DIY: Spray-Painted Faux Deer Head for the Kitchen

I recently adopted a new decorative friend for the kitchen. I found this faux deer head at Hobby Lobby during one of their frequent 50% off sales for $12. I have a soft spot for faux animals, so naturally it came home with me.

The deer head lived in our playroom for months (six-plus months, to be exact) until I had a moment of clarity: stop hoarding decor in the playroom and start using it. That sparked a small personal initiative I call “Dude, Get On That Already,” aimed at clearing out the clutter and either using, donating, or selling the items sitting in limbo. Most things end up in that room for two reasons: either I can’t decide where to hang them, or I plan to alter them later with paint or stain and then keep postponing the project.

• I’m not sure where to hang items, so I park them in the playroom and tell myself I’ll tackle them “later.”
• I plan to paint or stain something before hanging it, so it sits in the playroom waiting for a makeover.

Not this time. I grabbed my antlered friend and walked him throughout the house to find the perfect spot. The kitchen, alongside the fridge, felt right, but the original black finish didn’t pair well with our grellow walls. So I took the deer outside, laid down a piece of cardboard, and gave it a fresh coat of white primer and spray paint.

I follow a “thin, thin, thin and even coats” approach when spray painting. I snapped a few in-progress shots to show how each coat should be a light mist rather than one heavy pass. You won’t get full coverage with a single thin coat—that’s normal and desirable. It usually takes about three thin coats to build up an even finish. Keep your hand moving, hold the can 8–10 inches away, and avoid drips.

After the front dried, I noticed the undersides of the antlers still looked dark, which would be visible once the piece was mounted. I waited a day for the first side to cure, flipped the deer over, and sprayed the back until it matched the front.

John and I toyed with bolder colors—plum, navy, even yellow—but ultimately chose white for a softer contrast with our grellow walls and to play nicely with the gold mirror in the laundry room nearby. We didn’t want the faux head competing for attention with the mirror, which sits just on the other side of the doorway. I still have plans to experiment with some of the other items lurking in the playroom—plum and navy are still calling my name.

Ignore the paint touch-ups we’ve been meaning to finish for over a month; those are on the to-do list. For now, I’m happily distracted by my newly painted faux deer.

Work it, antlers.

To hang the faux deer on our paneled wall I used wall anchors—the small hardware pieces that make mounting lightweight decor on paneling or drywall secure and easy.

We’ve had this box of anchors for almost a year. They last a long time, which is great because it’s annoying to make frequent hardware runs for tiny items.

Here’s how they work: drill a small pilot hole in the wall, push or lightly hammer the plastic anchor into the hole so it sits flush, then insert the screw into the anchor. The anchor expands behind the wall to hold the screw firmly. Leave a bit of the screw head exposed—about a half-inch—so you have something to hang the piece on.

In total, this project took less than an hour of active time—not counting drying time. That includes the spray-painting sessions and the hanging process. The result feels like a quick, high-impact update to the kitchen, and as a bonus the faux deer doubles as a playful accessory if I ever want to wear it as a fascinator for a themed event.

Are you with me on this self-imposed “use what you have” challenge? Do you have a room full of items you’ve been putting off? I’m aiming to tackle at least one thing a week, though life with kids and other projects might slow me down. Suggestions for naming this white faux deer? Naming faceless decor feels a little odd, but the name “Malcolm” keeps popping into my head.

Speaking of projects—surprise! We’re also updating lighting in this interior room. Apologies for the wonky photos with ladders and drop cloths—the space currently has one floor lamp lighting a back corner—hence the dramatic glow. It looks a little wild now, but it’s progress. I’ll share full lighting updates and final photos once everything is installed, cleaned up, and photographed.