There are people who love animals and then there are animal lovers. Taxidermy has been around for centuries, but if you’re really fond of furry and feathered friends, seeing real taxidermy on walls can feel downright upsetting. Luckily, there’s a growing trend of clever and creative ways to mount animals right on your walls without it hurting anyone or anything. They’re playful, quirky, and don’t have a single real animal tooth or horn.
With the use of different textiles, colors, animals, and prints, these works of art can find permanent homes in nearly any room of the house, bringing character, intrigue, and even playfulness to more modern decor. Here, six options for the decorator who wants to venture over to the wild side.
Abigail Brown Paper Mache Heads
I was gifted this sloth head for my 30th birthday and it is, perhaps, the biggest conversation starter in my NYC studio. Light in weight and heavy in personality, the adorable wildlife-inspired wall art perfectly complements the wild nights of cocktail parties and soirees that I’ve hosted for dear friends. Tarzan is not included, unfortunately, but you can have your pick of practically any popular jungle animal from Abigail Brown’s whimsical collection.
Buy: Abigail Brown Sloth Paper Mache Head , $170 from Abigail Brown
Serena & Lily Felted Wool Wall Animals
If you’re a parent-to-be or just a fan of all things cute, these fuzzy finds make great accents for any nursery, children’s bedroom, or home office. Hand-stitched using organic lambswool, they’re also high in quality and will inevitably be passed down from generation to generation. Consider it an investment towards a family heirloom.
Buy: Serena & Lily Felted Elephant , $168 from Serena & Lily
Bend Goods Faux Taxidermy
With Bend Goods’ line of iron-based sculptures , animal wall mounts can also appeal to minimalists. These come in a variety of different finishes and colors to complement any type of decorative concepts you may have already executed. One bright idea is to bring the metal piece outside to add extra flair to a garden or outdoor kitchen space. The juxtaposition of simple hardware against the delicacy of plants and flowers can be quite eye-catching.
Buy: Black Buffalo Wall Art Faux Taxidermy , $170 from Wayfair
MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check Cow
If you took a cue from Kris Jenner and are applying a black and white motif throughout your house, you’ll want to moo-ve some things around for this checkered cow head . Your instinct may be to hang it anywhere near where milk or butter is served, though its classic style will make it an ideal addition to any wall that’s not ready to be put out to pasture.
Buy: MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check Small Cow , $198 from MacKenzie-Childs
Sac Smarten Arts Resin Deer Head
You don’t need to break the bank to incorporate a tasteful animal head into your living space. In fact, you can pay homage to the American hunter’s most popular and prized trophy, a stag, with this trendy black and gold beauty from Amazon. It’s simple, it’s chic, and it will fit perfectly among other eclectic trinkets on any gallery wall.
Buy: Sac Smarten Arts Resin Deer Head , $35.99 from Amazon
Etsy Animal Head Mounts
Etsy has a wonderful assortment of animal head mounts, and a simple search will yield dozens of options from talented artists. Not only will you have herds to choose from, but you’ll support a small business owner in the process, making your purchase a win-win. This smiling narwhal is just one example of an item that will bring life to a room that may be lacking a bit of design inspiration.
Buy: Narwhal Decor Head , $99.20 from WhiteFauxTaxidermy via Etsy