Advertisement
Love the jungle and cannot get enough of it? Why not do up your home in a jungle theme. Choosing leopard bedding will give you a big start on a bedroom jungle theme. Classy and distinctive, the pattern will give you a basis for the rest of the décor. Animal prints of all types have remained timeless classics in both, fashion as well as home décor.
Start by purchasing the finest set of leopard bedding you can afford. There are bed-in-a-bag sets of leopard bedding from five to eleven pieces including comforter, pillow shams, sheets and even pillows. Leopard prints work especially well if the comforter is made of faux fur, to give the impression of the big cat’s own coat. You can go all the way with leopard “everything,” or you can change out the look with solid-colored sheets that harmonize with the comforter and pillows.
Leopard Bedding To Create A Jungle-Themed Bedroom
Look for the finest quality sheets available. Finding such sheets can be tricky, as the old standard of relying on “thread count” has become more complicated in recent years. “Thread count” indicates the number of vertical and horizontal threads in a one-inch fabric square. In theory, a higher thread count means better quality but quality also depends on the thickness of the thread as well as how the fabric is treated and how it is woven together. It’s worth the effort to spend time inquiring about these details, in order to get leopard bedding that both looks good and gives you a good night’s sleep.
Leopard print bedding will add warm tones to the room, so you need to make some choices in coordinating the rest of your décor. You can stick to the warm colors that are inherent in a leopard’s coat, such as tan, brown and black or you can contrast the tones of the bedding with the cool greens of the jungle.
If you opt to stick with complementary warm colors, you still have options. You can paint the walls tan or khaki to highlight the vivid patterns in the leopard bedding, but how about putting gleaming black frames around some animal prints above the bed? Or perhaps a black leather armchair in one corner? You could inject high-energy into the room with some throw pillows in yellow, red or orange.
Perhaps you’d like a more tranquil sleeping chamber. Imagine how restful your bed would look if you painted a jungle mural behind it! Paint the other walls in a light-to-medium green to draw attention toward the mural. If you’re artistically inclined, try painting the mural yourself with various shades of green, using different size brushes and perhaps a pop of red or orange flowers. Leopards are excellent climbers and fond of trees, so your leopard bedding will look right at home.
Finally, think ecologically, for the sake of preserving some habitat for real-life leopards. Choose bedroom furniture made from wicker or bamboo, a renewable resource. Also use nontoxic paint with low to no volatile organic compounds. Hang bamboo shades on the windows and be sure to include live plants on hooks or in terracotta plant pots.
Animal prints cycle in and out of popularity, whether it’s apparel or pet supplies or home decor. In the past decade, however, animal prints have come to be regarded as more of a classic style that shows a sense of care for nature, even with something as seemingly small as a leopard pillow.
Interior designers who prefer the “less is more” approach to using animal prints highly approve of a leopard print pillow to add a dash of nature to a ho-hum home scheme. The idea is that just a touch of a print like leopard will enliven a room, while an entire theme room can look too much like an amusement park.
Revel In Jungle Dreams With A Leopard Pillow
At the same time, there are home decorators for whom there’s no such thing as too many leopard prints. They like its bold, eye-catching design and feel it’s worth repeating – provided it’s the genuine article in an animal print. An authentic leopard pillow will have a pattern of dark brown or black rosettes closely spaced together without any black in the center. A pattern with black in the center is that of a jaguar, a leopard’s close cousin whom too many manufacturers confuse with a real leopard. It’s a crucial distinction for those who want accuracy in their decorating scheme.
Many decorators like using animal prints in bedrooms, something that’s easier today with so many animal print bed linens available. Even with “bed-in-a-bag” bedding sets, however, decorative pillows that finish off the scheme are usually sold separately. If possible, get the pillows from the same maker as the bed linens in hopes of matching the print accurately. One way to accessorize a set like this is to use solid-colored sheets in complementary colors and reserve the animal print for the bedspread or comforter and a matching pillow. This scheme works beautifully with beds made of wood, bamboo or wrought iron. If there’s room for a side chair in the bedroom, a darkly upholstered chair with a leopard pillow is a great way to tie everything together.
Many designers find the Contemporary style of decorating an ideal setting for a leopard print pillow. The sleek lines of the furniture stand up well to the impact of pillows, a throw or a blanket in animal print. If the room is large enough, as with a bedroom, the same side-chair-and-pillow grouping also serves to give the room a sense of unity. Because of the warm golden yellow center to their rosettes, leopard prints work especially well with warmer neutral combinations, especially those in cream to chocolate brown ranges.
For those with a real wild streak, it’s possible to find a leopard pillow with pink, green or even purple background. These pillows are ideal for a jungle safari theme for a child’s room. In this instance the authenticity of the animal print may not be as crucial, but try to look for it all the same. Kids learn from everything in their environment, so if you’re going to the trouble of setting up a nature theme for them, why not make at least a little bit like real life?
Once upon a time, the word “fleece” meant a sheepskin. These days the word more often refers to a plush synthetic fabric that is warm, cozy and in the case of leopard fleece, spotted!
The polyester fabric with a soft deep pile that’s known as fleece today has found its way into all kinds of products. Particularly when paired with animal prints, fleece is most often used to create blankets or throws that protect against cold and wind. However, clothing designers and other manufacturers have discovered that when it comes to leopard print fleece, the only limit is their imagination.
Everything’s Warm and Cozy with Leopard Fleece
For example, how often has someone curled up in a comfy fleece robe on a cold winter’s night? The online vendor Crazy for Bargains.com features robes in fun leopard fleece for as little as $15 each. As a purveyor of fun sleepwear for all the family, this site also offered women’s pajama pants in pink leopard fleece for less than $8.
As if the natural camouflage provided by a leopard’s coat wasn’t enough, another website, Karma Loop, offers The Colleague Fleece Varsity Jacket in Leopard Camo. Imagine putting a leopard’s print into camouflage colors! This version from Men’s Jackets by Crooks and Castles retails for $106.
Another longtime clothing vendor, Old Pueblo Traders, sells a leopard print fleece cape for women with ruffle trim on the hem for around $70. This 27-inch-long garment is made of microfiber fleece that resists pilling and is machine washable. A leopard print beret to match is also available. If the beret isn’t enough to keep the wearer’s head warm, Amazon.com’s Marketplace features Blue Leopard Fleece Earmuffs byMontano’s Inc. on sale for half price, $12.50.
Looking at the offerings from a number of pet supply websites, lots of pets have come down with a serious case of leopard envy. Why else would there be such a selection of kennel pads, dog toys, dog coats and cat beds in leopard fleece? Possibly the best example of this trend was a cat bed called a “slumber ball” offered by the catalog site, Drs. Foster & Smith, that will make any domesticated kitty think she’s queen of the jungle. In addition to its nod to conservation with a leopard print in gray or tan, the slumber ball is stuffed with polyfil, a stuffing made from recycled soda bottles. In sizes from 18 to 32 inches, the slumber ball was on sale for $30 to $55.
Of course, what would any overview of the ingenious designs for leopard print fleece be without a look at traditional throws and blankets? On the auction side eBay alone, vendors showed 20 variations of fleece throws and blankets! A Texas vendor, Tricia’s Treasures, showed a new leopard fleece throw measuring a generous 50-by-60 inches. Finished with a brown blanket stitch, the 100 percent polyester, machine washable throw could be embroider with a name of the customer’s choice for only $20.
It looks like leopard fleece has become a cozy, inventive and economical way to keep away the chill.
Like big cats who drape themselves lazily over the branches of jungle trees, leopard curtains can drape any room in a home with some natural beauty.
Animal prints have a way of going in and out of fashion when it comes to home decorating. However, lately it seems as though animal prints have earned a status as a classic pattern suitable for almost any era and many styles. What’s even more encouraging, leopard print curtains have the capacity to serve everywhere from a safari-themed living room to a bathroom spa.
Leap Into Decorating Fashion With Leopard Curtains
Shower curtains in animal prints have become quite fashionable of late. For example, Bedding Sets.com offered two lines of leopard print curtains for the shower. Sin in Linen’s natural leopard curtains are printed on 100 percent cotton and measure 72 inches both in width and length for just $36. An all-cotton shower curtain such as this will also need a vinyl liner to keep water in and protect the fabric. Another option from this vendor was Kimlor’s leopard shower curtain, which comes with single panel curtain and vinyl liner measuring 72 inches long and wide – a standard shower curtain measurement — for $30.
Another online vendor, BedBath Store, offered a final closeout on a Safari Beige Leopard Print Shower Curtain in 50 percent polyester and 50 percent cotton. This curtain measured 70 inches wide by 72 inches long, making it necessary to buy two to protect a really large shower or tub, as well as needing vinyl liners. However, at a final closet price of $25 each, multiple purchases were still a bargain.
Once the bathroom is well spotted, any other room in the home can take a wild turn with leopard treatments for the windows. These curtains can come in virtually any fabric, from sheer voiles to touchable, cozy plush.
Walmart offers sheer voile leopard curtains in 100 percent polyester for less than $10 a panel, again making it possible to buy several panels for multiple windows. The machine washable curtains measure 59 inches wide and 84 inches long and can be hung with standard or decorative rods.
The online vendor, BedBath Store, featured a combination of leopard window treatments in panels plus a leopard print valance. Measuring 88 inches long by 18 inches wide, the valance was on sale for less than $40, while the 42-by-87-inch drapery panels sold for less than $70. Clearly it’s possible to spot some spots for quite economical prices these days.
Another online vendor, Touch of Class, also featured lightweight window panels and a matching valance to add some flair to anyone’s lair. Made of machine washable polyester voile, the panels were on sale for $20 each while the valance was priced at $34.
Kohl’s offered a set of leopard print curtains that brings texture as well as pattern in a window treatment. In brown and multicolor, Lush Decor® Aniplush Window Treatments in leopard prints are fully lined plush fabric that provides additional insulation and utmost privacy. The combination also was on sale at $30 per drapery panel and $21 per valance.
Finally, leopard curtains have even made their way from windows to wall coverings. Home Depot offered Blue Mountain Wall Coverings’ Leopard Curtain Border for 22.98 per yard. Image an entire room topped by a wallpaper border from which leopard spots leaped out. What a combination!
Advertisement
If you see spots before you eyes when you go to bed at night, let’s hope it’s just your glorious leopard print bedding.
Animal prints of all kinds tend to go in and out of fashion in both home decor and apparel, but lately it seems as though furnishings such as leopard print bedding are holding their own against all newcomers. If a touch of the wild is what you need to liven up your bedroom – or your child’s bedroom, since children love animal themes – it’s best to know a little about how to choose quality bed linens.
Dream Of The Jungle In Leopard Print Bedding
First, know a little about the animal whose print will soon decorate your home. In the case of leopard print bedding, be sure to look for a pattern with dark brown or black rosettes that are closely spaced together. Too often, manufacturers will mistake a leopard’s spots for those of its cousin, the jaguar. The way to tell the difference is that a jaguar’s rosettes have a black center, while a leopard’s rosettes don’t. After all, using a manmade leopard print, rather than the actual coat of the animal as people did a century ago, shows not only good fashion sense but also a sense of care for nature. This can be an especially important lesson to teach a little one if the bedding is for a child’s room.
Next, keep in mind the basics of choosing any quality bedding. Remember that lighter colors show stains more easily, while darker colors tend to fade faster. Even with a pattern such as leopard print bedding, the light or dark background of the pattern may make a difference in how good the sheets look after several washings. Also be sure to choose the right size for the bed (twin, full, queen, king) and the mattress depth or “pocket” (measured in inches). Most home decorators recommend actually measuring the width, length and depth of the mattress, since these measurements can still vary even with standard sizes.
Leopard bedding often comes in more limited fabric types than solid color sheets or more traditional prints. As a rule, sheets are made from cotton, polyester, satin, silk charmeuse and now even bamboo cloth. For example, Egyptian cotton sheets are thought to be among the world’s finest, because they are spun from longer, thinner cotton fibers. Always touch and test sheet fabrics in person, and look for the highest possible thread count to assure good quality construction. A 300- to 400- thread count or higher is considered good quality. At the highest luxury end thread count becomes less important, since a sheet of 800-thread count feels the same as a 1,000-thread count.
Comparing prices online also is a wise step when looking for quality in leopard print bedding. Buying quality bed linens from an online vendor can be chancy since there’s no way to test the fabric, so always be sure to find out the vendor’s return policy before purchasing. Also keep in mind that the lowest price may not be the best bargain because of the quality of the sheets. Armed with comparisons from online searches, it’s often possible to get a bedding store to match prices found online.
Once you’ve found the leopard print bedding that makes you purr with contentment, snatch up those spots right there and then; something this good is not likely to be in the shop too long!
Advertisement
Have you ever wanted to change your bedroom to something simply outrageous and exotic? There are so many possibilities out there that it can be very hard to make up your mind. There are whimsical choices, nautical choices, beachy styles, lunar possibilities; the list goes on forever. But give some thought to the timeless beauty of animal prints. Things like the leopard bed set can be found in almost all stores that sell linens. Animal prints never go out of style and they have been popular since the Inca tribe hundreds of years ago. Then, they used animal skins to make furniture, clothes and heavy winter coats. They even used them to make shoes to protect their feet.
The Beautifully Exotic Leopard Bed Set
Animal prints have fascinated people for many years. They include giraffe spots, zebra stripes and leopard prints. You can purchase the entire bed in a bag set or just parts to make your bedroom a truly exotic and interesting place to be. Leopard bed sets can be found in both heavy and lightweight fabrics so you can use them all year long. There are many ways to use leopard bed sets to create just the right room for you. Some people want to smother themselves in animal prints where others may just want a touch of the animal print in their room. You can create any look you want for your own room. A sleek black bedspread paired with a leopard bed set can tone down the leopard print for a classic animal print room. An extra leopard bed set that includes sheets can be very easily made in to a set of curtains to match your bed. Black, room darkening sheets with leopard print tie backs can create a very classy window treatment.
Whether you prefer zebra, giraffe, or leopard print you can create an awesome room that’s just right for you and your taste. A little or a lot, it’s all up to you. Take some time to look at designing magazines and online pictures of rooms that are done in animal prints. You will be amazed at all of the possibilities. Be sure, however, that you don’t copy someone else’s design. To be able to create your special space, make sure it is truly your own by using components from many different ideas to create your own style. Only when it is truly yours will you love it!
If a leopard bedding set isn’t for you, check out the other animal prints that are available. They really add an exotic feel to your room and their beauty is limitless. Zebra stripes have made a tremendous resurgence in recent years. You can find zebra print fabric in black stripes paired with hot pink, lime green and light purple. It is still obviously the traditional zebra print but with a whole new modern twist. It’s all the rage for teenager’s bedrooms these days. All the new colors are very popular with the younger set. They can have the bedroom of their dreams with a simple bed set and a little creativity.
