4 min readPictured above: This bedroom, designed by Alicia Savin, is chockful of eye-catching features, including a white rabbit figurine holding court on the nightstand.
Once upon a time, not so long ago, interior design was fairly…predictable. All-white kitchens. Gray everything. Some farmhouse touches for good measure. Then came a revolution within interior design, a creative revolt against the expected. Nowadays, everyone wants character, personality, and surprises within their spaces. They want homes with warmth and a story to tell.
Enter: the “one weird thing” rule. It’s an interior design concept that’s increasingly coming up on social media, and it can actually benefit a wide array of spaces. Here’s what designers want you to know about it.
But first of all, what makes an object “weird”? Justina Blakeney, artist, designer, author, and founder of Jungalow, says that an object might appear to be completely ordinary, but it can become unexpected because of how or where you use it, such as hanging a rug on the wall as art.
Lily Walters, interior designer and founder of Elter Studios (who’s known for her “Your Home Isn’t Weird Enough” reels on Instagram), says that a “weird” object possesses one of three qualities.
“It is something so random that it immediately draws your attention, something that has a story attached to it, or something that has no meaning at all, just made you smile, and you knew you wanted to bring it home,” she defines.
If you want to bring some oddities into your home without totally throwing off your vibe, read on to learn how designers do it right.
What Is the “One Weird Thing” Rule?
Fawn Galli, founder and principal designer of Fawn Galli Interiors, says that the “one weird thing” rule means integrating something in a room “that doesn’t make sense, that’s wacky, that’s unusual.”
“I love it when it’s personal, especially something you found on your travels, something that relates to you or your family, something with a story,” she adds.
Alicia Savin, creative director and owner of Alicia Savin By Design, puts it even more plainly: “It’s the one thing in a room or a home that makes your guests say, ‘Wait. What is that?!’
Although you may be keeping conversation starters in mind as your guests enter your home, it can also be helpful if you come up with your own definition of “weird.”
“I think the question, ‘What does ‘weird’ even mean?’ is worth asking,” Blakeney says. “An object that feels weird to one person might be completely ordinary to someone else. So, I like to think of ‘weird’ as something that challenges convention, or uses something in a new or unexpected way.”
What are the benefits of getting a little adventurous and “weird” within your interiors? Well, there are actually quite a few, which all center on creating visual appeal.
“When everything matches, your eye slides right through a room—nothing holds it,” Galli remarks. “The unexpected piece does.”
Within this same vein, and eschewing perfection, Walters says, “The ‘one weird thing’ rule gives you permission to be human. To share the parts of your soul that make you who you are. We spend so much of our time at home. It should reflect who you are and tell the story of the person who lives there.”
Blakeney additionally believes that a “weird” object or two creates notable juxtaposition, saying, “Contrast and tension are really important in design. They help create visual interest. I like to think of it kind of like music. The room has a steady beat, and then the unexpected element works as a kind of syncopation. It breaks up the rhythm and makes the room really sing.”
What are some “weird” objects you can consider bringing into a space (or more than one space)? Well, you can start somewhat small with “a massive piece of horse art” or “as small as a seashell you picked up on a walk,” as Walters says. Or you can go big or go home, with Savin recommending things like a “framed cocktail napkin from the bar where a couple met” or “a taxidermy squirrel wearing a tiny cowboy hat that they picked up on a ski trip to Jackson Hole.”
How to Tastefully Pull Off the “One Weird Thing” Rule
You might be wondering: how can you add this level of personality without throwing off your aesthetic? You might want to start without thinking about your aesthetic at all.
“Don’t worry too much about aesthetic,” Galli recommends. “If you love it, there’s a way to make it work.” She does add that it can be helpful to pay attention to the scale of the “weird” object—if it’s too small, it doesn’t have the same effect; if it’s too big, it overwhelms. But she’d rather overwhelm than underwhelm.
Blakeney advises starting with something you genuinely love or that has meaning for you.
“Maybe it doesn’t match anything else in the room color-wise,” she says. “Maybe it’s from a different era or made of a wildly different material. Don’t overthink it! Find a good spot for it and see how it feels.”
Savin believes that when seeking out weird objects, you should begin with things you already have on hand, saying, “Don’t go shopping for ‘weird.’ That defeats the whole purpose. Start with a childhood photo. One that borders on making you cringe but is filled with good memories. Or display the rattlesnake skull you found on the side of the road in Mexico after your car broke down. Put it right on top of one of those enormous coffee table books.”
When it comes down to it, being “weird” in our homes can come down to gumption.
As Blakeney says, “I think we could all stand to be a little less afraid of being weird in our homes. Your home is one of the few places in the world where you get to be as weird as you want! It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone but you—and honestly, it doesn’t even have to make sense to you. And if you think one weird thing feels good…try two.”
