I agree with letting DH contribute to the décor of our home. Mine is an amateur painter and we have a number of his works in the living room and other areas of our home. They are very good and he makes the selection of what he wants to put where. To be honest I would never ever agree to a dead animal hanging in the house, but that's me and obviously not your choice.

Your home and that room is so lovely, but the "trophy" is so big and imposing it just takes over the fireplace and the pretty room. Is there absolutely no other place you could put it? I'm not sure where you live, but this is definitely a regional type of decorating which a lot of us can't understand or appreciate.

Completely understand! Our house was designed around a vaulted living space...vaulted for one reason only -elk mount. I'm going to be in a similar predicament shortly. Post what you do end up doing, even if it changes many times. I will need help too!

Jen

Yikes, I wouldn't want that poor thing in my home, let alone on my wall...but to each their own. But I would take everything off the mantle and then get a vine with green and large flowers and kind of lay them on top of it...it keeps it simple and adds some color

It seems that a mount that large needs a larger, more rustic mantle--thick, brown stained, textured wood. This would work with the brick. The mantle you have is lovely, but there is no transition between the polished, white mantle and the mount. Perhaps that is a reason you are having problems deciding on how to decorate the mantle.
I love your room!

I like Anne's idea about the paint color. Also like another posters suggestion about changing the mantle to rough cut natural colored wood.

I wonder if you moved it up a bit if it would give you more balance from the top of the mantle to decorate. I would put a fake or antique gun below it. I would not put candle sticks, maybe an iron, rustic, craftsman style candle holder that holds 3 candles with seeded glass covers. Or maybe just large mixed sized cream colored candles. A few old books?

Below snow shoes on one side and a basket with at throw sticking out on the other side, this may create a comfortable cozy look.

Try removing the screen, what does that do?

Fireplaces can be a huge decorating challenge.

Maybe something like this?

"I'd replace the deer head with my husband's head."

Sexist violence against men, but funny none the less.

Some of us guys wouldn't even think about asking to decorate with a dead animal it's such a non-starter.

I don't understand all the negative comments about the deer head. The poster didn't ask if you like deer heads. Anyways - I would keep it simple like others are saying - using items that relate to the outdoors.

rdbrya2,

As a fellow Louisianan who understands this type of architecture and its evolution, I say embrace the deer head. Since you have been gracious and let DH have that space, I say embrace it completely.

My suggestion would be to start collecting blue and white Chinese porcelain (the real deal not knock offs) and do a grouping around the deer head. For many on here, that might sound foreign and completely out of touch, but it is actually a way to bridge the rustic and more classic elements of the architecture and decor. My own personal description of this is primitive formal. A hybrid of the two if you will.

If you don't own a copy of "The Louisiana Houses of A. Hayes Town", I would encourage you to get one. It will give you a better understanding of how the architectural style of your home evolved. In the book, there are serveral pictures of homes with the combination of blue and white with taxadermy. For this part of the world, it can be a natural combination depending on the architecture. But again, I encourage you to get the real thing which can mean over time as some pieces can be expensive, but you can find deals as well.

Dependant upon how often you get to NOLA, Orient Expressed used to carry a lot of old blue and white and used to have it on their website though I don't see it on there anymore.

I was raised in Central La actually and lived in Alex. proper for four years. In fact, your home is very familiar (in style not specifically) to me, and if I knew what side of the river you lived on could possibly even guess the neighborhood you live in if you live in town lol! In fact, when I saw the house you posted on the other thread my first thought was that looks like somewhere in Tioga/Pineville and then you said you were from Central La....bingo! Small world!

Shannon

Encourage your husband to build a man cave somewhere and fill it with trophies.

I don't mind deer heads but that one is just way too big for the space.

I like the deer head, and I am the world's biggest animal lover.
I also like rustic decor, and think the mount fits nicely in your home.

Although frankly I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to decorating, I like the thought of nothing but a bunch of tall, chunky candles on either side of the deer head. I would also actually use the candles. It would give a nice ambiance to your rustic room.

Rdbrya2, there have been great suggestions already. My own thoughts are that your white mantle isn't a good spot for a taxidermy piece. Is it possible to hang the deer head perhaps on the brick wall that separates your living from kitchen areas? That's a beautiful wall, and the brick would serve a more appropriate background for the deer head.

When I see mounted animals in Garden & Gun, for example, that blend into the decor, they're often positioned in such a way as to not be the focal point, but certainly an element in the room. I was scrolling through and found this.

Editing to add image.

Here is a link that might be useful: Deer mount offset in room

This post was edited by peony4 on Wed, May 21, 14 at 15:06

My friends and I are into taxidermy for sure, sort of to go along with our interests in game meat and nose to tail eating. Anyway, I had a quite nice deer skull+rack hanging on my fireplace until I realized it was pretty much the only thing the neighbours could see through my front window! In my urban, non-huntery type neighbourhood I'm sure it caused a few comments!! So now it's out back in the family room.

I meant to mention I absolutely love your brick arch! I also love the idea of contrasting with blue and white porcelain. I can't picture it completely but it sounds really cool.

I took the blue and white porcelain from the picture I posted and shopped it into the mantlepiece. I don't think it fits in at all with the brick and deer head.

Like I said using the porcelain with it is a very regional thing and most who have never seen it can't grasp it. I agree the photoshopped image is a hot mess and isn't what I was attempting to describe. I think I failed in my description. Those urns look like Italian pottery in the image with a menagerie of other things. I am speaking of true antique ginger jars, vases, etc. and not anything new and shiny. If I were home, I would upload an image showing this out of the aforementioned book,but alas I am on the road (not driving!). These items along with antique oriental rugs, antique religious relics, antique confit pots and olive oil jars, etc. mixed with regional art both modern and traditional are how most of the original homes Hayes Town homes are styled and this house is based off of his architecture which is based off of many architectural influences of the state, people, and cultures. Most all new construction within the last twenty years in this state has used Hayes Town as an influence. Though many are now decorating in a sleeker style still with the same type architecture and done right looks amazing as well. To the OP, I would look at the real estate for sale in Baton Rouge then Lafayette and depending on what is currently available you can get a lot of ideas from there. I haven't looked recently but at times some of his original homes are for sale. Al Jones is another architect's homes to look out for and how they are decorated.

Pretty house! I would go with the rustic candlesticks, to enhance the deer head. The deer head has a lot of presence, and I don't think a bunch of interesting or colorful objects are needed there.

"If it was my mantel, for this season, I might do a bell jar with some moss balls, maybe a birds nest, something to bring more nature and a bit of color in."

Oh my. I am reading this on my phone so the type is super tiny. And I thought this said moose balls. Which I suppose would go with the deer head..... Lol!

And what's so wrong about a jar of moose balls on the mantel?

Not really a fan of deer heads. Would be interested to see if it blended in better on the brick wall; which, by the way, is absolutely gorgeous!!

That brick wall is absolutely gorgeous and your room is rustic enough for the deer head. I'd just like to see it in a place of less prominence.

If I were tasked with an arrangement, I would try the two large, rustic candlesticks on the left of the picture. Keep then within the frame of the drywall, though. Below, and flowing to the right of the pic, I would place a large, branching limb...preferably with some kind of lichen/moss. The candles would echo whatever color you're using as an accent in the rooms.

In order to keep within the scale of the mount, you would need the larger candle to reach the shoulder. You need BIG.

This will transition well for the holidays. Add lights and pinecones.

Thanks for more replies! I totally agree with everyone that the deer would be much better suited for the brick wall. There is no way it would work on the arch though. The width isn't really wide enough and you may not be able to see it in the pic but we have some 3 tiered brick accents in the middle so it would have to go below (too low) or above (too high).

I thought I could almost envision the blue and white pottery idea until I saw that photoshop pic lol. I completely get what you are saying though, I know exactly the blue and white pieces you are speaking of. I would definitely need some type of visual to attempt that though :-/

I am cracking up over here about the moose balls!!

Your house is lovely.

And I'm not a fan of deer heads ;) This isn't helpful to you, but I'm not as gracious as you are even though I have a hunting husband. We came to an agreement decades ago - he will never suggest hanging a hunting trophy, and I will never mount a stuffed fish (I don't hunt, but do fish).

I have friends more generous than I am, including one who not only has deer and elk horns and heads displayed in their home, she has an entire Tom turkey, a standing version, in her family room. An additional recliner couldn't take up more space, and would be a whole lot easier to dust.

I didn't read all the responses. Your house is lovely and the deer head looks nice there and fits well with your home, IMO. I also think it's great you're considering your husband since he lives there too. Think LARGE for other items to add. I'd keep more natural, rustic items.

While I don't care for the photoshopped pic I agree with Louisiana that transferware can look very nice added near or around. The book Feather Your Nest by Nell Hills has some good examples of this.

It always amazes me when it comes to hunting some of the comments that come out.

Love the idea of an antique gun beneath the deer head! The other thing that I was thinking about since you need something with height on either side, are some type of rustic urns filled with branches or some type of "earthy" arrangement. No colored flowers, but woodsy.

The dead deer head is such a focus up there. I wouldn't put anything up there with it. Embrace it as others have said. Perhaps make a faux frame around the head and call it a day. I think the mantle could change to something more rustic-ish or faux paint it to look that way. Then,have fun with the hearth area. Personally, I would put the head somewhere that was a feature to a grouping, but that wasn't quite so prominent as others have said already. It looks like you have a very nice home -- so you might have an area that needs filling in the stair well, at the end of a long hall, or above another piece of furniture if you have high ceilings.

Mine is faux, and I move it to either side of the room.

My ex had a large wild turkey mount that I had to decorate around.
What about a group of three tall candles and a vase of pheasant feathers? Let's see if I can attach some pictures.

I'm sorry I can't seem to attach more than one picture, but this vase of feathers is very pretty.

I won't show you a picture of all the animal heads in my house because some of you would be grossed out (from the sounds of it). We have a exceptionally low ceiling and yet there are 3 large mule deer heads and a large elk head hanging in my family/kitchen area. He only hunts trophy animals. Yes, the elk is eye level to me. In the office is an antelope and another mule deer. If I reach up from my chair I can almost touch them. Do I love them? No. But the thing is my husband is an avid hunter and having the mounts in the house makes him very happy. His friends are shocked that I 'allow' them in the house. Who am I to say no to something when he puts up with all my many quilts and @#$% around the house? It's his house too and I love it when he brings his friends in to talk hunting and each head has such special meaning to him. We're headed to Utah and Wyoming again this year so we may need to make room for more. Do we eat the meat? Definitely yes on the elk but no on the venison. We have friends and family lined up hoping to get venison again this year. Nothing goes to waste. My husband is 65 years old and I hope he gets many more years of hunting in, it will be a sad day when he can no longer hunt.

I like the deer head but also like clean lines and no clutter. Maybe keep the clock and the candle sticks and ditch the rest.

chijim: drooling over your dog portrait collection.

" ... violence against men."

Really? In a thread dedicated to the best way to decorate around a deer head?

chijim - I LOVE your walls. A perfect mix of interest and whimsy. Yours may be my inspiration pic for my new to me 1940's knotty pine den. Where did you get the faux deer head?

Tks

I bought it a few yrs back from Horchow on an after Christmas clearance.
Check Horchow out in the fall when the Christmas decor comes out.

I thought of a powder horn on a stand but that might give you horn/antler overload.
What about a framed black and white map on a stand.

The evolution of my mediocre decorating taste must come from the mounted deer that hung above our fireplace in the 60's. I grew up with the deer so I was not bothered by it but what did bother me was how out of place it looked in our Danish Modern living room. It was not helped that we had one of these clocks on the wall directly opposite. Taxidermy does not look good with formica coffee table either.

Sorry, I forget the clock.

rdbrya2, I happened to look at the June issue of Elle Decor today, and on page 201, there is a study with a deer head in it, and the walls are papered in grasscloth. I've looked for the pic online and couldn't find it, sorry. But it occurred to me that it might be a great way to bring in some 'nature', year round and be a great backdrop for the deer...

"I don't understand all the negative comments about the deer head. The poster didn't ask if you like deer heads."

No, but the OP did ask how it 'coordinates' as an item of decor along with the mantle pieces. When you post a question about using the actual severed head of an animal as an item of decor, you are going to get a few 'negative' comments. I'm actually quite surprised that there aren't more. To some of us, all of these other comments that discuss this severed head as if it were nothing more than a lamp or a vase seem 'negative' so it depends on your viewpoint. Besides, this is no different than someone asking opinions on a backsplash. When you ask for an opinion, you are going to get some that differ from your own.

IMO, a colorful print of a deer would look lovely above the fireplace rather than a deers actual head, and would give you the look you wanted in the first place. But since you have already selected the deers decapitated head as the focal point, perhaps you could stick with that theme and arrange some other mounted animal parts on the mantle ... hooves of varying sizes arranged in a group of three, perhaps a tail draped as a garland.

This post was edited by jellytoast on Tue, May 27, 14 at 9:15

I'm no hunting apologist, but have to ask those of you who are making snarky comments about the OP's choice -- do you have leather furniture? Leather car seats? Do you wear leather shoes? How is the deer head dissimilar to decorating with and wearing dead cows?

...Or do you eat cows that grew up in feedlots or chickens in cages? Or eggs from chickens in cages? At least the deer got to frolic around in the woods, seems like a lot better life than most of the things that end up on my plate.

This post was edited by robotropolis on Tue, May 27, 14 at 10:53

I agree with Sunny and robotropolis. And if I'm not mistaken, even soap is made with animal fat.

And we're off and running!

A thread like this is bound to generate controversy. It should be expected.

But it doesn't have to generate controversy, particularly if we all take some time to stop and think twice about making comments that are hypocritical.

I used to have a mounted mule deer head many years ago, but sold it to an antique store. We decorated him with a red nose and Santa hat for Christmas. Although not something I'd want to live with at this point in my life, I do recognize that my leather sofa and chairs - and a host of other ways that I have used animal parts throughout my life - pretty much disqualify me from ragging on someone because they choose to decorate with hunting trophies.

We don't have to be off and running if people just try to help op with her questions, without expressing their own judgements or feelings about someone ELSE'S home and choices.

louislinus, attached is a Z Gallerie faux deer head link. Look around the website, Z Gallerie has other examples of faux trophy heads but most are smaller than life size. Totally different feel than Jim's more classic fauxidermy (Z Gallerie's word, not mine).

Here is a link that might be useful: Z Gallerie Faux deer head

I hope she remembers to post when she has her new arrangement,

Nice decorating Idea....

LOL! Whoever is suggesting to hang the mount in a less prominent place is clearly unfamiliar with hunters. That thing is an absolute monster! Maybe even made the record books. That dandy of a buck is staying right there for the unforeseeable future. And rightfully so!

7 year old thread. The OP may have moved twice by now and redecorated more times than that.