Decorating Guides
Design Element: Cowhide
The last time I went on a modern house tour, I wished I'd had a buck for every cowhide rug I saw. They are a very popular way to add texture, shape, and pattern to a room that is full of streamlined geometry and smooth glossy surfaces.
Cowhide has moved beyond rugs. Today's designers are using it to upholster items like benches, chairs, and ottomans. This material can add loads of personality to a room, and let us show off our inner Roy Rogers. For those of you who don't like to use animal products, there are plenty of faux cowhide products available.
Cowhide has moved beyond rugs. Today's designers are using it to upholster items like benches, chairs, and ottomans. This material can add loads of personality to a room, and let us show off our inner Roy Rogers. For those of you who don't like to use animal products, there are plenty of faux cowhide products available.
These fun cowhide barstools break up the sleekness of this kitchen, giving it a sense of family-friendliness.
This black and white cowhide rug fits right into this eclectic beach house living room.
This pair of cowhide chairs are an integral part of the mix of eclectic textures in this room.
A bench upholstered in brown and tan cowhide incorporates many of the hues used in this room. It's also an unexpected material to pair with the elegant gold legs.
This cowhide ottoman, along with the casually draped throw, takes the formality of the room down a notch.
Here is a very similar ottoman used in a room that has "men's club" style. Every man probably has a little bit of cowboy in him - this is a way to show it.
This room is full of exotic and tropical elements - it's a bit tribal, it's a bit Moroccan, and a bit Asian. The soft cream colored rug adds one more layer of texture.
This sculptural chaise adds not only shape but also texture to the space.
This room mixes modern and traditional elements, held together by streamlined tailoring, and then, wow, she threw in a black and white cowhide rug. It's such a fun and surprising element in the room.
The dark spot provided by the cowhide rug on this floor immediately draws the eye away from all of the other light-colored components of the room. It also has a great relationship to the Eames Lounge Chair.
What would you call this cowhide piece? It's somewhere between a bench and a mini-daybed. Take note of that wonderful upholstery job, from the base to the bolsters.
I had never seen a Scandanavian Modern chair upholstered like this. It adds so much personality to the room and lets us know that the person who lives here has a sense of humor.