Horses are timeless. Humans have long appreciated their beauty and power, and they can be found in art and literature all throughout history. Although I wouldn’t consider myself a ‘horse person’, I certainly grew up around enough horse people to have developed a healthy aesthetic appreciation. Equestrian decor and architecture don’t actually belong to any one design style. Horses for your home can be found in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
I thought I’d compile a few of the more stylized pieces out there, just to demonstrate a couple interesting ways to incorporate this beautiful and arguably majestic animal into your decor. ‘Horse Person’ status not required.
A Stable Table
If I’m moving from least ostentatious to most, we can start with this horse head side table. I think it’s a great piece of furniture, ‘horsey’ or otherwise. The dark, glossy wood is gorgeous, the decorative carvings are elegant but subtle, and it’s just the right size for a lamp and a stack of books. With this piece the equestrian element is almost an afterthought, using a motif that is common in a lot of gothic and medieval decor. I’m not sure if it’s meant to be intentional, but the feet also look like little hooves to me.
Ahead of the Game
Okay, this is pretty cool. Also pretty bizarre, but what’s the point in having your own house if you can’t hang a weathered stone horse head on your wall? No point at all, really. When it comes to pieces like these I really like the heavy distressing on the finish, since that makes it look like it could have come out of a museum, rather than a department store. It isn’t stone all the way through (though it looks it) which makes it easier to transport and hang.
A Grazing Instinct
On brand, Toscano delivers something cool, unique, and just a bit odd. I like the color of the stone, the Greco-Roman influences, and the illusion of motion. The repetition of the horses is almost hypnotic. The vase is made of designer resin, which is much lighter than stone and allows for very detailed rendering. So, again, looks like stone but isn’t stone, and therefore a lot more affordable and manageable.
Heads Up!
These bookends are a cool mottled brown and gold, and would look great in just about any room of the house. They remind me of the animal statues that often flank the front doors of historical libraries or museums. If horses aren’t your style, AFD has a number of other similar bookends, including lions, fleur de lis, and reproductions of famous statues. Plenty to keep your books upright in style.
A Horse for Every Occasion
Here it is, the be-all, end-all in equestrian decor. As horsey as you can go. This is thirty pounds of quality, designer resin-carved majesty. My mom had something like this in miniature when I was a kid, and I used to use it as a centerpiece to all of my lego houses. All levity aside, this is a really high-quality piece, carved with amazing detail. It would look great in a foyer, or in a garden surrounded by a lot of green.
This is just a small sampling of the equestrian styled market. Just think about any kind of household item and I’m sure you could find it horse-themed. Toscano and Uttermost are both good places to start.
