Holy Cow!

Is it possible to dislike cows and still like D.Luxe Home? 

To be honest, we're not sure. 

We've gotten fully on board with the cow hide rug trend; we're thinking of it as the chevron rug of a couple years ago but with more staying power. And we've taken it a few steps further, also embracing--and stocking our shop at Marathon Village with--cow hide furniture, farm animal paintings and signs, and all kinds of accessories emblazoned with bovines and their great big, soulful eyes. In fact, I had such an insane number of requests for cow paintings that I asked my painter friend Johnny Bone (once my go-to tile setter at Bynum Design before he up and moved to Oklahoma) to scare up some originals cows to complement the cow prints I already had in store. 

As for cow hide rugs, we carry a really great and ethical line from Saddleman's of Santa Fe. The biggest thing about this type of rug is you don't need to go buy one at the flea market or from any cheap source. You have to get really well-tanned hides or they'll deteriorate over time and all you're left with is the backing. A cowhide that's been tanned properly really should not shed at all and will have a clean, bright luster to the coat, whereas a cheap hide will have a chemical smell and a stiffer, duller coat. 

Bottom line: For a cow hide rug that looks great for the long haul, you have to spend some money. You want it to last for 20 to 30 years, not unlike the way you expect an oriental rug to last. The Saddleman's rugs aren't terribly expensive, though they certainly cost you more than the ones you'll find at, say, Ikea. The Saddleman's floor model we have in the store is constantly trampled and still looks great. 

There are lots of things to love about a cow hide rug. They, however, are not subtle, so they have to be well-intentioned. I'm a fan of splaying one across a sisal rug (as in the lead photo in this post) and of using them to coax a really dressy space into taking itself less seriously. They also look great on hardwoods. The Saddleman's rugs come in almost any color and pattern you can dream up, but I'm not a fan of hot pink and am instead hung up on the classics--spots especially. 

Feeling intimidated about using cow hide in your home? Remember it goes with anything--working well in a traditional space, a modern space, a young space, or an old space. It's just a very versatile, cool, fun, and affordable accessory. 

What do you think? Would you put cowhide in your home? If not, can we still be friends?