• 1. Purposefully out of proportion fixtures always get me. I love this quirky gigantic lamp and tiny chair combo from Abigail Ahern's home.
• 2. Hallways are perfect places to experiment with out-of-place and unexpected decor details because they transform the space into something more than a forgettable walk-through. I bet this nostalgic hopscotch painting is every bit as enticing to adults as it is to kids.
• 3. I suppose it would take quite the room to not make Eero Aarnio's Bubble Chair look out of place, but I suppose that's why it's so delicious. In any room, but especially in a very traditional room it always seems to be playfully and quite happily breaking the rules.
• 4. Pink can't help but look punchy especially in an understated space like this that looks like it's patiently waiting to be enlivened.
• 5. The contrast of rough primitives in tailored spaces adds instant interest and personality. If this picture did not happen to be from a catalog, I might venture to say it's the perfect way to break up the catalog-y feel....
What purposefully out of place deigns keep your home interesting?
(Images: 1: Abigail Ahern, 2: Marie Claire Maison, 3: via decorology, 4: Domino, 5: Wisteria)
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
That first picture totally got me. Very funny!
view sally305's profile
Hopscotch in the hallway! Yess!
view ladymantle's profile
I love the hopscotch rug--too funny! In my home I just like to re-purpose different items. My favorite is a metal plant stand in my bathroom that holds rolled up bath towels on the bottom and a ceramic punch bowl on the top holds hand towels. How often am I going to serve punch? :)
~Tracy @
http://www.dailydecorator.com
view Daily Decorator's profile
Lion Statue as seating. Out of place but should be in place.
http://www.lookatmybeautifulsofa.com/2009/10/stone-lion-to-ride-on/
view phongalong's profile
Oh I adore the first 2!
view CozyLittleCave's profile
Yes, the first two are great. The others, while nice, look fairly ordinary to my eye.
view mirandabee's profile
The first photo is great! We have a giant taxidermy fish above our fireplace in an otherwise nice-but-straightforward space:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/visualingual/2099436470/in/set-72157594505190197/
I think it warms up the space in a surprising way.
view visualingual's profile
Am I missing something? What is humorous or surprising about the last three---they are quite ordinary--I love the hopscotch rug and the giant lamp--both are delightful & unexpected. By the way, Visualingual--your fish is beautiful!
view bcthree's profile
This is the idea I was going for when I hung a bison skull on the wall in my pastel, feminine bedroom. Now if only I could find a hopscotch rug...
view jennykno's profile
the hopscotch is FABULOUS. i want.
the lamp? not so much. kind of gives me nightmares of falling asleep at my studio desk in architecture school.
kelly
http://tearinguphouses.blogspot.com
view k51279's profile
Yeah, I'm missing the point of the last 3 as well...
view bepsf's profile
We have the white plywood "chandelier" from Urban Outfitters in our otherwise high-end great room. (High end b/c all the furnishings were hand-me downs. Urban Outfitters is more along what I can afford.) I'm hoping it says whimsy and humor and not tacky and cheap.
view avimom's profile
our home is a concoction of lots of geometric shapes - lots of framed/square things, along with lots of circles (papasan chair, plates, embroidery hoops). i guess everything fits within those boundaries....i didn't plan it that way. hmm....now i wonder if i should toss in something a little less expected...at least where the shapes are concerned...i've been looking for a great big branch to be very not-geometric...
view nikki moore - photography and vintage treasures's profile
I find the combination of colours in the last picture simply tragic. The contrast between them is so strong that they made the atmosphere tensed and nervous in a way. The idea that is used for the table is really great. This original look of the wood made it so expressive. But the colours aroud shoud have been more relaxed as if taken from nature. Then the harmony would have been definately better.
view Hris_hristova's profile