Animal Print Rugs

Sooo... yesterday we talked about the look of worn rugs acting as a neutral background for a slightly more traditional living space...

While we're on the topic of rugs, let's talk about animal print... kind of the opposite of "traditional"

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I'm a fan.

My favorite pair of flats are leopard print, and I wear them like a neutral - literally with everything.  Could I do a leopard print rug??

Or antelope??

Contemporary Staircase by Houston Interior Designers & Decorators Sally Wheat Interiors

Or cheetah??

Contemporary Entry by Ballwin General Contractors Terra Nova Construction

Modern Living Room by Burlington Interior Designers & Decorators Cynthia Taylor-Luce

Eclectic Hall by Burlington Interior Designers & Decorators Cynthia Taylor-Luce

I mean if it's good enough for the editor of Real Simple...

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And it's good enough for Erin Gates...

It's amazing, right??

Well, I came across this bad boy... and it really got the wheels turning...

Could I do leopard print in a big dose like this??? I mean, I am pretty sure that this is the same rug as was used here...

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Dark teal walls, simple clean lines, and light furniture... it's only $341 right now for the 6'x9'....

It could happen... what do you think???

Leopard Print Flats

You guys!  I'm SO sad!  My beloved leopard print flats that I pretty much wear every. single. day. are on their last legs.  You can't really tell from this picture, but after two years of constant wear, they are literally ripping at the seams!  So sad!

These are the Sam Edelman "Beatrix" flat in "Nude Leopard".  I love the black cap toe with the jagged burrs... they make them now with a gold toe, but I am NOT a fan of how the gold looks... bring back the black!!!

I've searched high and low - Nordstroms, Bloomingdales, Amazon, eBay,  Zappos... even random sites (there was one called "Shoe Bunnies"... no I'm not kidding)... and I literally cannot find the same ones!  It's very upsetting!

I've finally resigned myself to the fact that I will not be able to find the exact same shoes as a replacement for my current leopard beauties, so I'll have to look at some alternatives.  I rounded up a list of potentials here, and plan to do a little more hunting before fully committing.  In my opinion, leopard ballet flats are THE MOST versatile shoe. I wear them like a neutral, so they get worn with everything!  EVERYTHING.

What do you think about these options??

Leopard Print Flats by beckyc1923 featuring ballet flats

STELLA McCARTNEY leopard flat / Pretty Ballerinas leopard flat / Giambattista Valli canvas espadrille / Pointed toe flat / Minnetonka flat shoes / H&M ballet flat, $23

Of course I like the most expensive version (Stella McCartney) best... why oh why?!

DIY Leopard Gold Leaf Tray

Aside from the old dishes I have from college, and the hand-me-down plates I've accumulated from friends who have gotten married (and gotten new, pretty dishes), our dish wear is a random assortment of ranging from fiestaware, to shabby chic, and everything in between.

This is not a problem for me normally, since Kris could care less about the table settings, but I've been planning a little something for Kris' 30th birthday that is looming just around the corner, and wanting to make it a bit more special, so I've decided it's high time to get a few decorative plates for entertaining.

Luckily for me, I found this adorable DIY tutorial at A Creative Day for a DIY Leopard Print Tray - made with a gold leaf pen! (angels singing).  Check out her cute blog, and her lovely DIY here!

Ikea has great (cheap) white dishes, and you can find a gold leaf pen at Michaels for less than five dollars!  Done and done!  I can't wait to whip up a few sassy serving platters and plates!

I love this irregular shape of this bowl, the modern look of this platter, and the classic lines this tray (which coincidentally would also look amazing on a coffee table or entry way to corral keys, mail, and the random nickles I find scattered around our house).