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I love rooms that are designed with a sense of playfulness and light-heartedness, or when they have something quirky in them, even if it is subtle! A whimsical style can make a house feel like a happy home! Whimsy offers character and personality, while eliminating pretentiousness, stuffiness or seriousness that is sometimes a part of the design world. I think we sometimes lose our sense of childhood wonder when we grow older, so while some might long for a more serious or “grown up home” others want to retain a sense of youthfulness and amusement and express that through their home.
Sometimes you can immediately spot something fanciful in a room, but other times it can be a delightful surprise to discover whimsical elements that are incorporated more subtly into a room.
Whimsical decor might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I think it is fun! We’ve incorporated a sense of whimsy in one way or another to all of our homes over the years, whether it was through splashes of happy colors, patterns or accessories. Today I wanted to share a few examples from our past few homes and talk about our decorating plans for our current home!
Map Source
Some of our OG blogging community might remember my DIY Map Wallpaper in this little hall. It was a spur of the moment idea, but I think often that is how some of the most charming whimsical designs come together. If you overthink too much you might chicken out :).

I fell in love with these curtains years ago and have kept them with me every move since. If this colorful pattern isn’t whimsical, I don’t know what is! I haven’t found the right place for them in our new home, but rest assured they will appear somewhere. Probably in an upstairs bedroom or hallway.
(I got these curtains HERE years ago, they have several similar here. I’ll share a few at the end of this post with other whimsical decor!).

Another fun way to add whimsy to your decor is to bring a sense of childlike fun to your home. For example, I adore animals. We always have charming animal figurines, lamps, drawer pulls and art around our home. While we don’t have kids at home any more, that doesn’t mean we have to have an overly serious adult style house. We still are kids at heart :). However, we use restraint in how much whimsy we bring into a room and choose whimsical pieces that have a bit of class — we want it to complement our overall style.
Artwork Source
I also love to tell a story with our decor. Since I adore animals, I enjoy picturing the entire scene where animals might live, such as a meadow or enchanted garden or any type of fairytale setting. That visual image in my mind or on a mood board makes it extra fun to choose additional accessories that help create that scene.
I feel like this whimsical artwork I got recently is how I view life. 🙂
I also LOVE living by the sea. I’ve always enjoyed bringing in coastal art and decor wherever we’ve lived. It fuels my imagination as I picture the setting of a quaint home on the shores of the sea. Now we truly do live on the shores of the sea, but I still love to use my imagination for how I want our home to feel.

Scalloped patterns always feel subtly whimsical to me. This scalloped rattan tray and blue and white scalloped trim pitcher (an antique I found recently) are fun new touches of whimsy in our home! The whale tail wood spreaders (similar here) peeking out of the pitcher make me smile, too.
We’re just finishing up a remodel of our current home so we haven’t decorated yet, but I can’t wait to bring in my whimsical decorating style. We intentionally chose traditional elements as a timeless backdrop for the ever evolving seasons and things we love. Some of the whimsical elements might be so subtle that no one else will notice or know the story of what they are looking at, but the important thing in decorating isn’t what other people think or see, it’s what your home FEELS like to you!
Fabric source – click here
We can’t wait to start decorating with accessories and fabrics! In fact, we already bought our first “whimsical style-setting” fabric which features all of the colors we’ll use! Shades of blues, greens, golds, whites and a soft blush pink. Soon I’ll be able to bring in our other accessories and have fun styling each season.
Do you enjoy whimsical decorating? What are the things you love?

Whimsical Decor:

Sources: Meadow Print // Whale Platter // Neutral Floral Rug // Bunny Wallpaper // Scallop Pillow (color options) // Animal Dessert Plates // Accent Chair // Blue Table Lamp Set of 2 // Star Light Sconce (shade options) // Scallop Rattan Tray // Polka Dot Basket (color options) // Spiral Candle

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2 Mood Boards for Our Home (with a touch of whimsy!):

Sources for above left mood board /// Sources for above right mood board
More Whimsical Decor (click images below for details):

Related Posts:
5 Whimsical Happy Rooms: Sunday Strolls & Scrolls
Bunny Accessories I Love
How to Decorate to Bring Happiness to Your Home
Inspired By: Scalloped Patterns in Decor and Furniture More

Cozy and Inviting (Get the Look!) is a fun periodic “mini-series” on The Inspired Room!
To get that “cozy and inviting” mood many of us crave for our home, in this series I share a variety of inspiration rooms that feel cozy and inviting to me (for a variety of reasons!). Then I quickly brainstorm a list of whatever elements I see that I think help create that mood. We will also feature items or tips to “get the look” into your own home.
Today’s inspiration rooms are all from a beautiful home I found in New England Home Magazine. It is a traditional look with a bit of a coastal vibe, it feels so cozy and collected! Enjoy the inspiration images below and then you’ll find some design observations and get the look sources below.

Wallpaper – KASAI Wallpaper at Thibaut

Here are some of my observations and notes on what stands out to me about this home. At end of this post you’ll find a design mood board and more pieces I would consider including in the design if I was styling a similar space!

Rattan accent pieces
Antique looking dining table and bed
Soothing paint colors
Fun pops of green
Accessories and furniture with a collected look
Fun patterns used in the window treatments, garden stools, wallpaper, artwork, pillows and furniture
Warm wood in every photo
Unique accent lighting
Twisted taper candles
Natural rugs with subtle patterns
Books (I have a fun post full of rooms decorated with books here)
Interesting details on furniture and accessories like fringe, tassels, trim
Fun pattern lampshades (gingham, scalloped woven, pleated with pattern)
Landscape paintings and chinoiserie botanical artwork
Decorating with collections (blue and white pottery, books, baskets, the green cabbage dishes, books etc)
Inviting seating areas (window seat, plenty of dining seating, conversation area in living room)
Lively plants and flowers

See more photos of this home here: New England Home Magazine

Mood board sources (click links below):
Turquoise twist taper candles
Green and white geometric ottoman
Gold metal adjustable wall sconce
Framed landscape summer mountains artwork
Round rattan wall mirror
Green and white floral vine curtains
Green ceramic lamp
Blue and white ikat pillows
Taper turned wood candlesticks
Green ceramic cabbage plate
6 light brass round chandelier with white shades
Taper turned wood candlestick set
Blue and white ceramic garden stool
Teak oval wood stool
Blue and white ginger jar
Blue and white ginger jar with lid
Striped jute sisal rug
Cane back wood dining chair (and here is a woven wicker dining chair with blue velvet seat)

More similar sources below (click thumbnails for details):

You can find other posts in the Cozy & Inviting Get the Look series below!
Cozy & Inviting: Dining RoomCozy & Inviting: Coastal Living RoomCozy & Inviting: Kitchen More

This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure Policy here

Today we are featuring a spring mood board with a charming layered look that could inspire any area of your home. An entryway, an underutilized wall in a living room or bedroom, a beautiful backdrop for a reading corner…so many possibilities!
A few ‘takeaway design tips’ from the mood board:
I love the charming layered look with the soft color palette, textures and nature inspired elements such as the floral lamp (very similar to one I have in my bedroom!) and the heron bird art (I also have similar artwork to this in my bathroom!).
The black candle wall sconce adds a layer of old house charm and ties in the black of the picture frame.
This artificial lilac flower arrangement adds a hint of nature and interesting organic shapes. Plus the mustard vase the plant is in ties in perfectly with colors seen in the bird art, the lamp, and the pom poms on the basket and the brass whales!
This brass whale object would be a fun third decorative item to place on the the console table. The rule of thirds in design is that items arranged in odd numbers are most pleasing to the eye. Not a hard and fast rule, but can be a helpful styling tip!
The pom pom basket is just fun, and would look grate sitting next to the console table with a blanket draped over it (or anything could go in there…umbrellas in an entry, rolls of gift wrap, extra pillows…etc).
The rug has such a beautiful pattern and colors that tie in nicely with the artwork.
These shallow lidded baskets are one of my favorite Amazon finds. I use them to store remotes or other little things I want easily accessible but out of sight. They could be placed on the bottom shelf of that console table, or on top! Find more baskets I love in this folder in my Amazon shop.
A couple of design books are always a welcome styling accessory in a space. I’d probably stack a few on top of the console (or underneath on the shelf!). This Patina Homes book is one I personally have and love. See more of my favorite design + garden books here.
Mood board source links are below, and remember you can always use any of our mood boards as inspiration to design a mood you love with things you already have!

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Two Drawer Console with Shelf and Cane Detail (multiple color options)
Floral Chinoiserie Table Lamp with Brass
Rug
Heron Art Print in Frame
Textured Solid Throw Blanket
Patina Homes Book
Lidded Shallow Storage Baskets (set of 2)
Brass Whale Objects
Black Candle Wall Light
Lilac Artificial Flower Arrangement
Pom Pom Basket
Do you enjoy mood boards? You can find more HERE, and you can also follow my new Instagram @theinspiredroomstyle for more mood boards and decor finds. More

Source (20% off EVERYTHING with code! Click HERE to shop!)
What’s your decorating style? Do you feel at home where you live? If you ever feel conflicted about your style or the next decisions to make in making your house your home, you’re not alone! Maybe you’re just feeling stuck, or your current style isn’t working for you. Perhaps you’re living in a home that wasn’t custom designed for you or even close to your style to begin with. Maybe you’re wrestling with how to update it. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the options, especially with the abundance of ideas and inspiration online!
So how can you find your style when there are so many directions you could go? What if you feel limited by the current style of your home or your budget?
Here’s the secret: finding your style takes patience and experimentation. It takes time. You don’t have to have a perfectly designed home to love where you live. You just have to find ways to feel more at home! I don’t think most of us can make the best decisions until we’ve had a chance to get to know the home we live in over several seasons. You need time to learn the quirks and personality of your home so you can play up what you love about it and learn to minimize, downplay or fix what you don’t.
It takes time to gather style or remodeling inspiration specifically for your home over a few seasons. Once you’ve collected ideas you can start to narrow down the options that not only consistently speak to you, but also make the most sense for your budget, lifestyle and your house.

It’s easy to lose our focus when we get swept up by a new idea, or if we are looking only at current trends or just following along with what everyone else is doing right now! Impulse decisions or following the trends might bring some immediate joy through a those indecisive seasons, but it’s a wonderful feeling when you are finally able to settle into your own style with confidence.
Your style is not just the one you like the most online, but it’s what makes you feel the most at home where you actually live. That’s how you’ll know you’ve found your authentic style.
When I’m struggling with my own style, it can be helpful to collect inspiration photos of rooms or features that I really love, such as the images I share in my posts (these photos in my post today are from one of my favorite shops for furnishings and style inspiration for my home, Serena & Lily. I’ve written about it before in this post).
But I don’t want to rush permanent or expensive decisions or make a lot of changes based on an inspiration photo until I’m certain that look or item will feel right in my own home. I like to take a bit of inspiration from dozens of rooms and ideas I’ve collected over time so my style won’t be an exact replica of anyone else’s style.

It can be a slow process to figure it all out, but it’s worth it to me to be as authentic and comfortable in my home as possible.
Sometimes to move forward you just need to make ONE design decision you know you feel good about. That decision will lead to the next. We remodeled our kitchen four years ago and the decisions we made during that project continue to inspire me to make our little house all she can be 🙂 I’ve often said the old house I live in was ready for a new spring in her step. She may have been born in the 1950s but she doesn’t have to stay there.
You don’t have to stay stuck with what you have! I’m so glad I didn’t let myself be discouraged or swayed early on by voices that told me this house had to stay in a certain era or style. I didn’t want to feel limited in what I could or could not do to make it my own. It’s certainly helpful to ask for opinions from trusted sources when you’re in doubt (or if you’re dealing with an historic home that needs to be preserved), but often creating a home you’ll truly love means you have to be brave enough to listen to your own voice so you can design a home that will feel right to you. After all, it’s your home and you’ll be the one living there!
Lastly, it’s OK to make mistakes along the way. Rarely is a decorating mistake fatal! In fact, in some cases what might appear to be a “mistake” can actually give your home and style more character and personality. Other times it confirms for you what your style ISN’T. But even if it is a big mistake you need to correct, just learn from it and move on.
You’ll never feel truly at home with your style until you get to know yourself and your home better. That process takes time, but it is all a part of the journey to making a house truly feel like home.
Speaking of Serena & Lily, they have an amazing sale on right now, but it ends today!
Scroll down for inspiration, sources and ideas for this fresh breezy look!
20% off EVERYTHING with code! Click HERE to shop!

How cute is this bench! You can customize the fabric–there are so many cute options! I love this toile.
Nautical Round Rope Mirror Source // Toile Wallpaper

Everything at Serena & Lily is 20% off! Click HERE to shop the entire sale with discount code!
More favorites:

Scroll and click the images below for sources and sale items:
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Lighting favorites:

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Everything at Serena & Lily is 20% off! Click HERE to shop the entire sale with discount code! More

It’s that time of year when we all want our living spaces to be cozy, welcoming and comfortable. We want to love our homes. But as you look around your room, do you ever have a nagging feeling that something is “off” but you don’t know exactly what it is? I definitely have! Perhaps you’ve considered getting rid of everything you have so you can start over with new things you love. I’ll admit that thought has crossed my mind a time or two.
Sources: Plaid Arm Chair // Waffle Weave Blanket on back // Jute + Cotton Rug // Round Black Art (my art is birds which is sold out, but this is the same style with butterflies!)
I’m a fan of using what you have when possible and not always buying new things.
But sometimes it’s hard to figure out where to put the furniture you have, or how to combine what you have in a new way or a new room. And how to determine when you just need something new!
Did you know years ago I wrote a book called But Where Do I Put the Couch? with KariAnne Wood from Thistlewood Farms? Seems like I should be an expert on answering that age old question of where a couch should go in a room, but as is often the case with design, the best answer is often found through trial, error and experimentation rather than in a universal set of rules to to follow.
I think we need to give ourselves freedom to try new things, to break the rules and just arrange furniture in a way that is best for the room! This way your room will be better designed for you and make more sense.
Source: Brown Gingham Pillow on Wingback Chair // Jute + Cotton Rug with this rug pad // Blue and White Floral Ginger Jar // Clam Shell (similar) and other sources // No link for those toys on the floor, ha!
I am happy to say I stand by my advice in the book (which is not just about where to put the couch, by the way! It’s so much more than that! It answers 101 actual decorating questions from readers like you! Read all about it here).
But even if we know the rules, break the rules or both, we can still feel stuck. I get stuck, too.
Case in point.
I was so excited when our renovation was nearly complete because I finally got to arrange furniture and get settled. But my enthusiasm soon turned to a slump. I just wasn’t feeling like the living room was coming together.
It wasn’t the backdrops at all. I was grateful for this newly refreshed space and love our paint colors and new flooring. Love the new feel and layout of our main floor. I still planned to get blinds in the living room, and I knew we’d get those soon.
Sources: Wicker Trunk // Jute + Cotton Rug // Leather Sofa Armchair Version (loveseat no longer sold) // Pleated Lampshade // Blue and White Stamped Pillow on Sofa // Dining Room Details
While I was stumped at how to solve the furniture arrangement, a little voice in my head told me to STOP DROP AND ROLL.
Catchy, yes? You’re welcome. A little lesson we all learned in kindergarten.
This time though, there was no fire to put out.
Just a little crisis in my head, but nothing STOP DROP AND ROLL can’t handle!
STOP scrolling for more ideas that just overwhelm or confuse you.
DROP the idea that shopping is the only way to solve problems.
Get out of your head so you can get ROLLING!
Sources: Blue and White Flower Pot // Plaid Arm Chair // Waffle Weave Blanket on back // Jute + Cotton Rug // Lidded Rattan Basket Under Table // Lidded Basket on Right // Round Black Art // Blue and White Geometric Blanket (reversible)
Even though I felt stumped — like I already tried every combination or arrangement, I told myself I needed to get up and try again. If I didn’t like it, no problem, I could just move it all right back. If nothing else, it could give me clarity on what it was I needed so I could make a better decision.
It was time to STOP DROP AND ROLL!
I turned on my Fall Puttering Playlist, got my comfy tennies on, and started moving the furniture all around the room. I tried every possibility, even the ones I was pretty sure I wouldn’t love. But you never know until you try!
Several arrangements later…it suddenly clicked! This felt right. Cozy, inviting, and pleasant for conversation. Funny enough, this is the arrangement I tried FIRST! I promptly dismissed it previously because when I tried it before, the dining room was still under construction.
Sources: Wicker Trunk // Jute + Cotton Rug
Here’s another handy tip. Don’t judge a room when it is under construction (or in a mess as the case might be). I can often look past a mess but this time, I made a quick judgement that was incorrect. I thought it was too crowded, but I am so glad I gave the arrangement another chance once the mess was picked up.
There is plenty of room to get around, and the couch there gives each room a cozier feeling! It works! Best of all, I was so happy I was able to use what I already had! All I had to do was try and try again.
Stop drop and roll.
Sources: Blue and White Geometric Blanket (reversible)
Once I fell in love with how the room felt with the furniture this way, it gave me ideas of things I had in other rooms that could serve a new purpose in this space. Our ottomans seemed too big and there were just too many legs in the room with four more on an ottoman (although I might try again, or maybe just get a new one someday). But I brought down a basket trunk I had up in the Snug and much to my surprise, it worked just fine in front of the couch!
We love how the room feels now. I’m so glad I didn’t give up!
If you’ve followed along here for awhile, you’ll recognize that many of these pieces are ones I’ve had for years and years and have used in many different ways in several homes!
If you’re not feeling the love for your home, maybe it’s not your home or your furniture!
Maybe you just need to STOP DROP AND ROLL!
Source: Jute + Cotton Rug
Hope this inspires you today! If you try a new arrangement in your home, I’d love to see! Tag me on Instagram @theinspiredroom. In my HomeBody Gathering Place membership group I share in depth on decorating and creating a sanctuary through custom mini-courses and workshops.
Join the waitlist HERE (homebodygatheringplace.com) to join us when we open HomeBody Gathering Place again!
Find more inspiration and encouragement for your home in my books, including Love the Home You Have, The Inspired Room, and Simply Home. Find all my books here.

Jute + Cotton Rug – with this rug pad
Plaid Arm Chair
Blue and White Geometric Blanket (reversible)
Waffle Weave Blanket on back of chair
Round Black Art (my art is birds which is sold out, but this is the same style with butterflies)
Blue and White Flower Pot
Lidded Rattan Basket Under Table
Lidded Woven Basket by fireplace
Wicker Trunk
Leather Sofa Armchair Version (loveseat no longer sold)
Pleated Lampshade
Blue and White Stamped Pillow on Sofa
Brown Gingham Pillow
Wingback Chair
Blue and White Floral Ginger Jar
Clam Shell (similar) and other sources
Dining Room Details
My Battery Operated Candles
Blue paint color: Beach Glass Benjamin Moore
White paint color: Classic Light Buff Sherwin Williams
Find more sources from my home and more decor I love in my shops! More