Design Tips: How to blend eruo mounts into interiors

If you have read any of my previous blogs, you would know I am from Montana.  Growing up my father hunted deer every year.  Our family would drive out to my grandfather’s ranch in the Little Snowy’s for the weekend where mornings started before the sun would peak over the mountains.  We would process the meat and donate the hide; his reward was a new pair of leather working gloves.  I can still smell the fresh leather and recall the prideful feeling it brought him. 

My mother was not a fan!  Not only to the gamey taste but also the mounts that came from them.  Needless to say, all taxidermy stayed in the shop.  There was never a thought that a shoulder or euro mount would be hung inside the house.

I laugh about it now because more times than not this is the case with our friends.  The husband wants to display shoulder mounts with glass marble eyes gazing down on you, and the wives are not having it!  Too often a compromise to keep all in a single office or a designated mancave that becomes overloaded with mounts.  I’m just going to say it; this looks so tacky!  Being the wife of an avid hunter, I understand the struggle!  I too do not enjoy sitting in a room feeling I am being watched from all angles! 

I am here to provide you an alternative compromise!  It does not have to be all or nothing.  I came up with a few ways to blend mounts into décor.

First, euro mounts only! 

They are honestly beautifully chic and elevate a design.  Plus no maintenance or shedding! To the male readers; no, you do not need the live look inside of your home.  We get it, it’s huge! May I suggest hanging a framed photo instead?

Second, quantity! 

The quality of something is relative to its quantity.  Even excellent things can seem terrible if they are used too frequently.  AKA: 4+ buck heads is overboard my friend.

Before and After Examples

Take a look at these before and after pictures. There are many ways to implement euro’s into your spaces while preserving sophisticated design.

Mounts hung alone are basic and standout like a sore thumbs. But add a tapestry macrame and hello elevated design! Easy! Rather than walking into the room and noticing a skull you now have a tasteful composition. I personally lean towards an eclectic Scandinavian design which helps implement euro mounts seamlessly. But as I mentioned before many design styles welcome euro’s!

Our foyer holds one of Chris’s fondest memories. I had a difficult time agreeing to hanging a massive caribou in an area where all guests are welcomed but excepted the challenge!

Finding balance is key; not only in scale but also the focal point. My goal is to blend euro mounts into the overall design. With the antlers being so tall selecting a high backed bench helps control the overall balance. Concentrate on the details; drape a hide across the seatback with classic pulled buttons. Hang a thick ornate gold frame to give the euro mount some flair. Finish out the arrangement with a statement light suspended from a dark painted ceiling, an extra large area rug that complements your style, and fun pompa’s on a side table. Voila! Euro blends right in! And you now have a well balance design.

Over the Mantel

The statement in a great room is usually the fireplace. If you are married to a hunter this is prime real-estate for a mount to be hung. My father-in-law was advised in a previous house not to hang the giant shoulder mounted moose over their hand selected river rock stone fireplace. When my mother-in-law returned from a girls trip to discover precisely that over her fireplace you can imagine the conversation that followed. Lets learn from this mistake! No need to touch the stone! Hooker hangers are the best invention and are all I use to hang our mounts. They have a clean design and replace the wood plate that typically comes with a euro mount.

Photo Collage Walls

Elevate a photo collage! Adding a euro into the collage is an easy way to add interest. Find the balance; I selected a frame size similar to the nilgai mount and create a pattern to implement it into. i.e. Top row: 2 black frames, the nilgai mount and a gold frame. Bottom row: 2 gold frames, 2 black frames. This creates an intentional layout.

I promise you euro mounts can simply and gracefully be added into your décor. All with a little compromise and well thought composition.

What do you think? Is this something you could add into your home?