Are horns in the living room interior an outdated atavism or a fashionable decor? Let's figure it out together. You can use various ideas in the design of the living room, but the most chic is to combine antiquity, time-tested classics and modern trends. Let's take, for example, such a thing, without which not a single wall in a knight's castle, or in a hunting lodge, or on the estate of our Russian landowner who wants to show off his hunting trophies has ever been complete - this is the head of a deer or elk, or just their antlers. Do you think this is no longer used now? No matter how it is.
Decorative figure of a deer on the living room wall of a wooden house
Antlers and heads of elk and deer in modern interiors
Modern interiors are not only minimalism, modernism or high-tech, which use completely different principles in the decor and design of premises. But there are also living rooms in Provence, chalet or country style, where horns or whole heads are often a mandatory attribute. And in rustic interiors you can also often find all these hunting trophies on the walls. Animal antlers and crafts made from them can, if desired, fit into almost any style, and a decorative deer head can become an unusual design find in a modern living room interior. Read about this a little later.
Horns on the wall are the most popular living room decor in the past.
Horns in the living room interior: original lamps - sconces and chandeliers
Real deer and elk heads in living room design
Of course, in our time, real heads of deer and elk are a rarity, but they can also be found, though not in ordinary city apartments, but in country cottages. In a wooden house in a rustic style or in the chalet style for a country house, which is now popular not only in Europe and America, but also here, you can still find hunting trophies on the walls in the living room and in other rooms.
Real deer head in the living room above the fireplace
Of course, you still need to find it somewhere, but if you are keen on hunting, then hang your own hunting trophy on the wall, making it a stuffed animal or one horn, which you can simply saw off and decorate the living room with. By the way, you don’t have to hang them just like that; you can make some crafts with your own hands, say, make a lamp, chandelier or hanger from antlers. But we'll talk about this a little later.
Moose skull with antlers above the fireplace in the living room design
Skull bleaching
This is the stage of preparing the trophy for exhibition condition. In order to properly bleach the bone, the entire skull is wrapped in cotton wool and tied with a cord. The horns remain open. If there are few bones, you don’t have to wrap them. Next, a 25% ammonia solution with hydrogen peroxide (15%) is diluted in a closed container. The ratio of components is 5 to 1. All this must be done with gloves, goggles and a breathing mask. The wrapped skull must be carefully filled with this solution (2 cm above, but without touching the horns). Exposure time is 15 hours for small skulls and 20 for large ungulates.
Decorative deer head in modern living room design
But in modern interiors in the Art Nouveau, high-tech or minimalist styles, real animal heads on the walls would be out of place. But who said that you can’t take this idea as a basis, but implement it in a new way? You can completely decorate your living room by hanging a decorative head of a deer or elk above the sofa or above the fireplace, depending on which animal you like best. It can be made of metal or plastic, gold or silver, white or pink, black or even multi-colored. Here are some interesting ideas on how such a decorative head can be used in design:
Decorative moose head made of plywood - decorate the place above the fireplace
Metal stylized deer head in a modern interior
Posters and paintings with moose and deer in the interior
Instead of a real head or stuffed animal, you can use paintings to decorate your living room - any posters or paintings on a hunting theme, with elk or deer, as well as any other animals. This poster can be hung on the wall instead of a picture, or placed in a frame on the dressing table or on the mantelpiece. And it’s not difficult to find a suitable drawing; you can even select the photographs yourself, print them and insert them into frames.
A funny poster with a moose will decorate a coffee table or dressing table
Openwork crocheted napkins
In Soviet times, the words “author’s work” or “hand-made” were not known, but many knew how to knit such napkins. Not only grandmothers mastered this folk craft; girls were taught to crochet in home economics classes, and their mothers did needlework in their spare time.
Starched snow-white napkins could be seen in almost every home. They lay on tables, cabinets, chests of drawers and shelves.
Photo wallpaper “moose” and “deer” in the living room
Also, similar themes can be used in the form of photo wallpaper. On the free wall behind the sofas you can paste photo wallpaper with moose and a forest, with a path going into the distance or some other landscape that visually expands the space of the room. Of course, finding ready-made photo wallpaper is not easy, but choosing images that you can use for production is not at all difficult.
Deer in the forest - photo wallpaper for the living room
Photo wallpaper in the living room with fawns and chamomile meadow
Chandeliers and other lamps made from animal horns
As we promised, now ideas for crafts. For example, from elk antlers you can make a chic chandelier for an interior in a chalet, country style, or for a wooden house with a rustic interior. Making such a chandelier is not difficult, so you can do without step-by-step instructions - just make a frame of horns, fastening them with wire or self-tapping screws, stretch the wires and insert the sockets into which you will screw the light bulbs.
A chic chandelier made of elk antlers in the interior of a chalet-style living room
Tip : Use light bulbs in the shape of candles, and install the lampshade so that the light bulbs look up, imitating real candles - it will look more historical.
Video review: chandelier made of elk antlers
As you can see, the more horns you use, the more luxurious your chandelier will look. Moreover, these can be either large whole horns or short sharp horns, the interweaving of which will create the unique color of the lamp. You can also make other lamps from elk and deer antlers - wall sconces, floor lamps or floor lamps.
Decorative lamp in the shape of a deer head
Sconce made of elk antlers with candle-shaped arms
Wall mounting
At this stage, you should measure the length of the hairpin protruding from the horns. A hole should be made in the wall to exactly the same depth. Then, having determined the place where the trophy will hang, they begin to work. A 10 mm anchor is inserted into the resulting hole, its screw is unscrewed and its size is determined. It should match the pin protruding from the antlers. If necessary, a part can simply be sawed off. Immediately before installation, place the trophy against the wall and see how it fits to it.
Furniture and hangers made from elk antlers
A more complex design solution is furniture made from elk or deer antlers. Of course, you can’t handle this on your own, but you can find a ready-made solution or make a table and a couple of chairs to order. It won’t be cheap, who would argue, but it really looks very impressive.
Furniture set: table and two chairs made of elk antlers for a chalet-style living room
But you can make a hanger from elk antlers yourself, it’s not at all difficult. The first way is to simply attach the antlers to the wall; they themselves are an excellent hanger.
Idea for a DIY horn hanger
The second option is to use a wooden base. All you need to do is cut out a base for it from a board - round, rectangular, in the form of a family coat of arms or the head of the animal whose horns you are using. Here is a detailed, step-by-step video instruction with an explanation:
Of course, a hanger is rarely used in the living room, but this idea can be used in the hallway. By the way, the horns do not have to be real; the hanger can also be decorative. Here, for example, is a funny option in the form of a moose with horns and hooks for clothes or jewelry:
Decorative clothes hanger in the shape of a moose head
Some tips
In the future, to protect the horns from external influences, microbes and time, treat them with stain. If you wish, you can apply a couple of layers of varnish on them - this will give your trophy shine.
If you think that the horns are too light, you can darken them by rubbing a walnut shell with a solution of potassium permanganate or an alcohol solution. In order not to spoil the skull, wrap it in a plastic bag, and do not get carried away with potassium permanganate, so as not to spoil the material. If desired, go over the ends of the horns with fine sandpaper.
Treat your trophies and stands with the utmost care and attention. The appearance of your room and trophies can say a lot about its owner. In addition, the moral satisfaction from quality work is worth it.
We decorate the living room with antlers, elk and deer
Now let's figure out how to use all this in living room decor. It is clear that you can hang a deer or elk head on the wall, both real and decorative, or antlers - just like that, in the form of a hanger, furniture or an unusual lamp. But there are other ideas.
Moose antlers on the cabinet - an unusual decor for the living room
And for more modern interiors, the horns can be painted white, gold or some other color present in the room, or even decorative horns can be made from papier-mâché, plywood, cardboard, metal, wire, wires and other improvised materials.
White moose antlers in a snow-white interior
Living room decor elements with deer and elk
You can use a print with moose or deer on various accessories or decorative elements. Textile? Why not - curtains, tablecloths, pillows with moose are a great idea for festive decor for the New Year with moose and deer.
Silhouette of a moose on a sofa cushion - New Year's decor or print for a chalet living room
Mugs with moose can easily decorate the wall of a living room in a wooden house - it’s unusual, stylish, and looks very cozy. Although such an accessory would look even more appropriate in the kitchen.
White mugs with moose will decorate the walls in a wooden house
A cardboard clock in the shape of a funny moose - why not an idea for a gift or for your loved one? You can easily make it yourself, thus decorating an old boring table clock, mechanical or electronic.
Electronic watch "elk" made of cardboard
Figurine of a deer and elk in the interior of the living room
You can also use figurines of a deer or elk to decorate your living room, if you really like these animals. A small figurine can live on a mantelpiece or coffee table, and a large sculpture can live on the floor near the window next to the sofa. And in a Christmas decor without Santa Claus's sleigh pulled by several moose or Santa Claus' reindeer team, this is generally a mandatory attribute.
Charming New Year's elk team - lamp for window decoration
Large full-length deer figure for living room decoration
Decorative figurine of a deer made of metal - used in home decor
Horns as an element of living room decor
Christmas decor made from antlers, pine cones and tinsel
Let's start with something simple - real antlers on the wall in the living room. Here is a video master class on how to make horns on the wall with your own hands:
As you can see, they can be made very simply. More complex and unusual ideas - making horns from some other materials - this is already for modern interiors. Or even come up with something unusual, for example, here’s a wall decorated with “horns” and “heads” made from a bicycle saddle and handlebars - could this even occur to you?
Horns from a bicycle handlebar and a head from a saddle - an unusual technique
Antlers on the living room wall - combine with paintings, posters and other elements
Which drill should I use?
First of all, the horns should be equipped with a special hole for a hairpin. You will have to work on a workbench equipped with a bench vice. If a home craftsman does not have this tool, then clamps will help him out.
When the horns are securely fixed, you can start drilling. If the material dangles, the hole will end up in the wrong place. To prevent the vice from damaging the processes, planks are installed between the horns and jaws. At this stage, it is important that the drill remains in a vertical position and does not change the specified direction. Next, the thread is cut using taps. Experts advise working with two taps. You should start with a rough one with a sharp tip and one notch, and finish with a finishing one with a blunt tip and two notches. Mostly, threads are cut using special wrenches.
If a home craftsman wants to save money, he can replace the branded wrench with a regular open-end wrench. For example, an M8 tap is used with 4 x 5 mm keys. The master decides how deep the hole should be based on the mass of the antlers. If the trophy weighs decently, then the hole should be deep. The optimal length is considered to be at least 4 cm. Then they begin to screw in the stud; it is advisable that it be screwed in all the way without any reserve.
Photos of antlers and heads of deer and elk in the interior of living rooms
As you can see, antlers are used quite often in the interior, including in modern styles, as well as decorative and real heads of elk and deer, figurines and prints on various accessories. Here are some more photos for inspiration if you like these adorable animals.
Black and white deer poster for living room decoration
Plates with deer - can be hung on a wooden wall in the house
Chandelier made of elk antlers - an original idea for lighting
White decorative deer head on the wall in the living room
Wooden picture: moose and bears
Moose antlers and skull on the wall in the living room
A pile of hunting trophies is a true hunter’s refuge
Living room interior in Provence style with horns on the closet
One of the options for a ceiling lamp made of horns
Chic designer furniture made from elk antlers
Gorgeous antler ceiling lamp to decorate the living room in the house
Hunting trophy: elk head and gun on the living room wall
Decorative shelf in the form of a moose head in modern decor
How about a bunch of moose heads watching you from the living room walls? A bit gloomy, isn't it?
A wreath of elk antlers - an idea for decorating a door
Two decorative heads of deer and elk on the wall above the sofa
Living room interior of a hunting lodge with antlers on the wall
Red decorative elk head - decorate the wall above the fireplace
Decorative elk - a bright element for living room decor
Chandelier made of elk antlers with light bulbs and candles
Chandelier made of horns in the living room interior
Moose Silhouette - Decorative Wall Stickers
Decorative deer head in living room design
Horns in the living room interior - combine with wooden walls
Hunting trophies with antlers to decorate above the fireplace
White deer head is a popular decor for a modern living room
Filing the skull
This is a very important stage, because it would be a shame to spoil the trophy after the most unpleasant operations have been completed.
Rule 1. The skulls of deer, rams and goats are not filed.
The fact is that a trophy with teeth is very valuable, because the age of the animal can be determined by the wear of the teeth. For these ungulates, the lower jaw is attached to the upper part by wire or cord.
Rule 2. If the antlers are very massive - on an elk or red deer, then the base of the skull and teeth are removed - the nasal, premaxillary bones and eye sockets are left.
Sawing off the base of the skull should be done using a carpenter's saw or, better yet, a surgical saw with fine teeth. In this case, the cutting line is set as follows: the skull must be immersed in water so that the necessary parts remain above the surface. Then carefully remove the skull and mark the water level with a pencil; the sawdust will be made along this line.
Be sure to do it while the skull is wet so that it does not crumble.
If after cooking the skull remains dirty, then it should be washed with water with the addition of table salt or soda. Then clean from greasy stains - using ammonia, you can wipe with chloroform, or, in extreme cases, with gasoline or ether.
