Who doesn't want at least a little leopard in their decor? One of the style trends spotted on the runways this season was concrete jungle: Gold accessories, earthy colors and wild prints all sound perfect for a living room. Here are some tips for pulling the look together in your home.
Animal prints
Implementing animal prints into your interior design is a delicate process - too much zebra print, and you risk turning a room into a cheesy bachelor pad. Luckily, there are some rules of thumb when it comes to the wild patterns. If you want to go with a full-on animal print with high contrast and accurate colors, use it as an accent, such as on a few pillows or a bed skirt. Keep the rest of the room pretty basic with roman shades and minimal patterns. If you're opting for a more abstract and low contrast print, you can go a little crazier and use it less sparingly. Think wall-to-wall carpeting, tapestry or upholstery.
Color palette
When decorating with wild prints, it can be best to keep the palette as subdued as possible, with shades of beige, asparagus, brown and white. The prints themselves will vary by color. Designers sometimes experiment with breaking the patterns down and mixing in colors, so you might end up with something like a minimalist zebra patterned rug in off-white and muted red. This sort of piece would be a great addition to a primarily white or neutral room - accessible, while still incorporating a bit of the wilderness.
Accessories
If you're pulling design directly from the runway, try to find as many brassy accessories as possible. Your abode might not need jewelry, but you can accessorize it with things like lamps, drapery hardware, furniture feet and picture frames. Throw a little gold finish in with a primarily neutral palette and watch the room light up.
The other material that's a must have in a room that utilizes wild prints is wood. Wood blinds, hardwood floors, wooden coffee table - your choices are endless. Adding natural materials in with animal prints is a sort of wink to your audience, and continues the urban safari theme. Don't be afraid to run with this idea by placing a large, leafy plant somewhere in the room.
