Home decorator and content creator Leah Hodson is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on overhauling a home with clever DIY and decorating tricks. See the rest of her articles here.
Remember when grey was the ‘it’ colour for years? For a few years now, there’s been an anti-grey movement. It was subtle at first, then it was called millennial grey (rude!), and suddenly having grey in your house seemed uncool. In the last six months, this has shifted even more, with ‘whimsical’ now the new buzz word!
Could it possibly be our yearning to go back to being children and being creative? Could it possibly be that grey just feels too impersonal?
I still love all shades of beige and grey! However, I’ve been leaning into whimsical decor lately too. I spent my childhood watching my mom paint Russian folk art pieces and that’s something I’ve been craving lately – hand-painted whimsical decor. A little pop of colour in the most unexpected way!
Since ‘whimsical decor’ has become a buzzword, there’s also been a rise of videos on social media showing how to create whimsical decor from newly bought supplies. Instead, here are some ways you can add a little whimsy to your home without buying new, or spending much on supplies.
Hand-painted details
Paint samples are one of the easiest and most affordable ways to experiment with creativity at home. You don’t need a huge budget and I reckon most of us already have a few sample pots, collecting dust or tucked away in a cupboard somewhere. Sometimes, a handful of tester pots are all you need to create something magical.
I created my autumn mural using Earthborn sample pots, and it completely transformed the space without overpowering it. As an alternative, an increasingly popular place to add whimsical painted details is the side of the door. Simply, jazz it up with a pattern or a painted item. This makes entering and exiting a room a little more fun!
And because it’s only paint, there’s very little pressure. If your style changes or you simply fancy something different later, it can easily be painted over – even in grey! It’s a low commitment way to be bold and have fun with your home.
Upholstered picture frame
Simply use a brush to cover a photo frame in PVA glue, then stick on any fabric of your choosing (it could be a fabric remnant, or scrap from an item of clothing).
Make sure the fabric is larger than the frame as you will need to wrap the fabric round the back, like a little present. Cut out the hole in the middle and fold it around so that the frame is fully wrapped in fabric.
Leave to dry, and you’ll have a unique picture frame. This is such a fun way to introduce whimsical patterns into your home whilst adding texture and personality to a space at the same time.
Plate wall
Plate walls have made a comeback! It’s such a fun and easy way to add a little bit of whimsy to any wall. You could mix it in between the frames in your gallery wall. This added shape and unexpected texture adds interest to your gallery wall.
This doesn’t have to cost much too! There are lots of choices in your local charity shops and even if you wanted a new plate with a more modern design, they don’t cost much either! I can't wait for my kitchen to be complete to create a plate wall using vintage plates!
I think whimsical decor (read as personalised decor) is here to stay and I love how we’re transitioning out of sterile homes to embracing what we love. A little hand-painted detail or recycled decor piece is an unexpected way to add so much joy when you see them around your home!
