I'll start by saying that T man has a nice sized 8pt mounted deer head that he has been wanting to hang in our house. It is currently up in our "storage room" which will be the future man-room/play-room/computer/etc. I did not grow up with taxidermy in our house, but I do feel lately taxidermy is acceptable when done correctly. Aka, antler sheds with no animal marble eyes staring at you. Maybe one day I'll feel differently and his prized trophy will hang down stairs, but until that day, he will live upstairs with his friend the bobcat (the other trophy he wants to hang).
The first thing relating to deer (and T's hobby) I ever put in our house was an antler lamp. We had just purchased our benches to stack for a sideboard/shelf in the den... Did you ever see these stacked benches?
Anyway, we needed a skinny base lamp, but wanted it to be neat looking. Leslie suggested an antler lamp, and T (of course) loved the idea. So we found a handmade antler lamp on etsy, which I ended up loving. It has since moved (I love moving lamps around for some reason) next to the couch.
T brought home a big box of antlers from his granny's house last winter, and they've been sitting out in our storage garage since. I was rummaging around out there looking for some shutters (for another project) and I started rifling through the box of antlers. Sidenote: there is a nice supply of old shutters (as mentioned), cabinet doors, doors, and wood all from the previous owner. I looked over to find this cool looking cabinet door with some rusty hardware and thought it might make a perfect background for some antlers. See?
After some paint and sanding T and I came up with this for our living room/future library/sitting room...
I like it! And it satisfies his need for some deer around the house (for now). I also put some other antlers around the house. These here on our mantel are from a deer killed by me... it's true. First time I ever shot a gun was at this 6 pt buck. :)
Anyone else have a significant other who likes taxidermy or deer/wildlife art and wants it in the house?
3 comments:
as a recovering vegetarian and former granola-type/ montana-residing weirdo, i was not so sure about the hunting thing. but i killed a mule deer my first time i shot a gun. since then, i have done a 180 with the taxidermy (since im married to the world's biggest hunter). i firmly believe that it's ok to let them display their trophies... just not ALL of them (ie, no need to hang every duck he mounts, etc). i used to not love it but then i felt like i was being bratty by not letting him have some of his personality in our house. but it's pretty awesome your hubs killed a bobcat. i like the antlers displayed in a subtle way through out the house, but my hubs does NOT approve of painting them, etc. he thinks it is too girly.
FYI since we got married 4 yrs ago, my hubs has started a duck call making biz that is now a second full-time job. i find this to be evidence of the fact that God has a sense of humor.
also im pretty sure we have the same green on our painted panelling... benj. moore hillside green?
maybe I'll come around one day when the location is right for his prized 8pt. :)
and mine does not approve of painting antlers or any other taxidermy either.
our paneling is painted ralph lauren lincolnshire olive (which is now discontinued).
Thanks for your comments!
there's not a room in the stone house that doesn't have some manner of fly-fishing-related art in it, and lord help us if cstone gets a deer this season. i do like your antlers! i grew up with mounted ducks, so it doesn't bother me if they're tasteful and incorporated well. don't want to look like i'm living in the taxidermy section of the pink palace museum though ;)
please share cstone's fave magazine with your husband: http://www.backwoodsmanmag.com/
muzzleloading. woodslore. survival. homesteading. hahahahaha
Post a Comment