Shot in the Heart: We’re Swooning Over Arrows

By Marni Elyse Katz
January 6, 2012

Considering the recent popularity of feathers and chevrons, it's no wonder arrows are now in the spotlight. A natural outgrowth of the Native American motifs that currently reign in the design sphere, the arrow also evokes memories of childhood themes, like Robin Hood and archery instruction at summer camp. And as a hunting motif, it relates to the antler imagery so ubiquitous in trendy décor.

Listings for "arrow" items in the Home & Garden category on eBay are up 12 percent in the past 90 days compared to the prior period, and arrow-themed decor items are shooting out of design shops all over.

Let’s take a look at the vintage arrows (and reproductions of such) being mounted on walls and displayed like flowers in vases, as well as arrows replicated on accessories like pillows, note cards, and framed prints.

The look: Presented as bouquets or stuck in walls (or furniture) as one-offs, arrows make colorful accents. We spotted the look on The Selby, in model Erin Wasson’s home. Above her bed, there’s a print of a Native American scene, and above that an arrowhead sort of spear, from which feathers dangle.

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left: Dan McCarthy, owner of home decor boutique mc&co, uses a Fredericks & Mae arrow in the lighting fixture of his home. right: Danielle Thompson of crafter blog Thompson Family-Life made whimsical arrows for her son’s bedroom walls.

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Design blogger Amanda Hanley, who makes her own wooden arrows under the label Quivver, displays the handmade arrows she makes in her apartment near Boston.

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left: When they’re not assembled of the handmade mobiles she frequently uses them for, artist Mollie Campbell Greene stores her arrows in a jar. right: Kate Lindello of blog Hello Lindello displays her arrows in clear glass against empty frames. The colorful tips provide interest.

Dan McCarthy, owner of home décor boutique mc&co in Williamsburg, a trendy neighborhood in Brooklyn, not only sells handcrafted arrows in the shop, he has one in his own living room. He says, “An arrow is at once a weapon and a design marvel full of history.”

Amanda Hanley, who blogs at Red Jet Whistle and makes arrows under the label Quivver, displays her arrows in all different configurations around her Boston area apartment: In a glass food jar, horizontally mounted on the wall and as a creative sculpture tied together with string.

Seen in: Unsurprisingly, Anthropologie, a store where crafty and thrifted trends rule, has picked up on the look in its Boston store on Newbury Street, where a miniature target hangs above an armoire and arrows (apparently shot by a very poor marksman) stick out from lower shelves. (Speaking of targets, L.A. décor boutique Lawson-Fenning is currently exhibiting a collection of distressed target paintings by Jason Koharik, though no arrows are in sight.)

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Arrows shot into an armoire at Anthropologie in Boston.

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Arrows in a vase at Noun in Portland, Oregon. The shop’s current window display features a trio of archery targets along with a recently acquired set of old arrows.

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Avid collectors Janet Morales and Stu Eli arrange vintage arrows in various vignettes in their Philadelphia shop Three Potato Four.

Indie boutiques, including mc&co, Three Potato Four in Philadelphia, and Noun in Portland, Oregon, display arrows in containers, as though they are flowers. Noun’s website proclaims: “We found a vase filled with old, colorful arrows at an estate sale. The vase is beige, the arrows are a bit tattered; nothing special on their own. But together they are totally rad... We would want these way more than long stem roses.”

The shop’s proprietor, Stephanie Sheldon, tells us, “That shot was taken almost two years ago (before the current arrow craze). I was instantly attracted to the arrows' bright colors and their geometric shapes.” She’s only found a few other sets in the last two years. The most recent is set up in the store’s display window with a target.

Inspired by: Bloggers and crafters are often inspired by childhood memories, from personal circumstances to superheroes and fairy tales. Others associate them with Native American culture.

Kyle Ruth of Button Arcade, a company that produces handcrafted notions, reveals that her favorite childhood superhero was the Green Arrow. She says, “Seriously, his only power is that he is so good at shooting arrows. (He's also a left-wing progressive; it's nice when your superhero shares your political views.) There is something romantic about bows and arrows, though I don't know if Cupid or Robin Hood is to blame. Plus, they just look cool!”

Stephanie Housley co-founder and embroidery fanatic behind Coral & Tusk, is also inspired by childhood memories. She tells us, “The arrows design was inspired by a project that my now husband and I made together when we were 17 and first dating! We made our own bows and arrows from saplings in the woods behind my house in Ohio. These represent our two arrows, tied together.”

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Coral and Tusk arrows print hangs above a stool with various pillows from the company. (photo: Kate Lacey)

Stacey Foster, a designer and the blogger behind Love Independent, who creates a line of wooden arrows with feathers, tells us that her creative process is inspired by her Native American heritage (she’s part Cherokee). She likes using arrows in décor because besides being beautiful, to her, they represent “the values of working, creating, being self sustaining, and of appreciating all that is around you. “

Cori Bernardo, the Northern California artist and crafter behind home accessory label Made by Cori, found arrow inspiration from looking at 19th century engravings and lithographs depicting Native Americans, which makes sense given she works at an antique print gallery by day.

Loved by: Hipsters, designers, artists, and vintage enthusiasts, as well as those who simply appreciate the arrow's cultural implications.

Stephanie Housley loves arrows because they are so beautiful and so powerful. She says, “An arrow’s effectiveness is based on ones own individual strength. I love the symbolism and concept of that.” When asked what exactly about arrows her customers respond to, she answers, “Maybe it is the power!”

Amanda Hanley finds that arrows resonate with so many people because they are both whimsical and purposeful. She says, “They remind us of childhood fairy tales and adventure stories, but they also have a bit of an edge; they are very graceful weapons. Personally I think I like them so much because they appeal to my inner tomboy!”

Crafter Danielle Thompson of blog Thompson Family-Life, who whipped up a bath of DIY arrows for her sons’ bedroom (top of article) is drawn to them because, “Arrows are such a classic symbol and evoke the ‘cowboy and Indians’ game that boys have played for ages!”

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Williamsburg, Brooklyn boutique mc&co showcases handmade arrows by Fredericks & Mae in a cobalt blue container.

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Arrows are often available in a variety of forms at Three Potato Four, reflecting the shop owners’ backgrounds in graphic design.

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Mollie Campbell Greene incorporated a wooden arrow into one of the mobiles she makes.

Dan McCarthy of mc&co was attracted to the idea of the arrow because of its irony: “An arrow in the age of the iPhone? The archaic and historical position of an arrow made them ripe for a second look. They are lovely objects, full of romance and the possibility of manmade flight."

Kate Lindello of blog Hello Lindello came across a box of fifty vintage arrows a few years back, and promptly listed them for sale online. They were a hit. She says, “Within a few days they were featured all over the web and sold out.” She enjoys seeing how people use them, “from framing them in their little boy's room, to weaving them together as a wall hanging, or just having them rest against a windowsill.” I love finding things that most people wouldn't think twice about and giving it a new life and purpose. Vintage arrows are a perfect example of that.”

Artist Mollie Campbell Greene of blog fresh milk delivered daily started collecting old arrows to use to make mobiles for an art show a little over a year ago. She explains, “I liked the idea of hanging them in a way that made them look like they were just shot from a bow, soaring through the sky. I made a dozen mobiles with leaping paper horses hanging from the arrows. The rest of the arrows sit in a jar waiting for other mobile interactions, although the longer they sit there, the harder it is for me to think about parting with them!”

Reproduced into: art, mobiles, pillows, mobiles, tabletop decor and more...

Amanda Hanley of wooden arrow maker Quivver says her arrow enterprise started when she was brainstorming for something besides fresh flowers to display in a huge glass floral "frog" that she picked up at an antiques store. Settling on arrows, she found a few at Brimfield and hunted eBay, but then realized she could just make her own. She says, “I bought some wood and tinkered a bit until I found a shape and finish that I liked. They turned out so well, that I decided to sell them!” (Later on, a friend found a bunch of old archery arrows for her, and they're on display in the frog in her living room.)

Of her process Hanley says, “My goal is to make each arrow unique. One of the things I love about buying handmade is the idea that you have a one-of-kind item. And knowing I need to make a new design each time keeps me challenged. I love the richness of wood grain, and like to show off the wood, but I also use color. I sand them down a bit before the final finish so that the designs are subtle, and the small defects in the wood are highlighted. I want them to have a worn look.”

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left: Coral and Tusk embroidered arrows linen pillow.(photo: Kate Lacey). right: An arrow pillow from Made by Cori is inspired by engravings depicting Native Americans.

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Husband and wife team, Beth and Mark Brickey of Hero Design Studio design rock posters, cards and such in downtown Buffalo, New York. They've created several arrow pieces, including arrow greeting cards and a new art print that will be available at Urban Outfitters next month.

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Felt tag with trio of arrows by Button Arcade.

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Stacey Foster of Love Independent crafts arrows for decoration only. She says, “Shooting them from a bow will most likely make you look like a terrible aim.”

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More of Amanda Hanley’s handiwork.

Jolie Mae Signorile and Gabriel Fredericks Cohen of Fredericks & Mae create a number of primitive weaponry-type objects, including bows and arrows. Dan McCarthy of mc&co, who carries the line, tells us, “Originally the arrows were made with feathers gathered from the Bronx Zoo. Demand for the arrows created production challenges, so the wild bird reclaimed feathers are no longer used.” The arrows are no less appealing; though, and maintain artisanal feel.

Stacey Foster makes arrows with a vibe that's more utilitarian than native. Each arrow is crafted from poplar wood from sustainable forests, painted in earthy colors, and adorned with environmentally friendly feathers.

Get the look:
When her sons decided to share a room, Danielle Thompson decided to redecorate. Wanting to incorporate arrows into the décor, but unwilling to spend a ton of money, she figured she’d just make them herself. While she initially thought she’d go for an authentic look, she ultimately created a more child-like, fairy tale variety. Using easily acquired crafter items, such as wooden dowels, felt and fabric scraps, Mod Podge, tacky glue, feathers, paint, and copper tape, the result is wholly charming. The DIY is on her blog, in full here.