A Picture for Harold's Room

One of the books that has influenced my approach to interior design, possibly more than I should really admit, is Crockett Johnson's "A Picture for Harold's Room", in which Harold decides that his wall needs a picture on it and, armed with his trusty purple crayon, he draws one.

I love the approach...

And, come to think of it, this book's influence goes way beyond design in my life. It's just such a great philosophy: use what you have to get what you want. And never underestimate the power of imagination.

But, to get back to the decor side of things, through the years, I have used stencilling, handmade paper, paint and even black magic marker to achieve the effects I want.


A Stencilled Fence

It's a cheap and fun way to add architecture to your house. Most of these effects won't make people gasp in amazement, thinking you have real stone walls or real dentil molding or an antique quilt on your wall. Most of them are frankly fake. But there's a sense of humour to it. A sense of not taking anything too seriously while still giving yourself the home you deserve, even if you can't quite afford the real thing.

A Painted Floor - Harold Would Approve!