Say “zebra” and many people think of a childhood song about a “horse in striped pajamas.” When it comes to bedroom decor though, zebra print bedding isn’t just horsing around with some stripes.

Interior decorators often counsel restraint when using animal prints anywhere, especially in bedrooms that are supposed to have peaceful atmospheres conducive to sleep. When the animal print serves as the focal point, however, as with zebra print bedding, that’s a horse of a different … well, stripe.

Why Zebra Print Bedding

Zebra print bedding makes a style statement unlike any other. For some, its black and white of the pattern serves as the basis for a wealth of options for color accents. Others like the earth-friendly statement projected by this design choice, a homage to a wild species that hasn’t been domesticated after thousands of years. Still others like the fact that with an animal print, they can bring African wilderness to their bedrooms without having to take the life of a single animal.

To make your zebra print bedding the center of attention, you may need to adjust other aspects of your decor. For instance, zebra print might look wildly out of place amidst a Victorian bedroom with lots of florals and white wicker. For your bedding to make the right bedroom statement, it has to be complemented with furniture, paint colors, draperies and wall art that coordinate with it.

The best place to start in room decorating is always with painting. Using your choice of zebra print bedding as the focal point, what does your imagination see with it? Does it look best to you against walls painted with the subtle earth tones of the African plains where zebras live? Perhaps the bold black and white pattern calls out for similar strong accents, such as bright-white walls and bright red curtains.

When decorating with this type of bedding in children’s rooms, the color schemes can be a lot more playful. In fact, animal prints are a hot trend right now for girls from infancy up through early teens. The prints often are paired with hot pink, purple or turquoise to give the animal print some frolicsome perkiness. Sets can include zebra print comforters and shams, sometimes a bedskirt and sheets, or they can be full-blown nursery sets with crib bedding, bumpers, toy bag, laundry hamper, drapes, valances and wall hangings.

So the choice truly is yours. You can add just a touch of zebra print to your bedroom with a couple of decorative pillows, an ottoman or chair, or perhaps some animal print curtains. You can use purple or pink zebra print bedding in a child’s room for a fun atmosphere or you can completely re-do the bedroom using zebra prints in select places for a bold fashion statement in black and white.

Bring a little wilderness home with you, without harming the environment! Zebra print bedding will put a bold touch of the outdoors into your bedroom. Just be sure you can still get to sleep amid all those energetic stripes!