right on the wall adds playful whimsy and colour to any room. In this project, an image of an exotic giraffe brings to life an otherwise neutral space.

Simply search for “vector” images online—they’re images that can easily be scaled to any size without blurring or cropping the picture in the process. Visit your local print shop and have the image printed on vinyl or heavy-stock paper for a small fee. Then trace a puzzle design on the backside of the image, cut out and fasten the puzzle pieces to foam core board with a glue stick. Mount the foam pieces to your wall with fabric hook and loop fasteners, then admire your work of art.

With simple materials, easy steps and an exotic muse, creating new decorative additions for your space is fun and fuss-free.

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