Trophy room design is a specialty at Nature’s Design Taxidermy. This challenging work goes way beyond mounting heads on walls—it is about theme, accessibility and making your hunting accomplishments look their best. It also depends on choosing the right space. Here are five factors to consider when choosing or preparing your space for a trophy room:
- Temperature control: To preserve your trophies, the room must be kept at steady humidity between 40 and 50 degrees and a temperature of 65 to 72 degrees. Making them too hot or cold will compromise their quality and structure. If you choose a room with many air vents or large windows, it will likely be a challenge for temperature and humidity control. Address the issues or choose another space in your home if you cannot find a way to maintain desired temperatures and humidity.
- Light: Natural light is an advantage in most rooms, but it does not work in a trophy room. The UV rays damage and fade hair, and if you add accent lighting, it will compete with the natural light. You want to choose a room that is mostly shut out from natural light, as that helps preservation as much as temperature control. If you cannot remove the windows or block them off, treat them with dark filtering film to prevent damage.
- Trophy size: The size of your trophies will determine the size of your trophy room. If you have several full-size mounts of elk and deer, then a small room will only feel crowded—it will be less a display of your adventures and more of an obstacle course. On the same account, if your hunting involves birds and fish, you can get away with a smaller room. Also, consider the other uses of the room. If your trophy room also doubles as a living room or home office, you need to consider the needed furniture and whether there will be space for it or the trophies. You want to avoid crowding entirely—make this a space where it is easy to admire your accomplishments rather than one that feels like a workout just to enter.
- Other furniture: This goes into considerations about trophy size, but also takes it one step further. You do not want this to be a cluttered space that detracts from the trophies. Before we start designing, remove all furniture and room accessories that are not necessary. If you do not require a large work table in your trophy room, move it to another space. The same is true with smaller items, such as books, trinkets, etc. You can work items in once you consult on the trophy room design and decide what you will feature.
- Budget: Know what your room needs, and set a budget. You may need to remove built-ins to make wall space or add wall shelves for fish mounts. If you need track lighting to highlight the best of your adventures, that requires installation, too. Know what you need, but also know what you can afford.
For trophy room design and highly skilled taxidermy, contact the experts at Nature’s Design Taxidermy today.