Friday, December 18, 2009

{3 step program to hanging or not hanging a rack}

I was laughing so hard when I got the below comment from a friend:

"So I have one for you. My husband decided it was okay to bring home a HUGE elk mount and put it up in our formal living/dining room. I have no choice in the matter. Could you post some ideas for me as far as decorating that room (we have nothing in it so far besides the elk head). What should I do????? I'm at a loss and I know you'd know what to do!
H E L P!"
Hugs,
Jenni
e


So I guess I am not the only one who has a husband that has a thing for racks.  Take that for what it's worth bit it's true.

Anyway, I had a hard time coming up with inspiration photos that showcased a full on elk mount carcase thingy that looked good. My advice would be to go about your decorating business and ignore the big elk hanging in your living room as if it were never there or put your foot down and ban all mounts from anything that is not considered a man cave.

Ok I will try to be a bit more realistic because we all know a good relationship is about compromise and if big racks on dead animals make our husbands happy then we will have to just press forward and make the best out of the situation...right?  Who knows you may even begin to become attached to the little glossy eyed animal that always seems to be staring you down.  Ha!

Here's the 3 step program on decorating with a mount/rack:

Step 1:

Offer husband your willingness to decorate with pictures and silhouettes of animals in the main living space and in return the actual trophy elk head can remain in garage, office or cabin.  If husband still is reluctant then go to step 2.






Step 2:

Come to husband with pictures of European mounts and say, "Your manliness has never looked so good if we mount your animal European style".  You may even add a little excitement in your expression when you sell this idea to him.  Note to self:  Try to make husband think it was his idea to mount it European style...then you just might have a chance to keep your home.  If he still is not a fan of that idea and the hard sell is a no go then move on to Step 3.







'







Step 3:

Sorry because you are out of luck so try to salvage the deal by saying,
"I will let you hang up that animal head in our living room if you let me go out and go shopping
to go buys things that will enhance the look of your gorgeous new rack.  
Next proceed to your favorite retail establishment and purchase things that make you really 
happy the end result should look something like this:

A happy home with lots of smiles
!





Seriously Jennie, my advice to you would be to find your decorating style and carry on.  
I think you have a very good chance of still having things look good with a big animal 
hanging in your house no matter what you style may be.  
I say just try to juxtapose a couple different looks & elements to have it all blend.

Good luck my friend!


{picture via Lonny Mag}

25 comments:

  1. This post was awesome and hilarious! My father-in-laws new wife had to do the EXACT thing you recommended. Let him hang it at the top of the entry way stairs and just decorate around it. It, too, is an elk! Those suckers are huge but in all honesty it adds character to their otherwise formal home that it didn't have before. Funny that the self proclaimed "half-hippie" was asked this question and actually answered it! Sometimes it's all about the design, right?!?! :)

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  2. My husband always threatens me with hanging animals around the house. I keep trying to convince him that we just don't have any room.

    -FringeGirl

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  3. Thanks Christina!!!!!!!!! I know I have to go with step three because he insists on keeping it in our front room. I guess I'll go with my own style and maybe it will just look so goofy after and he'll decided to take it down?? ;)

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  4. Gosh.... Those deer heads look fantastic. It makes me wish Patrick would take up the sport...

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  5. You forgot to mention the candle stick antler idea!!! (I'm still smiling at your attempts to compromise, because we all know that when a man wants to hang his rack, he going to hang his rack!)

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  6. So, this is more a question than a comment.....is there anyway you would be willing to do an e-mail? I would LOVE to get updates of your posts!!!!

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  7. Look in the log cabin books for some great ideas that can go well with the rack. They always end up looking beautiful even with the animal hanging in the room. It is a place to start for making it look like it fits in and adds to the beauty of what you do. Good luck.

    Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"

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  8. ZAch knows where I stand on animals hanging from my walls. Im also glad he is not a hunter.

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  9. Haha.. I loved this post! I really don't think I could live with an animal hung in my room.

    Maybe try insisting on hanging tinsel or baubles on it and he'll see how silly it looks and want to take it down? I'm really at a loss on this one.

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  10. What an absolutley amazing post!!! You ate just too cute.

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  11. Good for you for tackling this one. I was hoping you would show how much you really empathize with Jennie by posting a picture of the animal (compliments of Way-Way) hanging in your office. Seriously, it would really add to this post! :)

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  12. I know how this story goes. I have both, the gorgeous full head mount, and the Euro Ostrich leather skull mounts. My husband even made a beautiful fireplace mantle for me under the condition that the deer head goes right above. I made a huge wide bow around it's neck for Christmas. And we are both happy.

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  13. This is too funny! Makes me think about my grandparents house. They still have a deer head hanging in their front living room. Every December, he's transformed into Rudolph, complete with a red bow on his nose. Nice.

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  14. Our master bedroom is starting to resemble a hunting lodge with the Coues deer and javelina mounts hanging on the wall. I have found vintage deer/elk prints and lots of kitschy vintage deer figurines (i.e., Royal Copely. I've framed a few vintage hunting magazine and vintage Arizona Highways magazine covers, too. Hunting is his passion and he's proud of his mounts, so I would never deny him the opportunity to display them.

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