It’s the return of the cow print rug, but this time the interior design world is doing things differently. While real cowhide is often a by-product of animals that are being used for other purposes, they are far from vegan-friendly. Cue the faux cowhide rug, an interior must-have for anyone who has an obsession with wild animal prints (sans bloodshed).
The tanning of animal hides dates as far back as the prehistoric era, with humans using the hides of cattle and livestock as a way to keep warm. Native American tribes turned in into an art form, adorning their shelters with cowhide and other animal leathers. This later developed as a quintessential design trend for country living in the southern states, and then took off around the world as a symbol of class and luxury.
By the 1960s, it became an emblem of sophistication. Any living space featuring cowhide screamed “yes, we’re well-travelled folk”, and this is why the faux hide rug is the epitome of mid-century mod.
Now is the time to embrace this ethical revival if you appreciate retro interiors. Here are some of the ways you can make the faux cow rug trend work in your home.
Add rustic charm to a long, narrow hallway
Narrow hallways are tricky to elevate, and striking a balance with lighting and decor is no easy feat. Too little and your hallway is bare and clinical. Too much and it will be cramped and cluttered. The key to a nice walkway that connects your central rooms is flow.
This Super Long Stretched Cowhide Rug by Young & Battaglia is the perfect shape for those awkward areas, helping you create a seamless flow between front door and kitchen or bedroom to bathroom. Measuring up to 380cm long, this rug will give you the length you need for extra-long corridors where other carpets fail. With a quality photographic image mocked from a real cow print rug, this faux adaptation gives you the realism of individual hairs, ensuring a high-end finish.
It also lies perfectly flat, never curling up at the edges, making it the ideal friend for your floor, withstanding the high footfall of a hallway. Available in a natural colour or bleached, this faux cowhide rug will add depth and dimension to an otherwise unexciting space. To make your rug pop, keep wall colours light and use mirrors if your area is particularly dingy.
Remember, lighting is everything! If you opt for a dark colour scheme, experiment with wall lights to create atmosphere.
Choose a cow print rug with a modern twist
Young & Battaglia’s Persian Faux Cowhide Rug is a fantastical rework of a timeless classic. A hybrid beast (and the most exotic of breeds), this is a faux cowhide fabric that combines old world with new world. Who knew Persian carpets and cow skin could form the perfect love child?
If you’re indecisive and want classic (but also not), this piece is the perfect design feature to bring a dull living space to life. A conversation starter, this is the sort of thing that looks normal at first glance. But once your guests get closer, they’ll quickly realise that your house is far from ordinary. It features the same natural irregularity of animal hide, but no animals were killed in the making. Plus unlike real cowhides, it’s hypo-allergenic and can be washed to maintain its beauty.
For those who hate conventional, but also have a weakness for tried-and-tested trends, this alternative rug design covers all bases. Style with mid-century modern furniture for a super-contemporary look…..think nesting coffee tables dipped in gold, bold geos, chic lighting and oodles of grown-up velvet.
Make a quirky faux cowhide rug the main feature
If bog standard cow print rugs make you yawn, there’s no need to settle for something traditional. This is another plus point of choosing faux – it gives you endless options when it comes to design, taking your imagination far beyond simple prints.
This unusual Annabelle Rug is an exciting collaboration between Mineheart and renowned artist, Joao Figuieredo, and it unapologetically promotes faux as a style feature. By appropriating traditional portraits with a touch of the abstract, Joao Figuieredo transforms classical into a crazy sort of contemporary that we can all get on board with.
Those large open plan apartments with plenty of white space will certainly benefit from this style of rug. As will homes with tall ceilings and ample floor space. Feel like something is missing or not quite right? If your living room is waiting for that final flourish, this one-of-a-kind faux cowhide rug will instantly bring it up to date. And trust us when we say it will be a talking point.
Disclaimer: You may get tired of talking about it.
See our range of fake cowhide rugs here.
