Decorating
Decorating: How to Use Humour in Your Design
A comic or quirky twist could be exactly the boost your home needs…
Humour is a vital part of life, helping us cope with stress and boosting happiness, so why not incorporate some into your home design? A room full of beautifully crafted fixtures and fittings is all very well, but it’s the humorous touches that add personality and lift a design from stylish to memorable. Without humour, our designs become flat and uninteresting.
Just as comedians have a variety of tools to make us laugh, humour in design can take many forms. As a general rule, we find humour in the unexpected. In design, this can be achieved by playing with scale, style and surprise in furniture, fixtures, artwork and accessories. If you’re feeling really brave, you could even build it into the house’s structure. As always, be bold and keep it fun, but don’t try too hard – you want your home to be an expression of you and your style, not a comedy show.
Just as comedians have a variety of tools to make us laugh, humour in design can take many forms. As a general rule, we find humour in the unexpected. In design, this can be achieved by playing with scale, style and surprise in furniture, fixtures, artwork and accessories. If you’re feeling really brave, you could even build it into the house’s structure. As always, be bold and keep it fun, but don’t try too hard – you want your home to be an expression of you and your style, not a comedy show.
Bring something unexpected inside
As anyone with children can testify, toilet humour has enduring appeal (and let’s admit, it’s not just funny for the kids), and is an obvious place for a bit of fun in your design. Here, however, the humour is grown-up and restrained. It’s the unexpected introduction of the outdoor bright yellow bench and bicycle that makes this design so memorable.
See how you can bring a little of the outdoors into your home
As anyone with children can testify, toilet humour has enduring appeal (and let’s admit, it’s not just funny for the kids), and is an obvious place for a bit of fun in your design. Here, however, the humour is grown-up and restrained. It’s the unexpected introduction of the outdoor bright yellow bench and bicycle that makes this design so memorable.
See how you can bring a little of the outdoors into your home
Be cheeky like Chaplin
I laughed out loud when I saw this bowler hat and moustache mobile. Set against the traditional wooden cot with floaty drape, it’s wonderfully unexpected. I imagine it bringing a much-needed smile to an exhausted parent at the end of a long day.
I laughed out loud when I saw this bowler hat and moustache mobile. Set against the traditional wooden cot with floaty drape, it’s wonderfully unexpected. I imagine it bringing a much-needed smile to an exhausted parent at the end of a long day.
Live for today
I’ve seen quite a few comments on Houzz questioning the wisdom of design decisions and their impact on the future sale of the property. Albert Einstein strongly believed in living in the present, so I’m delighted these homeowners have used his image in such a bold and striking way to delight and inspire themselves and their guests.
Why make decisions about your way of life based on the tastes of an unknown future buyer? Live your creative journey to the full. As the great man once said: ‘A happy man is too satisfied with the present to dwell too much on the future.’
I’ve seen quite a few comments on Houzz questioning the wisdom of design decisions and their impact on the future sale of the property. Albert Einstein strongly believed in living in the present, so I’m delighted these homeowners have used his image in such a bold and striking way to delight and inspire themselves and their guests.
Why make decisions about your way of life based on the tastes of an unknown future buyer? Live your creative journey to the full. As the great man once said: ‘A happy man is too satisfied with the present to dwell too much on the future.’
Give a big bear surprise
This lifesize polar bear with bowler hat pendant lighting is both visually dramatic and comical. It’s a great example of where humour becomes the focal point of design.
This lifesize polar bear with bowler hat pendant lighting is both visually dramatic and comical. It’s a great example of where humour becomes the focal point of design.
Lighten the mood
Show your guests your light-hearted side by taking the formality out of your dinner party. Look up from the elegant surrounds to a surprise on the ceiling, not to mention the one at the head of the table.
Show your guests your light-hearted side by taking the formality out of your dinner party. Look up from the elegant surrounds to a surprise on the ceiling, not to mention the one at the head of the table.
Stick it on
Wall stickers are often designed to bring a humorous touch to your interior. Easy to remove, they’re a good choice if you’re keen to experiment but not ready for a big commitment.
Wall stickers are often designed to bring a humorous touch to your interior. Easy to remove, they’re a good choice if you’re keen to experiment but not ready for a big commitment.
Break up the elegance
Imagine having seen this room without the tongue-in-cheek typography in the fireplace – what would you remember about it? The subtlety of the red lettering is the all-important touch. As Giorgio Armani said: ‘Elegance is not about being noticed, it’s about being remembered.’ It would be hard to forget that fireplace in a hurry.
Imagine having seen this room without the tongue-in-cheek typography in the fireplace – what would you remember about it? The subtlety of the red lettering is the all-important touch. As Giorgio Armani said: ‘Elegance is not about being noticed, it’s about being remembered.’ It would be hard to forget that fireplace in a hurry.
Make it fun
Whether it’s work or exercise, make it enjoyable and you’re more likely to get the task done. The same applies to kids: make it a game and they’re more likely to comply. This comic book design is bursting with colour and fun. What child wouldn’t want to jump in at bath time?
Discover how to create a stylish kids’ bathroom
Whether it’s work or exercise, make it enjoyable and you’re more likely to get the task done. The same applies to kids: make it a game and they’re more likely to comply. This comic book design is bursting with colour and fun. What child wouldn’t want to jump in at bath time?
Discover how to create a stylish kids’ bathroom
Think big
If you have the guts, why not go the whole hog and design humour into the fabric of your property? This ‘Hello’ house facade in Melbourne is both fun and stylish, and I bet the people who live there are, too.
TELL US…
Have you incorporated humour into the design of your home? Share your photos and stories in the Comments below.
If you have the guts, why not go the whole hog and design humour into the fabric of your property? This ‘Hello’ house facade in Melbourne is both fun and stylish, and I bet the people who live there are, too.
TELL US…
Have you incorporated humour into the design of your home? Share your photos and stories in the Comments below.
The Anglepoise lamp is a British design classic that has adorned many a desk since its inception in the 1930s. In 2005 Anglepoise created a giant version for the Roald Dahl museum. It proved so popular, they decided to put it into production, and it’s not hard to see why. The brilliantly oversized lamp (and others like it) is completely out of proportion with this room and is the absolute design highlight – visual comedy at its best.