It's likely not real.

It could be done without that I think. I didn't even notice the rug till I saw your comment, the wood is fantastic..

If it's real, it's extremely wrong and disgusting. If it's not real, it's just sick.

The wood itself is nice but everything else is over the top, busy, ugly. Money was apparently no object but the result is a total disaster. To say that the rug is disgusting is a gross understatement

And putting something like that on your floor is the symbol of the informed?

It is a matter of taste. (not my taste really) Maybe overboard but not a symbol of sick disgusting design.

We agree that it's a matter of taste, and not design. While it may be perfectly fine as design, I find it sick and disgusting as taste.

Beautiful! And a real man's room, which is probably why some here don't like it.

Now virility comes to the surface as the issue. Yep, you like dead animals, so you must be a real man. And I guess those of us who don't need that must be fake men.

Well the thread started, As it was disgusting because it is an endangered animal. I commented to let people know the hide of animals are sold after an animal dies and many times the money goes into the protection and upkeep of the species. Many more species would be endangered or in decline if it weren't for hunters and the millions of dollars they generate to keep the species around and healthy. I was under the impression your dislike for this was founded in the rarity of the animal skin. Now that I know you don't like it just "because", then no reasoning or facts will overcome your feelings. While being a man only requires a gender, being manly is how a person conducts himself and is subjective. Your manhood isn't in question, your manliness is perhaps less than some in one area since you think animals that have died and their beauty preserved are sick and disgusting. I wouldn't worry about it, just be yourself and let the picture be about the office not the tiger.

The staircase is stunning. Great work!

Remember that mounted animals can be very old. Yes I have rhino horns in my room. Yes they are also from 1904.

This argument in the comment section below is just as entertaining as the image its based on.

Love the tiger skin! Classic. I've been "hunting" no pun intended, for sea turtle, but it's hard to come by so I settled for seal pup... Very soft.

Dpbrownie, most tiger skins in circulation are not from legally captive animals. I find it interesting that you feel informed enough to call others uninformed. Most tiger skins in circulation today come from illegally hunted endangered species. To own a vintage skin is supporting the continued demand and therefore killing of these animals, which are much better suited to their destiny in the wild. If I were a tiger, I would much prefer my captors bury my hide with the rest of my body with dignity rather than sell it into a dirty market of money and power mongers. If you are truly interested in being informed, the Environmental Investigation Agency collects information on the illegal hide trade including international confiscations of hides, poaching weapons and large sums of cash, which continue to take place today in 2014. Needless to say, these confiscations and complex, ongoing and fruitful investigations do not center on zoos. However sadly, as many "rugs" come from farming operations as poaching, especially Chinese big cat farming operations which are truly disgusting, and harbour the saddest of sad destinies for any sentient being. Only hurting and empty humans would think something such as this a mark of "sophistication" or "elegance". In my opinion.

Wksalter:
While you are entitled to your opinion, your bias to the death of tigers or farming operations does not make the majority of tiger skins illegal. I suspect, if America were to legalize tiger farms like they do pig/chicken/cattle farms you would still oppose them. It isn't legality you are arguing for but for a ban on tigers dying in any shape, form, or fashion. I am not surprised that you consider most hides are illegally poached since your source on tiger skins is an organization investigating illegal poaching of animals.

I do appreciate your opinion and I understand conservation of a species. When I was in China a few years ag,o I saw tiger paws for sale and I thought it was a shame because it was all under the radar, it was purely for profit and no regard for the survival or health of a species was considered. However, the fact remains hunters and collectors are the largest donors or monetary source for wildlife preservation around the world, period.

Your view on empty and hurting humans being the only ones who would like this is interesting especially considering a phenom on among animal rights activists. If you would be open enough, what are your views on women's rights, particularly in the area of human abortion? You don't have to answer if you feel it might paint you hypocritical.

Either way, this person thought it was elegant and more than likely it is legal since posting it online can bring the scrutiny of officials who would confiscate it, if it were illegal.

I'd be surprised if the usfw monitors Houzz, but your probably right in that their skin is legal. I'm sure they either had the family inheritance of a pre-CITES skin or the money to buy a legal skin within their state by the look of the amazing woodwork. I do not agree that most skins in circulation come from zoos, that seems completely unlikely to me. There are large volumes of skins taken from tigers annually, and it is my opinion that the majority of skins in circulation have either been poached, farmed legally in china and then illegally traded internationally, or farmed or bred illegally in other countries. Yes, I would oppose tiger farms in America. No I do not wish for a ban of tigers dying in any shape form or fashion. I would kill and eat a tiger and wear its skin as needed should the situation arise. I would not kill a tiger to make and trade a luxury good. I am sure that the people who trade in the skins of the tigers are also equally more interested in profit than species survival as those trading in paws. Though hunters and collectors may contribute the most cash to wildlife preservation organizations, this does not mean they are benefitting wildlife by killing animals purely for their vanity's sake or supporting this market. To purchase animal skins legal or not, supports the demand for an ugly unnecessary death based market with largely unenforcable regulations, and directly impacts the increase in number of tigers killed. Wildlife does not rely on mans tax deductible contribution or black tie gala, it has done just fine self regulating, developing for millennia. Nature does not rely on man, but man on nature. Mans great level of interference with nature may then provide us the opportunity to donate money to address some outcome of the interference, and then say that we are helping. But I believe that a person who purchases skins and supports trade of luxury wildlife products cannot donate money to IFAW and call it good. If it were not for the history of poaching the tiger population may warrant seasonal hunting licenses. Not following your logic comparing the killing of animals for luxury goods to abortion. I certainly can't support the trade of related rugs. I need to go hug a tree or something.

Hunters do not just contribute money but also help by culling the herd. Helping prevent over population, starvation, disease, etc... That goes for fishing and hunting. Certainly not all rugs are from a zoo. You can own an exotic animal if you have the funds. If one dies while in your care, selling the hide would help buy you a new animal.

I'm not surprised you couldn't follow the logic of protecting an animals right to live, while supporting a mother's right to kill her own child. I find very few (in my experience) who fiercely protect animals, that are interested in protecting unborn children. By you avoiding the question, I think you answered it.

I believe nature is for mankind, we are to enjoy it and be good stewards of it. It is for our use and enjoyment, including plants and animals. So hug a tree if you want, they are there for your enjoyment and needs but be responsible and reasonable with your enjoyment and needs.

There is no need to cull the herd of an endangered species. Are you saying you think skin rugs either come from zoos or owned pets? I can't help you if you aren't willing to read about the poaching industry. There are plenty of international, national and foreign governmental agencies that actively monitor and report on endangered species happenings and policy to help you with that information. No I do not follow the logic of comparing the hunting endangered of endangered animals for their luxury goods to a woman's right to abortion for many reasons. If an endangered tiger were implanted into a woman against her will, or if the implanted endangered tiger could risk the mothers life, or there were other risks for the mother and tiger, then I would support the decision for aborting the endangered tiger. Supporting the trade of endangered species goods is not responsible or reasonable stewardship, in my opinion.

I think regardless of where the skin comes from it is beautiful. If a tiger dies in captivity or is farmed legally, then don't waste the hide. Rarity drives the black market. The American alligator is a great example, hunters and conservation have rescued the species and market. I do agree that poaching is a big issue but just because poach takes place doesn't mean no one should hunt or own a hide or mount of an animal.

Your views on abortion and animals rights are opposite. You want to save the tigers and approve of killing baby humans. Rape. & nicest account for between 10-50,000 pregnancies in America. Over 4,000,000 abortions are performed. To use your own words. Only empty and hurting human being would think the slaughter of 3,950,000 babies is somehow a good choice or the right thing to do. Honestly, I don't think you can do anything to help the tigers in India. You might be able to help save a child.

Either way, the dialogue has been enjoyable and I appreciate your views, we kinda highjacked this persons picture so I'll bow out of the discussion.

Yes, they are beautiful animals. I agree the hide should not be wasted. If you choose to keep a wild animal caged away from its habitat as a pet and it dies, either bury the animal to go back to the earth, or put the hide to a suitable good use, or give it as a gift if you cant use it. But dont put it into circulation in a market responsible for the unnecessary killing of wildlife for luxury goods. I opine that any trading of endangered hides is detrimental to the outcome of tiger population growth.
Interestingly enough, farming seems to increase demand for both farmed and poached tiger hides.
I do not believe that noone should hunt or own hide or mounts. I believe purchasing endangered hides and mounts drives market demand of endangered species products and should be avoided. Collectors do not poach or purchase endangered hides simply to have the look of any of the multitude of exotic and beutiful looking permitted animasl in their space. It is to have an animal known to be rare, that is recognized by others as a costly luxury item or symbol of wealth. If I inherited or was gifted a hide, I may use it in my home somehow, but would not elect to feature it in a photo online potentially encouraging others to seek tiger hides for their own space. Many people look at the classic old romantic photos of women posing graciously on a tiger hide, when the tiger population was healthy and tigers were legal game. This look unfortunately cannot be duplicated now without impact on the vanishing species unless you receive the hide without purchasing it.
I do not believe my views on endangered animals and abortion are opposite, there are many distinctions between the circumstances, causes and nature of each act that it seems to me the comparison of apples and oranges. I do not have time to research abortion statistics, but assume some of the 3,950,000 abortions were also performed in life threatening medical situations, or in situations in which the fetus would have life threatening or other medical risks deemed too great by the family and medical advisors, or there is a reason the fetus cannot be safely carried through full gestation. As for the remaining cases, which some judge for themselves as preventable, I certainly do not believe that abortion is a good choice or the right thing to do, but that some women are put in tragic and distressing situations either by themselves or by others, in which they believe it is the best possible choice, or even believe it is the only possible choice. And I do not believe it is possible to put myself or anyone else into their shoes to determine in each indivduals case whether or not they are correct. I hear, and assume, possibly incorrectly, that some women simply consider abortion a form of birth control and give it little thought, and I'm sure there are a million more scenarios. In any case, any single abortion may in fact be a case of a hurting and empty human in need of help. But I cannot support the claim that the descision belongs in my or anyone elses hands. I do not believe there is any possible scenario, however, that anyone can correctly judge the life of an endangered tiger is less valuable than any man's living room floor.
If I were to post a photo featuring an endangered hide, I would expect people to hijack my thread if I didnt state in the description that it is a usfw approved gift or inheritance. But, to each their own, I certainly do not argue that they should have every right to post what they so choose.

Don't you guys have jobs?...maybe a hobby?

They could take up saving tigers as a hobby. Drop everything and go to Asia/Africa.

beautiful room. Love the tiger. All it needs is a giant pair of antlers. I wish I had the space to do something like this to my study!!