Wild Card Decorating

I reckon we should all get into a bit of wild card decorating. How many homes do you see or go into that lack surprises, or intrigue or passion? I see quite a lot. The thing is decorating without taking surprises or risks is super boring. When I say risks I don't mean ones that are gimmicky or crazy I mean risks that elevate rooms to another level. For example: Be daring with paint or wallpaper. Be daring with lighting Be daring with pattern Lets say you've created the perfect space, meticulously arranged, harmoniously hued, now mess it up. Throw in an off note - a chair in a zany colour or a table painted out in a tantalising hue or a quirky bit of art! What we are trying to do is produce excitement through creative tension. I know it sounds weird me asking you to create tension in a space but that is what makes the heart pound just that little bit faster. It’s funny because I never used to be a risk taker in decorating or in life but as I've grown older and gotten more confidence I do it pretty regularly. Some risks are calculated, some risks like putting a larder in the back of a store, that isn't known for selling food cause a few sleepless nights. Some risks like painting a room a different hue I don't even see as risks anymore! By the way I received that paint I was telling you about from France the black/brown one - started painting out the basement in it all excited and leaping with joy and guess what. HATE IT. Too much light on it makes it look horrible - far too much brown. Have I gotten over it, yes sir in about a second I moved on painted it back and I’ll try it elsewhere or worse case use as an undercoat! So there you have it - sometimes adding a wild card will be just that a wild card and it might fail. Other times  it won't it lifts your spirits to heights you never ever thought possible. Which is why I love interiors so much they constantly surprise, delight, intrigue and I'm forever thinking I could do better with them! Talking of surprises,  the image below (via designfest.com) is white (odd for me to post a white image I know  I'm not the greatest fan)  but look how the space has been elevated through pattern and texture. If you want a jaw on the floor space no matter what colour is on your walls you've gotta take those risks I hate to say!