The look of a hide, none of the hide

An animal print rug brings the boldest patterns in nature into a room, the rosettes of a leopard, the sweeping stripes of a zebra or tiger, the patches of a cow and the scales of a snake, and it does so without fur, hide or any animal at all. Ours are printed edge to edge on soft velvet, which means the patterns are crisp, the colors can be natural or completely unexpected, and the whole rug goes in your washing machine. You can choose a rectangle, a round rug or a shaped rug cut to the outline of a natural hide for the traditional look, in faux.

Five prints, five personalities

Print	The mood	Classic colors	Page
Leopard and cheetah	Glamorous, warm, surprisingly neutral	Gold and black, cream, pink, grey snow leopard	Leopard rugs
Zebra	Graphic, high contrast, confident	Black and white, brown, pink	Zebra rugs
Tiger	Bold, energetic, collected	Orange and black, cream, Tibetan-style	Tiger rugs
Cow print and faux cowhide	Relaxed, ranch, playful	Black and white, brown, tan	Cow print rugs
Snakeskin	Sleek, textured, fashion-forward	Python cream and grey, black, green	Snake rugs

Animal prints through the decades

Animal prints have moved in and out of fashion for a century, and each era left its mark. In the 1930s and 40s, zebra and leopard meant Hollywood glamour, nightclubs and film stars. In the late 1960s and 70s, safari style took over, with khaki, rattan, brass and animal prints, helped along by fashion designers such as Yves Saint Laurent and his famous safari jacket. The 1980s turned leopard into power dressing, and the early 2000s gave us pink zebra and cheetah in every teenager's bedroom. Today the prints are used more sparingly, as a single bold accent in an otherwise calm room, which is exactly where a rug shines.

Choosing the scale

The size of the pattern matters as much as the print. Large-scale prints, big zebra stripes or oversized leopard rosettes, look bold and graphic and suit large rugs and open rooms. Small-scale prints read almost like a texture from a distance, which suits small rugs, busy rooms and anyone who wants the print to be subtle. As a rule, the bigger the rug, the bigger the pattern can be. If you have a preference, mention it when you order a custom rug.

Which animal print is right for you?

If you want an animal print that works with almost anything, choose leopard: its warm golds and browns sit comfortably with most colors, which is why designers call it a neutral. If you want maximum contrast and a graphic, modern look, choose black and white zebra. If you want warmth and personality, choose tiger, especially a Tibetan-style tiger. If you want something relaxed and a little rustic, choose cow print or a faux cowhide shape. If you want texture without bold contrast, choose snakeskin, whose scales read almost like a woven pattern from a distance.

Natural tones or bold colors

Animal prints don't have to be realistic. Natural tones, golds, browns, creams, blacks and greys, give a classic, organic look that suits wood, leather and linen. Bold colors turn the same patterns into something fresh and playful: pink leopard, blue zebra, green snakeskin, orange tiger stripes on cream. Because every rug is printed, any pairing is possible through our custom rugs.

Hide-shaped rugs

The classic animal rug has the irregular outline of a natural hide, wider at the shoulders and hips with softly curved edges. Our hide-shaped rugs are cut to that kind of silhouette, in sizes from 2.6×2.6 up to 5.2×5.9 ft (80×80 to 160×180 cm), and printed rather than made from a real hide. A hide shape laid at an angle in a living room, in front of a fireplace or beside a bed is one of the most characterful ways to use an animal print. For the traditional cowhide look in particular, see our cow print page, which covers faux cowhide rugs in detail.

Round and rectangular rugs

Rectangular animal print rugs, from 2×3 to 5×7 ft, are cleaner and easier to place under a coffee table, a bed or a desk. Round rugs, from 2.6 to 5.9 ft (80 to 180 cm), are an unexpected choice for animal prints, lovely in a reading corner, a dressing area or under a round table. Our round rugs page shows each size in a room.

In the living room

An animal print area rug under a coffee table is a confident move that gives a living room instant personality. The trick is restraint elsewhere: a solid sofa, a few plain cushions and one or two related colors pulled from the rug. A leopard rug with an emerald or navy velvet sofa, a zebra rug with white walls and black metal, or a cowhide shape with a leather armchair all look intentional and polished. A 5×7 ft rug is our largest standard size; custom sizes go up to 5′11″ × 10′. For the softest feel underfoot, choose Premium, 7 mm plush velvet on a bamboo and cotton back, about 700 g/m². Our living room rugs page has more layouts.

In the bedroom

At the foot of a bed or beside it, an animal print rug adds a little drama to a calm room. A hide-shaped leopard or zebra rug beside the bed feels luxurious; a pink cheetah rug suits a playful teen's room; a cream tiger stripe suits a soft, neutral bedroom. Our bedroom rugs page has more ideas.

Hallways and runners

Animal print runners, especially leopard and zebra, are a classic way to use these patterns: they make a narrow hallway feel lively and memorable. Our standard sizes are rectangular, but a custom size lets you order a long, narrow animal print rug, up to 10 ft long, to fit your hallway exactly. Choose Standard: 5 mm crushed velvet on a non-slip faux leather back, about 500 g/m², which stays put as people walk by.

Entryways

An entryway is where a bold pattern makes the biggest first impression. A 2×3 or 2.6×3.9 ft leopard, zebra or cow print rug just inside the front door sets the tone for the whole home, and it hides everyday dust better than a plain rug. Our rugs are made for indoors, so keep it inside the door rather than out in the weather, and choose Standard for its grip on tile and wood.

Offices, studies and dens

An animal print rug under a desk brings personality to a work space. A cowhide shape suits a rustic study or a ranch-style office; a leopard suits a glamorous home office; a snakeskin print suits a sleek, modern desk. Under a desk chair, choose Standard so the wheels roll freely and the rug stays in place.

Layering

One of designers' favorite tricks is layering a hide-shaped animal print rug over a larger plain rug, jute, sisal or a soft solid color. It adds drama without covering the whole floor in pattern, and it helps in large rooms where a single rug would feel too small. A 3.9 to 5.2 ft (120 to 160 cm) shaped rug works well for layering.

Mixing animal prints

Can you mix animal prints? Yes, as long as one thread ties them together. Keep the colors related, natural browns and blacks, for example, and vary the scale: a large-scale zebra rug with a small leopard cushion, or a cowhide shape with a fine snakeskin throw. One dominant print and one or two smaller accents usually works best.

Printed versus real hide

Real hides and furs are expensive, heavy, impossible to machine wash and, for leopard, tiger and many others, come from protected species. A printed velvet rug gives you the same bold look with none of that: soft underfoot, light, machine washable, available in any color and any of our sizes, and no animal is involved. The trade-off is that it doesn't have the texture of real hair. If you love these patterns and want something practical for everyday life, with children, pets and spills, printed velvet is the better fit.

Pets and animal prints

Animal prints are a practical choice in a home with pets. The pattern helps disguise a little pet hair and the occasional mark between cleanings, and when it needs a proper clean, the whole rug goes in the washing machine. On smooth floors, choose Standard, whose non-slip back stays put when a dog or cat sprints across it. For pet-themed designs, our cat rugs and dog rugs pages have more.

Animal prints in a nursery

A soft animal print can be lovely in a nursery or a child's room, especially in gentle tones: a cream leopard, a soft grey zebra or a pastel giraffe pattern alongside safari prints on the walls. Choose Premium for tummy time and Standard's non-slip back once your child starts walking on a smooth floor. For animal characters rather than prints, our animal rugs page has lions, bunnies, foxes, elephants and more.

Giraffe and other prints

Beyond the five main prints, giraffe patches, with their warm brown shapes outlined in cream, make a soft, organic pattern that suits nurseries and neutral rooms. Through our custom rugs we can also print other animal patterns, such as jaguar, ocelot or crocodile textures, in any colors you choose.

Pairing with other styles

Animal prints sit comfortably with many styles: with art deco's geometry and glamour, with mid-century wood and simple shapes, with boho rattan and plants, and with clean, minimal modern rooms where a single print is the star. For bold companions, see our art deco rugs, checkered rugs and the full range of abstract and modern rugs.

Standard or Premium

Standard is best for hallways, entryways, kitchens, bathrooms, under desk chairs and anywhere with a hard or slippery floor, because its non-slip back stays put. Premium is softer and warmer, best in living rooms, bedrooms and nurseries where you walk barefoot or sit on the floor. Both are printed the same way, so every spot, stripe and scale stays crisp, and both go in the washing machine.

Sizes

Rectangles come in 2×3, 2.6×3.9, 3.3×5, 4×6 and 5×7 ft. Round rugs come from 2.6 to 5.9 ft (80 to 180 cm) across. Hide-shaped rugs come from 2.6×2.6 up to 5.2×5.9 ft (80×80 to 160×180 cm). Custom sizes go up to 5′11″ × 10′, including long, narrow runners. We don't make 8×10 rugs.

Shipping and returns

Every rug is printed to order in 1–3 business days and ships from Turkey; US delivery usually takes 2–5 business days after that. Unused rugs can be returned within 30 days on US orders. Custom colors and sizes are made just for you and can't be returned.

Care

Machine wash on a gentle, cold cycle and let it air dry flat. Vacuum on a low setting between washes to lift pet hair and dust, and blot spills with cold water right away. The design is printed into the fibers, so the patterns stay sharp and the colors stay rich, wash after wash.