Your Decorating Hotline

It’s the peak of summer – it’s hot and dry (at least in most places in the U.S.) and most of us aren’t motivated to spend any time fixing up the house right now. It’s too hot to go outside; it’s too hot to think about moving furniture or painting walls inside. So, this week I’m feeling frivolous. Silly. A little wild. A little random.

This post is still about home decor. It’s going to be a visual wander through the world of whimsical design or down right unusual applications. I hope I bring a smile to your face or a “really?” to your lips.

Indoor Whimsy

Photo via Freshome.com, designed by Polish Studios

Elevator murals: waiting for an elevator would never be the same!

Painted staircase design by Vancouver Media And Blogs The Locker, via houzz.com

Contemporary bedroom design by San Francisco Interior Designer Isolina Mallon Interior Design via houzz.com

Sometimes the humor can be quite simple – a free-hand painted graphic, or if you don’t trust your skills, find a funny decal – they’re everywhere now.

Furnishings

Chair designed by He Me at the Shanghai University of Engineering, Photo Freshome.com

The Sunflower chair is a novel combination of bookcase and chair. It does sort of look like a flower, doesn’t it?

Here’s another version of the same idea – this one actually seems a little more practical – it’s a great space saving idea.

A sleek, modern bookcase with stackable components and a splash of color. Do you see any shapes hidden in those trim colors?

Talk about space saving! The steel furniture easily pulls out into a dining table and chairs for instant party seating. Seat cushions held in place by magnets add a measure of comfort. A game of cards anyone?

I had to slip in this one elegant piece – this credenza features hand carved rippled wood doors that hide four drawers.

Back to whimsical, look closely, the table is defined by a train track scaled to fit the popular Brio series of toys.

photo via MonkeyZen.com

Each table is designed as a tray and comes with easily removable jigsaw pieces of train track allowing many track configurations. Looks like a lot of places for crumbs to gather!

Sometimes the surprise is in the combination of materials. Here two storage cubes are knit together allowing flexibility in how they face within a room.

It’s easy to introduce whimsy or humor using fabric. Put the comics on an accent chair for a daily smile.

Outdoor Whimsy

A luxurious outdoor shower for the ultimate in post-pool showering, but with a distinct lack of privacy.

photo via ETSY, JillsGardenAngels

Tuck this adorable garden sculpture among your flowers or shrubs for a spot of humor. Available from JillsGardenAngels ETSY shop.

Photo via LuxuryHousingTrends.com

Welcome visitors with a cheerful garden gate carved with flowers and dragonflies.

Eclectic Landscape design by Seattle Landscape Architect Exteriorscapes LLC, via houzz.com

Use color to make your outdoor space whimsical and bright and happy.

Smile, Design Can Be Fun

I think a touch of whimsy or outrageousness has a place in your home. Can you find a little corner where you can be silly – even if it’s just a pillow? Hopefully this odd, creative, unusual furniture and yard decor made you smile……and even think a bit (outside that proverbial box!). Hope you’re having a fabulous summer and will be ready to tackle new home decor projects as fall sneaks up on us.