Content creator Lucy Kalice is one of Ideal Home's Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on cleaning, home decor and making the most of small spaces. See the rest of her articles here.
I’m bored of greige – give me whimsy instead
Why I’m swapping safe neutrals for colour, pattern and the kind of decor that actually makes me smile
If you’re not chronically online like me then you might be wondering what on earth whimsical home decor is. Don’t worry I’ve got you covered - think colourful, quirky and playful design style. The exact opposite of the ‘greige’ phenomenon that we seem to be (almost) out the other side of.
Whimsical (or whimsy) home decor is having it’s moment right now. In it’s essence it’s nothing new. Decorating with colour and prints? Doesn’t seem very groundbreaking to me. But it used to be only the brave or eccentric people that seemed to do it.
Now for the record, there’s nothing wrong with greige. The era of griege began in 2009 where colour was a big no. Greys, beiges, creams and black was the game and stripped back minimalism was the name. It was THE design style to have. Prints and patterns were out and block colours were in.
I can see it now – living rooms painted light grey with dark grey crushed velvet sofas, black coffee tables, light grey carpets and rugs. If I’m honest it’s not my style and I would go as far to say it’s a bit of a copy paste repeat lazy design style. In my opinion homes should be full of personality and reflect the people that live there.
And that’s exactly where whimsical home decor comes in. Whimsical decor exudes personality by adding colour, prints and character to a home. It is very similar to dopamine decor which focuses on mood-boosting decor – filling your home with colours and items that bring you joy and happiness. What both of them have in common is decor that is unique to the home owner.
Why I’m obsessed with this is because it’s fun! There’s no right or wrong. It doesn’t matter if the colours don’t inherently match. That’s the beauty of it. It’s the bright colour combos and weird and whacky pattern mixing that shouldn’t work but does. Leopard print with florals or stripes and polka dots.
It makes a home feel homely and lived in (but in a good way). It creates interest in a home and gives it life! It also means that no two homes will look the same which I love.
I think…in fact I WANT everyone to incorporate some whimsical decor in their home and notice the positive affect it has on your mood. Even if you are more of a neutral colour palette kind of person, you definitely shouldn’t rule it out. An easy place to start is to add some little ornaments or small decorative pieces around the house.
I’m obsessed with all the photo frames in Habitat right now and this green and pink striped one would be the perfect whimsical addition to your home. If that one's too much or not your style, then they also have this Bobble affect one in blue and cream which would look beautiful in any home. And for £6 you absolutely cannot go wrong!
I’m so excited to make my home more whimsy and have fun whilst doing so. So take this as a sign to add more whimsy to your home too!
