zebra wallpaper border

Exotic Decorating - Reveal Your Wild Side!

Do you or someone you know have an outgoing or exuberant personality? Are either of you looking for a way to express yourself through decorating? Animal prints and bold colors or animal prints and neutral colors are a great way to attract attention and make a room come alive. Using blacks, whites, and reds together is a wonderful way to show expression, but if you are looking for more neutral colors, try a subtle animal print. Whichever you use, you can be sure your rooms will attract the attention of all who enter.

Don't be afraid of red!

When it comes to decorating with exotic appeal, you want to be able to make the room look vibrant and attractive without overdoing it. For the ultimate impact, paint your bedroom walls red. If you don't want to use red for the whole room, try painting the wall behind your bed red, leaving the remaining walls white or cream. Use animal print wallpaper as a border or to cover a single wall or a portion of the wall. This is a great way to add splashes of excitement to the room.

Choose basic furniture that doesn't compete

A great way to add to the room is to choose furniture that complements the red tones and animal print, but doesn't compete with them. A good way to balance the color scheme is to choose dark chocolate or white furnishings that are solidly colored.

When it comes to the bed, a black wrought iron bed adds elegance and doesn't compete. This type of bed is perfect when accessorized with black lacquered furniture such as a dresser or night stand. Brass or silver finished metal headboards also work well in the exotic theme.

Animal print bedding really adds to the "wow" factor! Black or red sheets are the perfect complement to zebra prints, and cow or leopard prints. A giraffe theme works well with cream colored bedding; consider a giraffe or zebra print rug placed at the side or foot of the bed for added impact.

Window treatments

Use window treatments that complement the room nicely. For neutral colored walls, consider curtains with an exotic design. If you decide to go with bold walls, mesh curtains blend with the other elements of the room, creating a flirty, soft effect.

Wall decor is where your creativity really comes into play. Consider animal prints framed in bold shades of red or black for walls that really pop! On a large wall, choose an over-sized print that dominates the wall. In the bedroom, two to three smaller prints will make a blank wall come to life.

The small details are what often "make" a room. Consider lamps with tassels, lampshades designed in a zebra or leopard print, and bold ceramic bases. Candles can be found in bold red and black, and you can also find them available in exotic styles. If you choose to use red and black as your base colors, brass accents add a gleam that brightens the room.

You're no wallflower, so make sure your home represents who you are! By using animal prints paired with bold colors or neutral colors, you can make a statement about who you are - and the look is refreshing as well as beautiful.