Antler lamps are an excellent way to create western decor. So much more than a lighting fixture, antler lamps bring character to your room. If you have a cabin or mountain home, the rustic character of antlers with their unusual shapes and variety of natural color will give your space the distinctive western look you desire.

Rustic style home owners as well as those building modern cabins have chosen antler lamps for years as the beautiful rustic lighting to complete their rustic home look. Because of the natural curves of antler lamps and chandeliers there is a natural beauty inherent within the antlers that compliments perfectly any type of western furniture. There is something special about antler lamps that pulls every element together and firmly grounds in the room a sophisticated rustic space. Antler lamps have a magic about them that seems to enhance balance and focus.

Antler lamps also combine with many other rustic accessories in rustic decor. In the Northwest or "north woods" antlers may be added to snow shoes and complimented with rawhide lamp shades to fashion fabulous wall sconces. The light wood and rawhide lacing of the shoe, along with the leather binding and warm glow of the hand stitched shade, make it a perfect match. Weather you prefer to enhance the beauty of your antler lamp with southwestern light rawhide shades or western style dark rawhide lampshades, the choice is yours and the result will be beautiful.

Small antler chandeliers may be fashioned from whitetail deer antlers while large chandeliers may have several tiers of huge elk antlers. Weather your space is large or small an antler chandelier will enhance western decor.

In Jackson Hole, WY the town's square is decorated with arches made from Elk antlers. It is truly one of a kind and you can capture the same look with antler lamps. Small lamps can be fashioned from whitetail deer antlers while large chandeliers may have tiers of elk antlers with rawhide lampshades. One of the most distinguishable lamps is created using moose antlers, unmistakable with their beautiful dark palms and dark rawhide lamp shades.

Each year, organizations like the Boy Scouts will find the prized sheds. If you ever find antler sheds in the wild, it is a thrilling experience. Antler lamps create that same look in your home and can transform your home's ambiance in a most exciting way.

Antlers are available in different qualities that are graded like rare coins. The highest quality is awarded an "A" grade. The grading system, indirectly, has to do with the amount of time the sheds lie outdoors before being found. The longer they are left on the ground, the more they deteriorate. New antler sheds will be a darker brown color. Sheds that are not found soon will start to bleach in the sun until they are a chalky white. Another reason is chew marks from small animals and stains from wet ground or moss.

There are also varying forms for making the antler lamps themselves. Some lamp makers simply glue the antlers together. Others may lash them together with rawhide thong for a rustic Indian look. And some of the most attractive antler lamps may use a combination of both, being glued, drilled and screwed together, then the holes closed up and wires hidden for a natural look. Better quality lamps will almost always feature rawhide lamp shades.

Each antler is slightly different than any other, so each antler lamp is specially unique and is absolutely fabulous for rustic lighting. Give antler lamps with rawhide lamp shades a place in your home and you won't be disappointed.