But a single quirky piece in a room makes a huge difference. It sticks in our mind and we never forget it. I define “quirky” as different, unexpected, off-beat, out-of-the-box and memorable. Quirkiness gives a room personality.

For example, who could forget this striped ceiling? Following are more examples of quirkiness that will str-r-r-e-e-etch the imagination so that we, the Design Junkie Community, can express our wonderful weirdness

 Random color is quirky

Over sized objects are quirky

Rick Baye

Giant Branch Canopy

Over sized art is boldly quirky

WL Interiors

Wild wall color is startlingly quirky

Michael Penney

A unique chair is energetically quirky

Russell Groves

Quirky salvaged architectural pieces are unforgettable

Brown Cranna / Douglas Callaway

oliveandlove.com

Flea market furniture adds quirky personality

….even a small inexpensive chair

An unusual contemporary light fixture adds quirkiness

Christine Hanlon

Unique decorative painting is delightfully quirky

Animal prints are a great place to start

for those who are shy about stepping out…

Lisa Sherry

Go quirky at Restoration Hardware

It’s like a flea market!

1890 Iron Stag Head and Antlers approx. $289

Dry Dock Pendant $1695

Deconstructed Wing Chair $1995

(notice the back is intentionally exposed as if it’s unfinished)

Watchmaker’s Task Table Lamp $459

I hope this blog post jogged your creative mind. I need to stretch my quirkiness muscles too so….thank you! my dear Design Junkies, for prompting me to explore more fun ways to create eye candy so I can share them with you.

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Ruby Beets loves white. She loves antique, used, repurposed and shabby furniture.?And she loves using big graphic shapes within a space. For example, look at the pair of white vases that stand on the left side of mantle. Large for that narrow shelf, their curves are elegantly simple. The urn shaped vase at mantle right and the unembellished curved vase on the coffee table echo this theme.

Look how gracefully curved this white canvas wing backed chaise is. The arm shape seems to repeat the lines of the vases. Its’ uncomplicated design element plays off the busier pattern of pealing painted furniture and smaller objets d’arte (lots of shells from local beaches in Sag Harbor, New York).

The dining room features a reproduction table treated with a whitewash to add character. The 1920′s lyre-back chairs once lived in an old hotel in Maine. The black cabinetry came from a local hardware store that went out of business. The designer turned them dark ebony which is a fabulous backdrop for still more white graphically shaped ironstone and earthenware.

The piano is another big curved shape, this time in black to give extra punch to the black cabinets. When a color is repeated like these dark accents, it emphasizes itself. Using a color just once (I call this a “widow” because it’s all alone) can make us feel out of balance. Repeating the color….even in a small way… makes us feel more peaceful somehow.

I just had to show you the daughters’ charming bedroom with it’s Porthault bed linens and wire chandelier holding shells.

The bathroom slipper chair and upholstered bench are two more lovely examples of the dreamy curved shapes that wind their way through the house, holding it together as they repeat themselves in almost every room.

Photos from House Beautiful July 2006

Here is a decorator’s dream come true, especially if that decorator loves history and antiques. The ingredients: A huge 19th century white stone building. 13,000 square feet of peeling paint, tall ancient windows and character galore. Gorgeous French countryside. Two antique purveyors with remodeling skills and a great eye for possibilities. The challenge for owner/antiquarians Claude and Alain Fassier, was to restore this run down building (that had a former life as a girl’s boarding school) into both a home and a place from which to market their fabulous collectibles. My mouth is watering. What a great project! Imagine clusters of chattering schoolgirls in white blouses and plaid skirts pushing through these doors to their classrooms. This sweet little child pictured above (a Fassier grand daughter) sits at a French sewing table.

A work in progress as this photo was taken. Layers of paint were carefully peeled away to reveal handsome trompe l’oeil fluted columns. The painted Louis XV table holds red tulips.

Through the doors we catch a glimpse of the library?with its miles of brand new bookshelves that are made to blend seemlessly with the old walls. A large work table from an electronics atelier is covered with old engravings and posters, globes and a glass bell displaying a papier mache’ algae plant. With vintage mannequins and glass cases housing stuffed birds, the whole room has an “air of wit and scholarliness” which is so appropriate for this former place of learning.

This room is on the ground floor of the building, and is part of the antique shop La Maison Fassier.?The large multi drawered chest is from a seed merchant’s storeroom. And the Persian rugs are from Ikea…do you believe it? This is a perfect example of using any and all resources to pull a room together. I will often find great pieces at Pottery Barn or Crate & Barrel that blend beautifully with more expensive furnishings.

I love this mixture of contemporary and antique. The classic Le Corbusier chaise lounge sits in front of some old roof finials, an abstract painting, a dried pumpkin and a resin sculpture. Putting an old relic up on a stand (that any gallery or metal fabricator can make for you) calls attention to it in a special way. It’s a popular thing for designers to do, and any appraiser will tell you that it adds value to the object.

The owner inserted these beautiful old doors into the room. They are especially lovely because of the unique stained glass panels of butterflies and flowers, and they look as if they were original to the building.

The guest bedroom continues with the magic of more vintage treasures. The carousel horse is 19th century German. The headboard is an 18th century painting on canvas.

Looking like a greenhouse of sorts, this is the schools open air glass roofed play area. It has become a useful veranda for the family. The eating table is covered with vintage linens. There are comfortable upholstered chairs for reading and lounging. Interesting old wicker chairs, iron stool, a doll house and all sorts of other goodies.

So…the next time you’re in Paris, drive southwest about 90 miles (how many kilometres would that be….anyone?) to the popular and newly chic town of Remalard. Stop in to La Maison Fassier and let us know what surprises your discover.

Photos from House & Garden July 2007

Ahhhhh. What a sensational picture.?I can smell the lavender… and I can feel the warm sunlight bathing my skin.?This outdoor room features a single solitary piece of furniture. It’s a 10-foot-long 17th century cast iron table with a slate top. It stands alone beautifully and provides a generous amount of “negative space” around it. Using empty space in interior design is a good rule of thumb because we humans need a place to rest our eyes. This view is of St. Helena in Napa Valley, California in a home designed by architect Wayne Leong and interior designer Erin Martin.

This kitchen really got my attention. The decorative painting, done by San Francisco artist Michael Dute’, is really extraordinary. The designs swirl across the vaulted ceiling and down the walls in a large open pattern. Backsplash blue and white tiles are French but with a Moroccan flavor. The countertop is classic white Calacatta marble.

Wait. Am I in an ancient castle? The stone walls in this room create that feeling. ?But remember…we don’t have to live in an old stone house to have stone walls. We can easily apply stone to our sheetrock walls to create this effect. The over-scaled antiques from France, Spain and Italy are chosen precisely because they bring perfect balance to the massive wall stones. Blue (the favorite color) is carried from the kitchen into the dining room.

Blue appears again in the bedroom. What lovely continuity. Other than the neutrals, it seems to be the only color in the house. The hand stitched French needlepoint headboard came from a flea market and is paired with a canopy bed from Ironies. The settee from Dennis & Leen is a wonderful reproduction. Stone floors travel throughout the house enhancing that old European feeling.

The guest bedroom with it’s large French armoire also has a little Spanish writing table with it’s classic spiral turned legs and Spanish Colonial chair.

The guest bath features an antique marble double sink. Is that blue marble?

I had to show you this gigantic bee-hive pizza oven on an outdoor patio. It blends consistently with the style of the house, yes? It’s European looking with it’s rustic stone. And it’s over-scaled. “All of it shaded by native oak trees and manzanitas in the summertime – the trees that were there before time began.”

Photos from House Beautiful May 2007

Most of us don’t have the challenge of creating intimacy in a big space. But whether big or small, the same principles apply. Use of wall coverings and flea market furniture makes it cozy and inviting. There’s a wide variety of furniture styles and color. We’re not intimidated at all by the large home pictured here because it is unpretentious and relaxed. With the help of interior designer Jeffrey Bilhuber, this old shingled farmhouse in Bridgehampton, New York was restored and enlarged. Let’s take a look at how the intimacy was achieved. For starters, the walls of the master bedroom pictured above are covered with grasscloth that makes the room literally glow with warmth. Bookcases soar high and are filled with sets of leather bound volumes. Natural fabrics, a woven chair and artwork remind us that the creative hand of real people went into this space.

The dining table was purchased at a flea market and a Victorian server displays a variety of collectibles. And look….there’s a sofa in the dining room. This is a great way to close in the space and create an informality that most dining rooms don’t have. It’s a place for a neighbor to plop down while the family is eating dinner. There’s a wonderful mixture of fabrics and colors that appear very “undesigned.” I love the dark wood floors.

Oversized very soft pillows in a mixture of fabrics make up a casual sofa scene. Frameless art makes an informal statement….and is nicely displayed in a grid against more grasscloth.

These bookcases are eye catching, yes? What to do with old National Geographic magazines……now we know!

Aren’t these walls gorgeous? A chocolate brown textured wallcovering from Maya Romanoff makes a striking contrast with the white woodwork. That’s a Jeffrey Bilhuber tufted back sofa.

Take a look at this double sided sofa! It’s about the size of a small boat, wouldn’t you say? Of course it is the focal point of this room and serves to divide the space into two comfortable seating areas creating a more intimate feel within this large space. The massiveness of the sofa (Bilhuber’s design) is softened by the lovely faded linen print upholstery and throw pillows of differing natural fabrics. Each conversation area sits on a different seagrass rug with the space between the two lined up perfectly with the spine of the sofa. The four little reading lamps make the sofa more usable too.

Under the bamboo pergola by the pool house, I am counting at least three conversation areas.
That’s a generous space. Absolutely! But again, the organization of the various sofas, club chairs and wicker pieces makes us feel comfortable…. it all seems just the “right size” for being alone with your iced tea and a novel….or hanging out with a group of friends. Throw pillows of a single batik fabric dot the chairs and sofas, tying them together with a running theme. It’s an easy, inviting outdoor room in a classic home.

Photos from Elle Decor July-August 2007

Crates neatly stacked hold a fascinating array of fabrics, sketchbooks and bits to incorporate into her pieces. Most of the fabrics are pre 1950 work wear and uniforms. The simplicity and functionality of this end of the studio speaks volumes. We certainly can get a sense of where this person’s heart lies. This is life lived close to the bone. The great richness here is in the pure joy of the creative process. Taking vintage fabrics, reconfiguring them and breathing new life in to their fibers. Stacked crates are a time tested and wonderful solution to creating storage. Some good ones are available at Bailey’s Home and Garden.

Collections seem to be a subject of this blog quite a bit lately. Here again, I am drawn to this fascinating assemblage of antique dolls, worn fabric shoes, little boxes, bottles, beads, bangles and buttons. But no bling here. These objects have stood the test of time and don’t have any polish left…just lots of stories to tell.

This corner of the studio features a mannequin with a restructured cotton dress, and a tiny porcelain sink for washing paint brushes or dyeing.More shelves of fabrics. See how lovely they are arranged by color. I have a client who has a large collection of hand made quilts. She organizes them into fat folded shapes and stacks them on a deep shelf in the guest room. Our color scheme for the room reflects the soft colors in the quilts, and it makes a most inviting vignette.We will keep you in suspense no longer. Here is an example of Gignoux’s inspired work. This cello like “doll” is constructed from a jacket with upside down sleeves set atop an a chair wearing a loose slipcover from an armchair. It was exhibited at Paris’s St-Cloud contemporary biennial. Notice the beautiful french mirror complete with pealing paint…just the kind of thing to be found at the Paris flea market. Or you might check out the mirror selection at?The French House?next time you’re in London.

Here is the artist modeling a refashioned coat of many pieces. Lest we think her art is randomly created, we are told that she archives fabrics systematically according to four themes. First, signs of wear and tear which includes pieces that are patched and mended. Second, pieces with folds, gathers and creases. Third, layered, smocking and pin tucks. And fourth, reverse sides and linings.

A simple kitchen. Pans and crockery on full display. Not a lot of extra stuff anywhere. Oh…I love this lifestyle. Our stuff takes so much energy, doesn’t it? ?To maintain it, to store it… to pay for in the first place! While this art studio and living space is unembellished and functional, it is vibrating with creative potential. The artist hardly needs to shop for a painting or a rug. Her fabrics and collectibles are more than enough stimulation for the senses.

To our artist, Manon Gignoux: Thank you for allowing us into your studio. Your space is both peaceful and fascinating and and we will look for more of your inspired work on the world market.

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Photographs from The World of Interiors February 2008

In the “painting corner” of the studio we see a fascinating assemblage of objects displayed on a 1900′s french industrial table. There is nothing like the real thing! Good table reproductions abound in today’s world, but the patina of this one is genuine and brings historical significance to the room. The hippopatamous skull certainly got my attention. One doesn’t just run down to the skeleton store and buy one of those things. These homeowners discover some of their most unique finds at the Paris Flea Market. Note that the color palette of the house is neutral….pretty much restricted to white, black and tans. This is a nondistracting backdrop for fascinating pieces in their collection and a continuous thread that brings impact to the interior design.

The antique black painted chest grounds this room and echoes the other black including all of the window trim. The black kitchen cabinets are painted in automotive enamel which adds a reflective quality to the space. Sheet rock has been torn off the ceiling exposing fabulous wood joists and creating a loft/warehouse feel. Appearing in each room are animal objects, skins thrown across a sofa, a stuffed sheep’s head, turtle, falcon, skeletons of all shapes and sizes. Some may consider this politically incorrect but my take on it is that it represents their respect, fascination and awe of nature.

This corner features a vintage drafting table, a 1940′s folk art pole and a shiny black collectible surfboard to further punctuate the bold black color theme.

Where the walls are not painted white, they are overlayed with unfinished tambour material (kind of like a roll top desk). Very architectural and minimal in feeling. We are told the intention was to reference “cheesy 1970′s boardroom panelling.”

Featured here is a 100 year old whale shoulder bone. It’s a sculptural beauty! What glorious stories it has to tell of the briny deep, sea creatures and sunken ships.

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The dining table sits underneath a mammoth factory light which hangs from the exposed beams. No doubt the scratches and stains are obvious, prompting us to wonder….what factory? who worked under this light? what were they making? Do we consciously ask these questions? Maybe not….but the inquiry hovers beneath the surface and profoundly affects our “feelings” when we are within such an eclectically fascinating space.

Photos from The World of Interiors August 2008

Charm is an understatement…but here it is! These spaces belong to French antiques dealer Stephane Olivier whose shop is called La Petite Maison Antiquites found in the Cignancourt flea market in northern Paris. In interior design, each room is a composition. What makes the composition above absolutely wonderful is the variation of scale among the components. The cast iron deer head from the 1700s is remarkably large. Huge, in fact. Imagine how much less interesting this room would have been if the deer head were only 10″ high as many sculptures are. There is a world of difference. The leather and antler armchairs are 19th century, and the two lamps were designed by Olivier from aged wood and new contemporary linen shades…a nice touch of eclecticism.

A charming bathroom by Stephane featuring a cast iron statue and an antique carved wooden mirror. Note the peely paint window sash. While most of us would not use this amount of antiques in one room, the addition of one or two clearly old pieces sets a tone that says “this place has been around for awhile….and it feels as solid as tradition.”