“Element of Surprise” : Inside Out magazine April 2014

“Element of Surprise” : Inside Out magazine April 2014

It’s always great to see rooms where the owners clearly had fun when creating the space. In the home of photographer Jenny Brandt and her illustrator/designer husband, Jens, you can see their playful attitude in the special little touches they’ve included throughout their home. It’s featured in the April 2014 issue of Inside Out Magazine.

Inside Out Magazine April 2014 issue via happymundane.com

The first thing that caught my eye was the mountain graphic they painted on the wall that is behind this cool upholstered bench. What takes this wall graphic next level is that they flowed it right on to the floor! It visually “grounds the bench and delineates the area without needing to box it in with walls or other furniture. This is such a simple and inexpensive idea that will also give great impact to your room. (I did something similar in my downstairs bedroom by painting a wall nook and then going up onto the ceiling)

Inside Out Magazine April 2014 issue via happymundane.com

Inside Out Magazine April 2014 issue via happymundane.com

I also love how they carried the pale pink into the kitchen and also the wall cubby. Is pale pink the “new black”? I think it totally works with all the other color accents they have going on in the kitchen doesn’t it? It’s an unexpected new “neutral”. It feels so fresh and isn’t overpowering- I’m a bit obsessed!

Inside Out Magazine April 2014 issue via happymundane.com

Another area that I really liked was the dining room:

Inside Out Magazine April 2014 issue via happymundane.com

They used a large scale map as the inspiration for the color. It doubles as artwork and gives the room great texture. It also allowed them to take some bold choices, like painting the table a vivid purple! What makes it work, however, is that they kept the floor and everything else white. This lets the table be the standout and not compete with anything else. Also the wood chairs tone things down and keeps the space from potentially looking too childish. It also adds a nice warmth and a level of sophistication.

Big kudos go to stylist Kicki Wieslander and photographer Jenny Brandt for this inspired editorial! Check out the rest of this incredible home, along with a lot more eye candy in the April 2014 issue of Inside Out Magazine. It’s available on newsstands globally, as well as on Zinio.

All images by Jenny Brandt and courtesy of Inside Out magazine