Quirky Cool Candy
How to bring a quirky character into your home that’s cool, contemporary and fresh
Another first edition to the blog. Yay! This new subject revisits previous home stories and look at the styles and elements that make up those creative spaces. Our first story is the curiously curated home of artist Marguerite Nel from November’s Round House feature and how to find inspiration from her quirky cool style.
What makes this room so striking is the surprising mix of colours: grey-green walls are paired with bright candy-pink hues and pale grey blues. The spots of brilliant orange and vibrant greens in the decorative elements really brighten up an otherwise cool space.


The warm wooden mid-century furniture and vintage hospital trolly or bedside lamp combined with modern items like the candy-colour-block bed throw creates a contemporary look. Another way to add interest is through the creative use of quirky but well chosen deco pieces like the antique manequin and hand-made sculptures.


Style-step-by-step
1. Choose complementary colours
Here the green and reds are complimentary colours. Choosing different hues that fall into a complimentary spectrum creates a fun and unusual colour scheme. Like the different hues of green combined with spots of bright reds (in the painting) and pale pinks (in the art pieces and bed throw.) Blue and orange are also complementary, which is why the bed spread goes so well with the artwork as well as the golden yellow orange tones of the wood.
2. Combine warm colours with cool colours
Here the grey-green walls and dull blue hues creates a cool, tranquil and calm feeling. Combining this with very warm colours like pink and orange in selective areas not only creates focus but adds a dash of energy and warmth to the room.
3. Use old with new
Combining good quality vintage pieces like the mid-century modern furniture brings a timeless quality to the space while pairing it with modern pieces like the colour-blocked bedspread and artwork makes it instantly contemporary.
4. Don’t forget to breathe
It’s important not to overfill the space with too much decor. Carefully select your pieces and rather go for a few things that says more than filling the space with ornaments. Adding bright white also adds a freshness and allows the spaces to breathe.
5. Create a focus point
A focal point can be anything from a very striking chair to a brilliant piece of art. In this case the artwork by Margaret pulls the entire scene together. The bright colours draw you in while the rest of the colours set the tone and mood for the entire space. It’s often easier to choose your focus piece first and then allowing the piece to inform your decision making when it comes to choosing colour or determining a theme.
Style-stealer
Create your own quirky-cool-candy look from these Etsy finds: