INTO THE WOODS
Deer and reindeer motifs make cosy alternative to holiday glam
Booths at this year’s gift and decor trade fairs featured lots of deer and reindeer motifs — some specifically for the holidays, and others to leave up and enjoy after the festive season is over.
Incorporating the woodland icon into your home decor can be a fun departure from an otherwise luxe and elegant holiday esthetic.
“We love to offset all the glam by adding a woodsy, rustic feel to make a home feel cosy,” say Shannon Wollack and Brittany Zwickl of Studio Life/Style in West Hollywood, California.
“Running with a classic holiday reindeer motif, we like to hang our stockings by the fireplace with a real or faux antler prop and add a wreath intertwined with antlers to our front door.”
Or go for Frontgate’s 4-foot-tall resin stag, with realistic textured detail and a gleaming golden finish (frontgate.com ships to Canada). There is a pair of regal reindeer here as well — one standing, the other feeding, crafted from an original sculpture and suitable for indoors or out.
Indoors, a stag-horn-framed mirror by Carolyn Kinder for Uttermost would add drama to the entryway. It’s available at Canada Lighting ($261).
At CB2, the Donner wreath, available in white or silver polyresin, is a minimalist, modern way to include the antler theme (CB2. com, $129-$219).
Chic and useful, a lacquered tray from Mark & Graham can be customized with a monogram framed by an antler motif (markandgraham.com). Also from the retailer, a super-soft throw similarly personalized makes a cosy holiday gift.
Martha Stewart’s holiday collection at Macy’s includes a deer’s head table decoration made of vines and berries, decked out with fairy lights and faux snow. Create a snuggly nook with a Sherpa fleece throw pillow appliqued with a plaid stag ’s head, also part of the collection (macys.com).
For the sofa, Target’s got throw pillows with illustrated woodland or reindeer prints from Threshold, as well as a whimsical Wes Anderson-esque deer bundled up in scarf and sweater (target.com).
You could set up a small herd of Pier 1’s charming reindeer down the centre of the table; made of Styrofoam and faux fur, each walking or resting deer sports a little wreath necklace.
For the tree, there are sweet little plaid-fabric deer ornaments and snazzy, pastel, glitter-encrusted ones at Target.
Finally, if you really want to commit to the theme, go full-on winter wonderland with Frontgate’s 59-inch-tall mechanical deer. He’s got plush, snowy white faux fur and a head that nods back and forth.
Santa would no doubt approve.