Remember that announcement I made last week about the death of the matching furniture set? Well today’s post is an expansion on that announcement if you will. Today’s announcement?

Quirky is the new cool.

Yep, it’s true. In a design world where we now value personal expression over fitting in, a little quirk, a little whimsy and a heaping dose of the unexpected is just what the design doctor ordered, and the delightful gents at Madcap Cottage are leading the charge.

Decorating with pattern and creating a bespoke, unexpected mix with unique vintage finds are two of the hallmarks of John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon’s design aesthetic, and the Madcap Cottage booth in the Antique & Design Center showed off their signature style with aplomb. In fact, there are 3 Design Lessons that I think we should all take note of today as we enjoy these snapshots of their booth.

I also loved the faux bamboo barrel back chair {below} that sat opposite the asian sofa in this grouping, yet another example of Jason and John’s unabashed use of pattern. I mean, pink leopard with a vintage floral on a faux bamboo chair, all sitting on a vintage kilim rug? Come. On.

Seems I wasn’t the only one making a beeline for the delightfully unexpected inspiration awaiting in the charming Madcap Cottage booth. In fact, I had to pause and stop at another booth on my way just so that I wouldn’t feel as though I was stalking Tobi Fairley {pictured below perusing the Madcap collection}. I was coming straight from Tobi’s session on the business of design that she had just finished delivering, and the session was packed with valuable insights on the changing landscape of the design industry.

Of all the reasons I love them, I think my fondness for the clever curators of the Madcap Cottage collection is rooted in our shared love of all things British. Scouring the globe for unique finds, these two gems spend a great deal of time on my “family island” of the UK, and it shows in the decidedly English dose of debonaire to be seen throughout their booth.

Don’t you just love the way Thibaut’s “Shore Thing” wallpaper creates a dramatic canvas for this gallery of British gents in all their finery?

Thank you, Jason and John, for the abundance of inspiration! It was a delight meeting you both, and I hope our paths will cross again soon.

xo
s.