Animal hooks
Animal hooks are hooks shaped like animals, where the animal figure itself serves as the hanger for jackets, bags, keys or bathrobes. At Dims Studio you'll find animal hooks in brass from Doing Goods and in hand-painted lime wood from Wildlife Garden, plus a few models in brass and aluminium from Creative Collection. The range spans from tiny brass animals just a few centimetres in size to larger, hand-carved wooden animals, covering everything from classic pets to exotic safari animals and birds. Here's a guide to materials, animal motifs, sizes and use, so you can find the right animal hook for your home.
Animal hooks: materials and types
The animal hooks in the range are split across two main materials, brass and wood, each giving a different look and function on the wall.
Brass hooks
The brass hooks from Doing Goods are cast in recycled brass and have a matte, gold-toned surface. The motifs are often small and detailed, from a turtle and a ladybird to a crocodile, a giraffe, a hare and a tiger, and several are handmade in India. Brass is a durable material that can carry a fair amount of weight, and the warm gold tone makes the hooks a discreet yet striking eye-catcher, whether used singly or grouped together. Creative Collection also offers a tiger hook combining brass and aluminium.
Wooden hooks
The largest part of the range is wooden hooks from the Danish brand Wildlife Garden, handmade in lime wood with water-based paint and a brass-coloured hook. Here you'll find a wide selection of animals, from classic pets such as dogs and cats to wild animals such as wolves, bears, elephants and rhinos, as well as birds such as owls, eagles and penguins. Because each hook is hand-carved and hand-painted, there will be natural variations between examples of the same motif, giving them a personal, artistic expression.
The materials compared
| Material | Look | Typical size | Examples in the range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brass | Discreet, gold-toned, detailed | 3 to 15 cm | Turtle, ladybird, crocodile, giraffe, hare, tiger from Doing Goods |
| Wood | Colourful, hand-painted, sculptural | 4 to 13 cm | Wolf, bear, elephant, panda, dog, cat, birds from Wildlife Garden |
| Brass and aluminium | Graphic and robust | Approx. 9 cm | Tiger hook from Creative Collection |
Animal motifs: find your animal
The animal hook range covers a broad spectrum of the animal kingdom, so you can put together a row of hooks that matches your own interests or your child's favourite animal.
Pets
Want an animal motif that resembles the family's own pet? You'll find dog and cat hooks in several breeds, including chihuahua, dachshund, jack russell, golden retriever, springer spaniel, poodle, labrador, French bulldog and German shepherd, plus cat hooks in black-and-white, siamese and persian. The motifs are carved in wood and painted so the breed's characteristic features, such as ear shape and coat colour, are recognisable in the small figure.
Wild animals and safari animals
For a more exotic look, there's a wide selection of wild animals, including tiger, leopard, zebra, elephant, hippo, rhino, camel, kangaroo, bison, buffalo, wild boar, polar bear, black bear, brown bear, fox, raccoon, squirrel, koala, alpaca, horse and monkey. The wild animals are popular for a kids' room with a safari or jungle theme, where several hooks can be hung together to create a whole animal herd on the wall.
Birds
The range also includes a number of bird hooks, including horned owl, snowy owl, golden eagle, sea eagle, red cardinal, puffin, kookaburra and penguin. The bird motifs stand out with detailed plumage in several colours, and several of them belong among the newer additions to Wildlife Garden's range.
Insects and reptiles
In brass you'll also find smaller motifs such as a ladybird, a queen bee, a turtle, a crocodile and a dinosaur set in two sizes. These smaller figures are ideal if you want a discreet detail rather than a large animal motif on the wall. The dinosaur set is especially popular for a kids' room with a prehistoric theme, where the two hooks in different sizes can be hung side by side.
New animal motifs
Wildlife Garden continually expands the range with new animals and birds, including Norwegian forest cat, snowy owl, puffin, bison, wild boar and kookaburra. What the newer motifs share is that they're made in the same hand-painted lime wood with a brass-coloured hook as the rest of the range, so they mix easily with the other animal hooks on the wall.
Sizes: from small brass animal to large wooden figure
The size of the animal hooks varies by both material and motif, which affects how much weight they can carry and where they work best on the wall.
Small hooks, around 3 to 8 cm
The smallest brass hooks from Doing Goods, such as the turtle at 6 x 1.5 x 2.5 cm and the ladybird at 7.5 x 4 x 2.5 cm, are compact and suited to lighter items such as keys, jewellery or scarves. They take up little space on the wall and suit a group of several small animals.
Medium hooks, around 8 to 12 cm
Most wooden hooks from Wildlife Garden fall in this range, for example the squirrel at 56 x 46 x 131 mm and the wolf at 47 x 59 x 110 mm. They can hold everyday clothing such as jackets, bags and bathrobes and are the most common size in the range.
Large hooks, around 12 to 13 cm
The largest models, such as the cockatoo at 46 x 52 x 127 mm and the kangaroo at 52 x 53 x 129 mm, are striking enough to work as a standalone eye-catcher even with nothing hanging on them, and can carry slightly heavier outerwear.
The sizes compared
| Size | Typical measurement | Holds | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 3 to 8 cm | Keys, jewellery, light scarves | Entryway, a collection of several small motifs |
| Medium | 8 to 12 cm | Jackets, bags, bathrobes | Kids' room, entryway, bathroom |
| Large | 12 to 13 cm | Outerwear, heavier bags | Eye-catcher on its own or as part of a hook row |
Care and maintenance of animal hooks
Both brass and painted wood need a little maintenance to keep their look over the years. Here are the key tips, depending on material.
Caring for brass hooks
Brass can develop a natural patina over time, where the surface becomes darker and more muted. If you want to preserve the original gold tone, wipe the hook with a dry or lightly damp cloth. Avoid harsh cleaning agents and scouring pads that can scratch the matte surface, and note that recycled brass can vary slightly in tone from hook to hook, which is a natural part of the material.
Caring for wooden hooks
The wooden hooks from Wildlife Garden are painted with water-based paint, which is gentle on the environment but also a little more sensitive to moisture than a lacquered surface. Wipe the hooks with a dry or lightly damp cloth, and avoid placing them in direct sunlight for many hours a day, as the colours of the water-based paint can fade over time. If a hook is clearly soiled, it can be carefully wiped with a cloth wrung out in mild soapy water, then dried thoroughly.
Keep an eye on screws and mounting
Whatever the material, it's important to use screws suited to the wall material and able to carry the weight you plan to hang on the hook. Check regularly that the screws are still secure, especially if the hook is used daily for heavier items such as jackets and bags. If you're hanging several hooks in a row, it can help to use a spirit level so the whole row lines up neatly on the wall.
Brands behind the animal hooks
The range brings together animal hooks from three brands, each with its own expression and material.
Doing Goods
Doing Goods is behind the brass hooks in the range, often cast in 100 percent recycled brass with a matte, gold-toned finish. Several of the motifs, including the crocodile and the hare, are handmade in India. Doing Goods' hooks combine a playful animal motif with a material that suits both kids' rooms and more grown-up spaces.
Wildlife Garden
The Danish brand Wildlife Garden supplies the large majority of the animal hooks, all handmade in lime wood with water-based paint and a brass-coloured hook. Wildlife Garden has a wide range covering everything from pets to exotic animals and birds, and because each hook is hand-carved, each figure gets its own individual expression.
Creative Collection
Creative Collection, part of the Bloomingville house, contributes a tiger hook in brass and aluminium, giving a more graphic and robust look than the other brass and wooden motifs in the range.
How to use animal hooks in your interior
Animal hooks are both practical and decorative and can be used singly or grouped for a cohesive look.
- Mount several animal hooks in a row in the entryway as a hanger for jackets, bags and dog leashes.
- Create an animal herd on the kids' room wall with a mix of wild animals, birds and pets in different sizes.
- Choose brass hooks for a more grown-up entryway or cloakroom, where the discreet material suits a calmer look.
- Use a single large wooden animal hook as a standalone eye-catcher on an otherwise empty wall.
- Combine animal hooks with brass hooks and knobs for a cohesive material choice.
- Give an animal hook as a gift idea to a child with a favourite animal, or choose a motif that matches the family's own pet.
Animal hooks for the kids' room, the entryway and the bathroom
Where the hook will hang affects the choice of motif, size and material.
Animal hooks for the kids' room
The kids' room is the natural spot for the colourful wooden hooks from Wildlife Garden. A row of hooks at the child's eye level makes it easy for them to hang up their own clothes and bags, and a theme such as safari animals, sea life or birds can give the room a cohesive look. Find more ideas under coat hooks for a child's room.
Animal hooks for the entryway
In the entryway, animal hooks work both as a practical hanger and as a welcome that sets the tone for the rest of the home. Here, the brass hooks from Doing Goods can give a more subdued look, while a row of wooden hooks in different animals creates a more playful atmosphere.
Animal hooks for the bathroom
In the bathroom, an animal hook can be used for bathrobes and towels. Choose a medium or large model that can carry the extra weight of a wet towel.
Which animal hook should you choose? Our recommendations
| Situation | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Discreet hook for the grown-up entryway | A brass hook from Doing Goods, e.g. turtle or giraffe |
| Colourful animal herd for the kids' room | A mix of wild animals and birds from Wildlife Garden in wood |
| A hook that matches the family dog | A wooden hook in the same breed, e.g. labrador, dachshund or French bulldog |
| Eye-catcher with nothing hanging on it | A large, detailed wooden hook such as cockatoo or kangaroo |
| Hanger for a bathrobe | A medium to large wooden hook that can carry the weight |
| Gift for an animal lover or a child | A single hook in the child's favourite animal. Also see knobs and hooks in wood |
Frequently asked questions about animal hooks
What is an animal hook?
An animal hook is a hook shaped like an animal, where the animal figure itself forms the hanger. It's used to hang clothes, bags, keys or bathrobes and also works as decoration on the wall.
Which material is best for an animal hook?
It depends on the look you want. Brass hooks from Doing Goods give a discreet, gold-toned look and are durable. Wooden hooks from Wildlife Garden are hand-painted in several colours and give a more playful, sculptural look that suits a kids' room well.
How much weight can an animal hook carry?
This varies by size and material. The smallest brass hooks at 3 to 8 cm suit lightweight items like keys and jewellery, while the medium and large wooden hooks at 8 to 13 cm can carry everyday clothing such as jackets, bags and bathrobes.
How is an animal hook mounted?
Most wooden hooks from Wildlife Garden come with a brass-coloured metal hook and are mounted like an ordinary hook, with screws suited to the wall material. Always check that the screws can carry the weight you plan to hang on the hook.
Are wooden animal hooks hand-painted?
Yes, the wooden hooks from Wildlife Garden are handmade in lime wood and hand-painted with water-based paint. This means there can be natural variations between two examples of the same motif, which is part of the handmade look.
Can you combine several animal hooks on the same wall?
Yes, this is a popular way to use them. Hang several hooks in a row at even spacing, or mix different animal motifs and sizes for a more playful, informal look, especially in a kids' room.
Do brass hooks and wooden hooks go together?
They combine well, but also work fine on their own. Brass hooks give a calmer, more uniform look, while a mix of colourful wooden hooks brings more life and variation to the wall.
Is an animal hook a good gift for a child?
Yes, an animal hook is a natural gift for a child, especially if the motif matches the child's favourite animal. It's both decorative and practical, as the child can use it themselves to hang up clothes and bags.
How many animal hooks do I need for a cloakroom wall?
It depends on the space and need, but three to five hooks at even spacing typically gives a good balance between function and a cohesive visual look. For a whole animal herd in a kids' room, you can easily go up to six to ten hooks.
Can animal hooks be used outdoors, for example in a utility room or a covered entryway?
The hooks are primarily designed for indoor use. Brass generally withstands moisture better than painted wood, but to best preserve the finish and colour, it's recommended to use them in dry indoor spaces such as the entryway, kids' room and bathroom.
Which other hooks go well with animal hooks?
Animal hooks can be complemented with brass hooks and knobs or knobs and hooks in wood if you want more hangers in the same material. Also see the full range under hooks and knobs.