Loosen up + get playful

I love Kelly Wearstler’s Hollywood home. Her curated, one-of-the-best-of-each-genre style makes this house a sophisticated  ‘specimen garden’ of interiors. It’s fabulously statement-making, over-the-top bold. But, what captures my eye is Wearstler’s crazy playfulness and the interior’s unique personality.

I’m bothered by the perfectness of so many interiors. If a room is too sterile or too over-arranged, I want to mess something up. And I’m bored by interiors that too narrowly conform to a particular style. It’s the idiosyncratic that gives a place its personality.

So here are some interiors that offer amusing or weird or interesting elements that shake things up. What do you think? Are these rooms appealing to you?

{ All images are from OWI // Office for Word and Image, unless otherwise noted }

Art that makes you smile

 

Art should not match the sofa { but that yellow Beatles poster over that yellow sofa is to die for!} . FROM TOP: Retrouvius; OWI; Katie Lydon; Pierce Allen 

Collections that reveal your inner weird 

 

Discards that somehow look just right

 

Unusual furnishings

TOP, Pedro Friedeberg hand chair, Jamie Drake

Bright spots   

 

CENTER: Toy Soldiers lamp, Ryan McElhinney; Rabbit Lamp, Moooi

An interesting object

CENTER IMAGE: Miguel Flores-Vianna

Wordsmithing

CENTER, Deborah Berke & Partners; BOTTOM, Domestica Architecture

I'll always put in one controversial item, it makes people talk.

DOROTHY DRAPER

Comments

[Raina]

I'm live by Ms. Draper's creed. Among my most treasured possessions are a large papier mache water buffalo and a small oil painting of Groucho Marx,

[erin@designcrisis]

Wow, lady you have really been busting out some amazing posts! This was 5 posts in one... Thank you for saying art should not match the sofa!!!!

[mel]

I love them all! I have a streak of that 'shake em up' in me, too. Especially love the Amen and the I Love U words on the wall. And the odd collection of tiny action figures against that sterile white display. Great post.

[Rebecca]

What I would give for the Beatles poster!

[pansypoo]

i am all for found objects or thinking outside the box. bu i have too many collections. not sure potato smooshers are weird.

[nkp]

Amen. And I Love You Susieq. You know, in a friendly sorta way. I'm
head over heels smitten with this post!!! Thanks for taking the time to curate all these fabulous images. Your point rings loud and true! I wish I could just let go
and let my home seem more effortless. That really takes
talent.

I happen to have a rather large blue swordfish I scored at a local auction and
now I think he's in need of a jaunty hat! And I'm going to have to make amends to my boys after I swipe all their action figures, spray paint them gold and adhere them
to a lamp topped with a warm black shade lined in gold leaf!

[FROM THE RIGHT BANK]

You've outdone yourself with this post, Susie! Such amazing, original and interesting spaces.