Ahh summer. Can you smell it coming? Maybe just a little whiff? At the very least, spring is fragrant in the air, which means you should be finding any excuse to do everything imaginable outside. Step away from the treadmill and hit the pavement? Yes! Take your laptop on the patio (stoop?) and answer emails en plein air? Sure! Set up an air mattress on the parking lot lawn and nap for hours?

Don’t let anyone tell you that animal wallpaper is reserved solely for nurseries and kids’ rooms. That is a bold-faced lie. A home, no matter how permanent or temporary, should be filled with design details that make you day dream, smile and maybe even chuckle, because, why not? For both the child and the child-at-heart, we rounded up some light-hearted spaces to peruse, as well as a whopping 51 of our favorite fauna finds.

We know that one of the most taxing and tricky commitments to make when decorating a room can be what colors to use in unison. The world of color is a vast one with endless options, so to help guide the decision-making process, we introduce this new series on flawless designer-approved palettes where we tapped 10 experts and asked them for their own go-to combinations. Up first: The lovely ladies from CLOTH & KIND.

Coffee tables are a living room staple that can effortlessly inject some pretty serious style. Case in point: the marble-topped table. On trend at the moment but undeniably a classic, they will put you firmly “in style” for a long time to come. We love the sleek and modern appeal they lend living rooms of all sizes and found examples for every layout and budget: round, square and hexagonal examples across a wide range of price points.

“Art is so affordable!” said no one, ever. Well, “no one” was wrong. Etsy is, of course, a tremendous resource for unique home decor finds—especially art. The only problem is, it’s a sea of good and bad. So, we took the liberty of doing the heavy surfing for you, and picked out 15 of our favorite black-and-white prints (some you can download and print out yourself for as low as $3!!) Now that’s worthy of a double exclamation point, don’t you think?

The Trickle-Down theory is the genesis of regular conversations in my household. I won’t go into my stance on the economic principle here, but when it comes to home furnishings, it’s a very real thing. What is seen in “high design” is always quickly echoed in the mainstream, which is why my design-loving heart beats for trade shows like ICFF, WantedDesign and Sight Unseen OFFSITE.

We have a (slightly overdramatic) prediction for Monday, May 23. We’re not talking doomsday prophecies, but an entirely different type of rapture: IKEA lovers rejoice(!), because the limited edition, entirely handmade Viktigt collection is being released and from the looks of the new no-frills-yet-ultra-chic line, we suspect things are going to go faster than the battery of a first-generation smartphone searching for cell service in an elevator.

Nothing softens a room and makes it more inviting than a fabric upholstered headboard. Affordable and stylish, here are some of our favorites on the market right now.

I love a big ol’ comforter on the bed — perfect for snuggling under on a cold night (or, in my case in South Florida where there are rarely cold nights, when the fan is on high) and super easy for fluffing up and making the bed in the morning. Comforter inserts are fantastic choices because though a little pricier than “fashion” comforters, you only need to buy one and you can swap out the duvet cover whenever you want.

They're not just for dens, libraries, or fancy home offices.

Just because you don't own your apartment doesn't mean you can't dress it up.