Animals and birds have been decorating our walls and floors for centuries, and they bring a sense of life and humour to a room. The trick is knowing where to use them and when to stop. This guide covers choosing a wildlife wallpaper, adding animal rugs and lighting, and balancing it all with plainer pieces so the effect stays charming rather than overwhelming.
Let one wall do the talking
If you want birds or animals in a room, wallpaper is the most immersive way to do it. The key decision is how much of the room it should cover.
Hummingbirds Flora Wallpaper by Cole & Son shows hummingbirds flitting from flower to flower among lush honeysuckle and butterflies. It is sold as a 2.1m panel, so you can use a single panel as a cascading feature behind a bed or sofa, or repeat it for an immersive botanical room. A single panel is a good way to try wildlife pattern without committing a whole room to it.
For something calmer, Swallows Wallpaper by Sanderson is a 1930s design showing a flock of slender swallows soaring through an open sky. Because the birds are spaced out, it feels light enough for all four walls. Choose from Black, Silver, Wedgwood, Pebble and Lime.
At the bolder end, Peacock Wallpaper by Mind The Gap features peacock feathers in a rich, repeating pattern with opulent character. This is a paper to use where you want drama, such as a dining room, cloakroom or a single feature wall.
Bring animals to the floor
A characterful rug introduces an animal motif at a lower, softer level, which is useful if your walls are already patterned.
The Blooming Black Bear Rug by Doing Goods is a handmade, friendly-faced bear in 100% wool. It is the kind of piece that suits a nursery, a child's bedroom or a relaxed living room, and because it is handcrafted, each one varies slightly. With a rug this full of personality, keep the wallpaper in the same room quiet, or choose a plain colour pulled from the rug.
Lighting with a wild side
Animal lighting is a smaller-scale way to bring in wildlife and works well in rooms where pattern would feel too much.
The Gold Mouse Lamp by Seletti is a gold resin mouse holding an exposed bulb, designed by Marcantonio as a set of three called Step, Lop and Mac. It makes a charming reading light, a nursery night light or simply a curious object on a shelf. You can find more designs in our Seletti lighting collection.
How not to overdo it
A room with a bird wallpaper, an animal rug, two animal lamps and themed cushions quickly starts to feel like a zoo. A few simple guidelines help:
- Choose one lead creature per room. If the walls have birds, let the rug and lamps be plain, or pick a single animal accent.
- Repeat colours, not animals. Pick out a shade from the wallpaper for upholstery or cushions instead of adding another motif.
- Add simple, graphic shapes. The Prince Aha Stool by Kartell, designed by Philippe Starck as two cones joined in an hourglass, works as a stool or a stand beside a sofa or bed, and its clean form gives the eye a break from pattern.
- Use texture for interest. A woven fabric such as Ocala Stripe Fabric by Harlequin, with its sawtooth effect and softly flecked colour, adds depth to cushions or upholstery without competing with the wildlife.
Small accents for a lighter touch
If a whole wall or rug feels like too much, accessories let you test the idea. A Hand Painted Iron Tray by Les Ottomans works as a decorative trinket tray or for serving at a dinner party, and our Les Ottomans collection has more hand-painted pieces to browse.
For more inspiration, explore our home decor collection, or visit the shop in Somerset and talk to the team about bringing a little wildlife into your home.
