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Popular Horse Decor For Living Room Pizzazz

By John West


Mankind has always been fascinated with the horse. Legends have grown up around them in almost every culture. Famous men like Alexander the Great and Robert E. Lee had horses almost as well-known as they were. Greek and Roman gods had horses, as did the sun, a handsome young man who drives his fiery horses across the sky. It's no wonder that people use horse decor for living room ambiance.

There is seemingly no end to variations on this theme. Ever since the first horseshoe was nailed up over a rustic door, people have found charm in equine art and artifacts. From the priceless porcelain horses of the Tang dynasty to the collectible figurines of today, people from palace to studio apartment love to decorate with horses.

Formal rooms can use statues of horses as table-top ornaments. More casual decor might call for one made into a lamp. One of the most flamboyant examples of statuary is the carousel horse, either a miniature or a full-size one right off a merry-go-round. One-dimensional decorations have graceful steeds on lampshades, mirror or picture frames, or pillows. An old-fashioned touch is a flat, heavy casting used as a door stop.

A traditional way to bring a horsey flavor to a room is with hunting prints. These are scenes from the sport of foxhunting. They usually depict horses, riders, and hounds racing across country, leaping stone walls, and perhaps coming a cropper at a creek. They are often framed in dark wood and matted with red, which picks up the 'pink' coats of the hunt staff. These prints are just as popular today as they were in the 18th century.

Other accessories using hunting print art are coasters, which look great on side tables even when not is use. Racehorses, both flat runners and steeplechasers, are other common subjects. Trophies shine on book shelves or mantles, if you are lucky enough to have had a winner. So do presentation silver trays under cut-glass decanters. Portraits of favorite or famous horses are especially nice.

If you're tastes run to western art and accessories, that's another whole world to draw from. Cowboys and the horses that they rode have been popular in America since they first showed up in big hats and tooled boots. (Actually. Boots make a good accent piece, whether they are the tall black ones worn by English riders or a hand-stitched pair from Texas.) People decorate with original paintings and prints of lone cowboys in the mountains or desert, cattle drives and stampedes, or wild horses roaming the range. Artisans use horse motifs on rugs and throws, wastepaper baskets, magazine racks, and other useful items.

Those who actively engage in the horse world often bring it inside. They might drape a colorful saddle blanket over the back of a couch, hang a bridle on the wall, or have a saddle on a free-standing rack in one corner. Any of these make great conversation starters, and horse owners usually have a million good memories and great stories. Since everyone pretty much likes horses, even if they've never touched one, these distinctive touches make a room accessible.

Go online for inspiration, just the thing you're looking for, or great gift ideas for your horsey friends. Whether you need a wall hook or a chandelier, or want to give a valuable work of art as a wedding gift, you can find the right piece on the internet.




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