Curiosity Shop: Unusual Objects & Conversation Pieces

There’s something wonderful about walking into a room and immediately spotting something unexpected.

Maybe it’s an unusual piece of furniture, a quirky sculpture, an oversized work of art or an object you can’t quite identify at first glance. Whatever it is, it makes you stop, look again and perhaps ask the best question a homeowner can hear:

“Where did you find that?”

Unique furniture and unusual home décor give a space personality. They break up the monotony, create visual interest and make a home feel collected rather than simply decorated.

At Out of the Box, we’re always on the hunt for those kinds of pieces—the unexpected objects, vintage finds and one-of-a-kind furnishings that draw you in and become natural conversation starters.

Look for Something a Little Offbeat

Not everything in a room needs to play it safe.

An unusual accent piece can provide the spark that brings an entire space to life. Look for three-dimensional artwork, sculptural furniture, dramatic lamps, oversized objects or pieces with unexpected shapes and silhouettes.

And don’t be afraid of scale. Sometimes the object that seems just a little too large, too colorful or too unusual is exactly what a room needs.

A memorable room should have something worth remembering.

Bring Natural Textures Into the Mix

Unusual doesn’t necessarily mean colorful or eccentric. Sometimes an object becomes interesting because of its material, texture or craftsmanship.

Hand-carved wood, natural stone, handmade pottery and handcrafted tile introduce variations and imperfections that manufactured objects often lack.

These materials also bring warmth and character to a room. A hand-carved table, stone vessel or wonderfully imperfect vintage object can provide a beautiful contrast to smoother, more contemporary furnishings.

Give Old Objects a New Purpose

Some of the best conversation pieces were never intended to be home décor in the first place.

Architectural salvage and reclaimed objects offer almost endless possibilities.

Old corbels can become wall art or support shelves. Vintage industrial pieces can become sculptures. Bicycle wheels can create unexpected wall displays. Woven baskets can be transformed into distinctive lampshades.

Once you stop asking, “What was this used for?” and start asking, “What could I do with this?” the possibilities become much more interesting.

Hunt for Pieces With a Story

Flea markets, estate sales, thrift shops, architectural salvage stores and vintage furniture stores are wonderful places to discover objects you simply won’t find in a typical furniture showroom.

And that’s part of the appeal.

Vintage and reclaimed pieces often show evidence of their previous lives—a worn surface, an old repair, an unusual construction technique or a patina developed over decades.

Those imperfections can become part of the beauty.

Instead of filling a room with pieces purchased all at once, adding unusual finds over time creates a home that feels personal, layered and collected.

How to Style a Statement Piece

Once you’ve found something unusual, give it room to shine.

Keep the surroundings simple. A bold piece often looks best against a relatively neutral or uncluttered background. You want the eye to land on it rather than have it compete with everything else in the room.

Pay attention to scale. Large artwork and sculptures can anchor spacious rooms, while smaller objects, petite drink tables and unusual accessories can bring personality to compact spaces.

Group objects in odd numbers. Collections of three or five objects often feel more natural and visually interesting. Mix heights, shapes, materials and textures rather than arranging several nearly identical pieces.

Most importantly, don’t make everything match.

Take a Tip From Interior Designers

Look through the work of great interior designers and pay attention to what catches your eye first.

Is it an unexpectedly colorful table? A strange sculpture? An enormous lamp? An antique chest sitting beside a modern chair? A piece of art that seems completely different from everything surrounding it?

Designers often create interest by introducing something that feels just a little “off.”

That unexpected element keeps a room from becoming too picture-perfect or “matchy-matchy.” It might be a different period, material, color, proportion or style—but somehow it makes everything else in the room more interesting.

Mixing eras can be particularly effective. A sleek modern chair can look fantastic beside an antique table. A traditional room can suddenly feel fresh with a contemporary painting. And an eccentric vintage lamp can give an otherwise sophisticated space a welcome sense of humor.

Create a Home That Sparks Curiosity

The most memorable homes aren't necessarily the ones filled with the most expensive furniture or the latest trends.

They’re the homes that tell you something about the people who live there.

A curious object discovered while traveling, an unusual vintage find, a piece of architectural salvage or a wonderfully odd piece of furniture can give a room something new furniture alone sometimes cannot: a story.

So when you’re decorating, leave a little room for the unexpected.

At Out of the Box in Ralston, Nebraska, just south of Omaha, we’re constantly searching for unusual furniture, vintage pieces, architectural elements, art and one-of-a-kind objects that can bring character to a home.

Stop in, wander around and see what catches your eye.

Because maybe what your room needs isn’t another piece that matches.

Maybe it needs something that doesn’t.