Yesterday morning I took a delivery of antler furniture and accessories at a client’s house.  Since then, I haven’t been able to get antlers off of my mind.  I just love them!  I don’t know exactly what it is that I love so much, maybe how natural they look,  or how no two are the same, or how many different uses they have.  Or maybe all of that and more.  To add to my day’s antler obsession, Pinterest started doing this new thing, have you seen it?  It’s called “Explore Your Interests”, and when you click on it, it puts all of the most common things you look at and pin into neat little categories.  And can you guess what showed up first on my interest categories?  I bet you can.

It was antlers.

So, I spent about half an hour looking at every picture of antlers that Pinterest had to offer to me.

At the beginning of this post, I mentioned how versatile antlers can be when used in decor, and it’s really true!  Not only do they have billions of different practical uses (ranging from furniture, to lighting, to hardware, to purely and simply decorative), they also transcend different design styles.  You will see antlers used everywhere from western and rustic decor all the way to contemporary and modern design.  It’s like the buck of all trades.  Haha.

Another plus of using antlers that some people don’t always know (and we mentioned this in a previous post), is that they are naturally shed, so no animals need to be harmed when they’re collected (unless they’re attached to a skull… then things change).  Every year deer and elk drop their antlers and grow new ones, kindly leaving them on the ground for us to put in our houses.  At least that’s what I like to think.

I was so inspired (and obsessed) by all of the antler beauty that I found that I wanted to share it with you all today!  I mixed some of my favorite ideas and styles from around the web and threw in some of the pieces that we have recently put into our clients’ homes.

I think mixing antlers in on a photo wall is a great idea!  It adds depth and interest and helps to break any rectangular monotony that might occur.

Image via Good Ideas

Okay, an antler towel hook… how great is that?  We’ve seen and used small antler hooks and hardware in the past, but I love how they used the whole antler here- it makes for a piece that is functional AND aesthetic!

Image via Pinterest

We used this adorable little antler stool for a client recently (actually it was one of the things I installed yesterday that made me antler-crazy).   It’s small and unobtrusive, and adds a great statement in a little package.

Image via Home on the Range

Okay, so I realize there are a LOT of antlers in this picture.  But I like it.  I like how they’re used all the way down the hall, it creates a neat visual effect when you look at it this way, and would also provide a linear look that complemented the beams when viewed from straight on.  Just make sure no tall clumsy people walk down this hallway!

Image via The Essence of the Good Life

Here’s another creative use for antlers!  We don’t normally use tie-backs on drapes, but I love this idea.  Again, it provides that natural woodsy look without overwhelming anything.  A little bit goes a long way!

Image via Pinterest

You can’t really tell from the picture that this is a mirror, but it is!  It’s a beautiful mirror!  This is another piece that was delivered to us yesterday, and it looks fantastic.  We are putting it into a cabin near Lake Catamount here in Steamboat, where it is a perfect addition for our clients who love to hunt and fish.

Image via Home on the Range

Finally, here’s a beautiful picture of antlers just being antlers.  I love how they are interspersed with vintage mercury glass for a super unique tablescape.  There is just so much you can do with antlers to spice up your decor!

Image via Kleins Feins

Do you love antlers in design?  What’s your favorite way to use them?  Share with us!