It brings me great pleasure to share that in the year 2026, we’re finally – FINALLY – embracing whimsical interiors again.
Long gone are the days of quiet, calm white spaces with zero personality. These days, homes filled with character are at the top of everyone’s wish list, including ours. Even lace doilies are trending again, according to Pinterest.
In the spirit of embracing all things whimsical, charming and downright fun, I’m sharing the most unexpected places designers love to easily add whimsy to a home.
Hang majolica plates in your dining room
Plate walls have long been a vehicle for playful décor, but in 2026, designers and homeowners alike are upgrading the look with sculptural majolica plates – not traditional fine china. Their playful, food-forward motifs bring a less serious note to somewhat stuffy dining rooms. Cabbageware, which is also having a moment thanks to its figural silhouette, is the perfect complement to majolica if you prefer a mixed look.
Upgrade your laundry room with a skirt
The joy of whimsical design lies in making the mundane just that tiny bit more magical, and that includes hardworking spaces such as the laundry room. Skirt your sink or even your actual appliances – whatever you do, pick a fabric that makes your heart happy. I recommend using a performance fabric to help prevent any staining. You can find fun fabrics on direct-to-consumer sites such as Spoonflower, or shop for exclusive, designer-only fabrics with tips from our handy guide here.
Install a basket rail in your kitchen
Cottagecore will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the biggest trends of the 2020s, and at the heart of that movement is the cottage-style kitchen. Prized for their charming style of decorating, cottage kitchens have quickly become character-filled spaces that seamlessly blend modern functionality with old-school sensibilities. That’s where the basket rail comes in! Perfect for gathering herbs in your kitchen garden or taking along on your trip to the farmers’ market, these basket rails are as chic as they are useful.
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Paint a stair runner
Painted floors are one of the most impactful – and least expensive – changes you can make to a space. Choose an unexpected and often overlooked part of your house, like a stairwell or side porch, to maximise the surprise-and-delight factor of this easy DIY refresh.
Upholster your office furniture with repurposed textiles
If there’s one place that needs a dose of charm, it’s your office. Take a cue from designer Emily Henderson and repurpose textiles, think cutter quilts and embroidered tapestrie, into one-of-a-kind upholstery.
Install colourful fixtures in your bathroom
If you haven’t jumped on the colourful bathroom fixture train yet, it’s not too late. Candy-coloured sinks, tubs, and (yes!) toilets are a playful way to bring a little personality to a powder room or, really, any bathroom. Brands like Kohler and U.K.-based The Water Monopoly are designer go-tos for these fun fixtures.
Gussy up your chicken coop with colour (and wallpaper!)
This may be the last place you would expect to paint with a bold colour or wallpaper, but hear me out: Your chicken coop deserves an upgrade. Take a cue from Kate Richards of Drinking With Chickens fame and go all-in on a colour palette. On her coop, the added eyelet trim lends charm to the white exterior, while a red-and-pink painted door adds a dose of colour.
And the fun doesn’t stop there. Inside, a chicken-themed vinyl wallpaper (“Chicken Damask” by Norma Vela) - easy to wipe down - and matching painted trim (Lingonberry by Behr) transform Kate’s coop into a chic chicken shack.
Anna Logan is the Deputy Homes & Style Editor at Country Living, where she has been covering all things home design, including sharing exclusive looks at beautifully designed country kitchens, producing home features, writing everything from timely trend reports on the latest viral aesthetic to expert-driven explainers on must-read topics, and rounding up pretty much everything you’ve ever wanted to know about paint, since 2021. Anna has spent the last seven years covering every aspect of the design industry, previously having written for Traditional Home, One Kings Lane, House Beautiful, and Frederic. She holds a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia. When she’s not working, Anna can either be found digging around her flower garden or through the dusty shelves of an antique shop. Follow her adventures, or, more importantly, those of her three-year-old Maltese and official Country Living Pet Lab tester, Teddy, on Instagram.
