Finding the perfect sectional that looks luxe but doesn’t blow the budget? Easier said than done. But good news—these stunning sofas clock in under $1000 and still bring the designer vibes. Think deep seats, boucle textures, cloud-like comfort, and silhouettes that steal the spotlight. Whether you’re after something cozy for movie nights or statement-worthy for your living room, these picks overdeliver without overspending. Curry Velvet Cloud Sectional Buy on Amazon Sleek, warm, and plush—this curry-hued modular sofa feels straight out of a luxe loft. With a deep-seat double-layer cushion and movable ottoman, it’s made for lounging in style. The mustard-curry color means it can create a head-turning statement in any space. Nargis Lamb Wool Sectional with Chaise Buy on Wayfair This one screams cozy minimalism. The ribbed texture, ivory lamb wool fabric, and boxy silhouette make it feel far more expensive than it is. Perfect for modern, neutral-toned spaces. And equally amazing for lounging on a comfy piece! U-Shaped Boucle Cloud Sectional Buy on Wayfair All the cloud couch vibes for less. The tufted seats, soft boucle fabric, and 5-seater layout make this one a crowd-pleaser for big families or binge-watchers. Such cloud pieces are actually priced much higher, so this one’s a steal for folks looking to add a designer-like piece at a competitive price.

When Leta Sobierajski enrolled in college, she already knew what she was meant to do, and she didn’t settle for anything less. “When I went to school for graphic design, I really didn’t have a backup plan – it was this, or nothing,” she says. “My work is a constantly evolving practice, and from the beginning, I have always convinced myself that if I put in the time and experimentation, I would grow and evolve.” After graduation, Sobierajski took on a range of projects, which included animation, print, and branding elements. She collaborated with corporate clients, but realized that she wouldn’t feel comfortable following anyone else’s rules in a 9-to-5 environment. Leta Sobierajski (standing) and Wade Jeffree (on ladder) \\\ Photo: Matt Dutile Sobierajski eventually decided to team up with fellow artist and kindred spirit Wade Jeffree. In 2016 they launched their Brooklyn-based studio, Wade and Leta. The duo, who share a taste for quirky aesthetics, produces sculpture, installations, or anything else they can dream up. Never static in thinking or method, they are constantly searching for another medium to try that will complement their shared vision of the moment. The pair is currently interested in permanency, and they want to utilize more metal, a strong material that will stand the test of time. Small architectural pieces are also on tap, and on a grander scale, they’d like to focus on a park or communal area that everyone can enjoy. With so many ideas swirling around, Sobierajski will record a concept in at least three different ways so that she’s sure to unearth it at a later date. “In some ways, I like to think I’m impeccably organized, as I have countless spreadsheets tracking our work, our lives, and our well-being,” she explains. “The reality is that I am great at over-complicating situations with my intensified list-making and note-taking. The only thing to do is to trust the process.” Today, Leta Sobierajski joins us for Friday Five! Photo: Melitta Baumeister and Michał Plata 1. Melitta Baumeister and Michał Plata The work of Melitta Baumeister and Michał Plata has been a constant inspiration to me for their innovative, artful, and architectural silhouettes. By a practice of draping and arduous pattern-making, the garments that they develop season after season feel like they could be designed for existence in another universe. I’m a person who likes to dress up for anything when I’m not in the studio, and every time I opt to wear one of their looks, I feel like I can take on the world. The best part about their pieces is that they’re extremely functional, so whether I need to hop on a bicycle or show up at an opening, I’m still able to make a statement – these garments even have the ability to strike up conversations on their own. Photo: Wade and Leta 2. Pandas! I was recently in Chengdu to launch a new project and we took half the day to visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Pandas and I am a new panda convert. Yes, they’re docile and cute, but their lifestyles are utterly chill and deeply enviable for us adults with responsibilities. Giant pandas primarily eat bamboo and can consume 20-40 kilograms per day. When they’re not doing that, they’re sleeping. When we visited, many could be seen reclining on their backs, feasting on some of the finest bamboo they could select within arm’s reach. While not necessarily playful in appearance, they do seem quite cheeky in their agendas and will do as little as they can to make the most of their meals. It felt like I was watching a mirrored image of myself on a Sunday afternoon while trying to make the most of my last hours of the weekend. Photo: Courtesy of Aoiro 3. Aoiro I’m not really a candle person (I forget to light it, and then I forget it’s lit, and then I panic when it’s been lit for too long) but I love the luxurious subtlety of a fragrant space. It’s an intangible feeling that really can only be experienced in the present. Some of the best people to create these fragrances, in my opinion, are Shizuko and Manuel, the masterminds behind Aoiro, a Japanese and Austrian duo who have developed a keen sense for embodying the fragrances of some of the most intriguing and captivating olfactory atmospheres – earthy forest floors with crackling pine needles, blue cypress tickling the moon in an indigo sky, and rainfall on a spirited Japanese island. Despite living in an urban city, Aoiro’s olfactory design is capable of transporting me to the deepest forests of misty Yakushima island. Photo: Wade and Leta 4. Takuro Kuwata A few months ago, I saw the work of Japanese ceramicist Takuro Kuwata at an exhibition at Salon94 and have been having trouble getting it out of my head. Kuwata’s work exemplifies someone who has worked with a medium so much to completely use the medium as a medium – if that makes sense. His ability to manipulate clay and glaze and use it to create gravity-defying effects within the kiln are exceptionally mysterious to me and feel like they could only be accomplished with years and years of experimentation with the material. I’m equally impressed seeing how he’s grown his work with scale, juxtaposing it with familiar iconography like the fuzzy peach, but sculpting it from materials like bronze. Photo: Wade and Leta 5. The Site of Reversible Destiny, a park built by artists Arakawa and Gins, in Yoro Japan The park is a testament to their career as writers, architects, and their idea of reversible destiny, which in its most extreme form, eliminates death. For all that are willing to listen, Arakawa and Gins’ Reversible Destiny mentality aims to make our lives a little more youthful by encouraging us to reevaluate our relationship with architecture and our surroundings. The intention of “reversible destiny” is not to prolong death, postpone it, grow older alongside it, but to entirely not acknowledge and surpass it. Wade (my partner) and I have spent the last ten years traveling to as many of their remaining sites as possible to further understand this notion of creating spaces to extend our lives and question how conventional living spaces can become detrimental to our longevity.   Works by Wade and Leta: Photo: Wade and Leta and Matt Alexander Now You See Me is a large-scale installation in the heart of Shoreditch, London, that explores the relationship between positive and negative space through bold color, geometry, and light. Simple, familiar shapes are embedded within monolithic forms, creating a layered visual experience that shifts throughout the day. As sunlight passes through the structures, shadows and silhouettes stretch and connect, forming dynamic compositions on the surrounding concrete. Photo: Wade and Leta and John Wylie Paint Your Own Path is series of five towering sculptures, ranging from 10 to 15 feet tall, invites viewers to explore balance, tension, and perspective through bold color and form. Inspired by the delicate, often precarious act of stacking objects, the sculptures appear as if they might topple – yet each one holds steady, challenging perceptions of stability. Created in partnership with the Corolla Cross, the installation transforms its environment into a pop-colored landscape. Photo: Millenia Walk and Outer Edit, Eurthe Studio Monument to Movement is a 14-meter-tall kinetic sculpture that celebrates the spirit of the holiday season through rhythm, motion, and color. Rising skyward in layered compositions, the work symbolizes collective joy, renewal, and the shared energy of celebrations that span cultures and traditions. Powered by motors and constructed from metal beams and cardboard forms, the sculpture continuously shifts, inviting viewers to reflect on the passage of time and the cycles that connect us all. Photo: Wade and Leta and Erika Hara, Piotr Maslanka, and Jeremy Renault Falling Into Place is a vibrant rooftop installation at Ginza Six that explores themes of alignment, adaptability, and perspective. Six colorful structures – each with a void like a missing puzzle piece – serve as spaces for reflection, inviting visitors to consider their place within a greater whole. Rather than focusing on absence, the design transforms emptiness into opportunity, encouraging people to embrace spontaneity and the unfolding nature of life. Playful yet contemplative, the work emphasizes that only through connection and participation can the full picture come into view. Photo: Wade and Leta and Erika Hara, Piotr Maslanka, and Jeremy Renault Photo: Wade and Leta Stop, Listen, Look is a 7-meter-tall interactive artwork atop IFS Chengdu that captures the vibrant rhythm of the city through movement, sound, and form. Blending motorized and wind-powered elements with seesaws and sound modulation, it invites people of all ages to engage, play, and reflect. Inspired by Chengdu’s balance of tradition and modernity, the piece incorporates circular motifs from local symbolism alongside bold, geometric forms to create a dialogue between past and present. With light, motion, and community at its core, the work invites visitors to connect with the city – and each other – through shared interaction. The Cloud is a permanent sculptural kiosk in Burlington, Vermont’s historic City Hall Park, created in collaboration with Brooklyn-based Studio RENZ+OEI. Designed to reinterpret the ephemeral nature of clouds through architecture, it blends art, air, and imagination into a light, fluid structure that defies traditional rigidity. Originally born from a creative exchange between longtime friends and collaborators, the design challenges expectations of permanence by embodying movement and openness. Now home to a local food vendor, The Cloud brings a playful, uplifting presence to the park, inviting reflection and interaction rain or shine..

Silhouette photography has the unique power to convey powerful emotions and dramatic narratives by emphasizing shape and form over details and textures. By creatively harnessing silhouettes, photographers can captivate viewers’ imaginations, prompting them to fill in unseen details and engage deeply with the story. Here’s how to master silhouettes to elevate your photographic storytelling. The Art of Silhouettes A silhouette is created when your subject is backlit, making the subject appear completely dark against a lighter background. Silhouettes rely heavily on strong outlines, instantly recognizable shapes, and clear gestures to tell compelling stories. Capturing the Perfect Silhouette Ideal Conditions Sunrise and sunset offer low-angle sunlight, providing ideal lighting conditions to create dramatic silhouettes. Artificial light sources like urban lights, windows, and doorways offer unique creative opportunities for silhouette photography. Camera Settings Adjust your exposure for the brightest part of the scene, usually the background, to render your subject as a dark silhouette. Choose a narrower aperture (higher f-number) to maintain clear, sharp outlines, ensuring your silhouette remains distinct. Composition Techniques for Dramatic Impact Select subjects with strong, recognizable shapes—human figures, animals, architecture, and trees often create compelling silhouettes. Encourage subjects to use clear gestures or dynamic poses to communicate emotion or action effectively. Utilize negative space to emphasize silhouettes, creating visual balance and directing viewers’ attention to the subject. Enhancing Storytelling through Silhouettes Silhouettes simplify your scene, focusing viewers’ attention entirely on the emotional or narrative essence of your image. Obscuring details introduces an element of mystery, inviting viewers to engage actively with your photograph. Silhouettes naturally evoke emotional responses, effectively conveying solitude, contemplation, love, or drama. Post-Processing Tips Enhance contrast and deepen blacks to emphasize your silhouette, strengthening its dramatic presence. Apply subtle color grading or tone adjustments to amplify mood—warmer tones evoke romance or nostalgia, while cooler tones suggest tranquility or melancholy. Creative Applications Silhouettes are versatile across many genres, including intimate portraits, dynamic street photography, and striking nature and wildlife imagery. Using silhouettes thoughtfully allows photographers to communicate powerful forms and actions, creating graphically strong and emotionally resonant photographs. Silhouettes offer photographers an exceptional tool for impactful storytelling, combining simplicity with emotional intensity. By mastering essential techniques, thoughtful composition, and creative execution, you can craft compelling visual narratives that resonate deeply with your audience. Explore silhouettes in your photography, and uncover the profound storytelling power hidden within shadows. Extended reading: Creating depth and drama with moody photography The post Harnessing Silhouette for Dramatic Storytelling appeared first on 500px.

An immersive architectural installation designed by the architecture and design firm opng is staged inside the former Chase Manhattan banking hall, a 1961 structure by SOM. House of Craft x Dior is a show of haute couture works from the fashion house’s archives. Presented by UBS and Dior, and curated by fashion icon Carine Roitfeld, the clothing and accessories are  brought to life in this historic setting. The exhibition orbits around Isamu Noguchi’s 1964 Sunken Garden, a serene, geometric landscape of basalt stones, water, and abstracted nature. opng’s design uses the site’s tranquility, creating a mirrored, “maze-like” architecture that visually connects the haute couture on display with Noguchi’s own sculptural language. The exhibition spans 30,000 square feet, wrapping visitors in a network of 10-foot mirrored walls. These surfaces reflect and multiply Dior gowns, accessories, process sketches, and photographs.  The exhibition includes a striking 60-foot “Silhouette Wall” featuring Brigitte Niedermair’s portraits of each designer’s most defining creations. (Naho Kubota/Courtesy opng) House of Craft x Dior pays tribute to all seven of Dior’s creative directors—Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons, and Maria Grazia Chiuri—as well as menswear designer Kim Jones. Each director’s vision is represented through silhouettes, displayed alongside behind-the-scenes materials that offer insight into the meticulousness of couture. The exhibition includes a striking 60-foot “Silhouette Wall” featuring Brigitte Niedermair’s portraits of each designer’s most defining creations. A 24-foot worktable is surrounded by videos of couturiers from Dior’s Haute Couture House describing the construction process of making Dior’s most recognizable garments. Noguchi’s Sunken Garden makes for a historic setting for the fashion exhibition (Naho Kubota/Courtesy opng) Commissioned by Chase in 1961, Noguchi’s Sunken Garden embodies a midcentury belief in art’s ability to humanize the urban landscape. By placing Dior’s intricate couture into this minimalist, tranquil site, UBS and opng initiates a conversation between eras, disciplines, and design philosophies. opng’s exhibition design includes tables and rectangular vitrines that can be hung on the walls. (Naho Kubota/Courtesy opng) The exhibition is part of UBS’s ongoing House of Craft initiative, which launched in 2024. House of Craft x Dior on view from June 6 to June 8.

Fog and mist offer photographers an exceptional opportunity to create deeply atmospheric, moody, and mysterious imagery. By embracing these unique weather conditions, you can transform ordinary scenes into captivating visual stories filled with depth, emotion, and intrigue. Here’s how to effectively harness fog and mist to elevate your photography. Understanding the Appeal of Fog and Mist Fog and mist naturally diffuse light, softening contrasts and textures within a scene. This soft diffusion creates a dreamlike ambiance and adds emotional depth to photographs, often evoking feelings of tranquility, solitude, or mystery. By obscuring and revealing elements selectively, fog and mist invite viewers to engage deeply with the visual narrative, filling in unseen details with imagination. Ideal Conditions and Timing The most atmospheric fog and mist usually occur during early mornings or evenings, especially near bodies of water or in valleys and lowlands. Paying close attention to weather forecasts can help you predict ideal conditions. Early preparation and scouting locations ahead of time ensure you’re ready when the perfect atmospheric conditions arise. Composition Techniques for Foggy Scenes Creating impactful foggy compositions involves thoughtful techniques: Layers and Depth: Use the fog’s varying densities to emphasize depth. Layering foreground, midground, and background elements adds visual complexity and interest. Silhouettes and Shapes: Fog reduces detail, emphasizing strong shapes and silhouettes. Compose your images around distinctive shapes, trees, or structures to anchor your photograph. Simplify the Frame: Minimalism is especially effective in foggy conditions. Embrace simplicity by isolating single elements or subjects against misty backdrops for dramatic effect. Lighting and Exposure Considerations Fog significantly impacts exposure and lighting conditions: Soft Light: The diffused, gentle lighting conditions in fog and mist reduce harsh shadows, creating flattering, ethereal images. Exposure Compensation: Fog often tricks camera meters into underexposing scenes. Consider slightly increasing your exposure compensation to accurately capture the brightness and subtle details of foggy conditions. Creative Opportunities with Fog and Mist Fog and mist open diverse creative possibilities: Black-and-White Photography: Foggy conditions lend themselves exceptionally well to monochrome photography, highlighting contrasts, textures, and shapes dramatically. Color Tones and Mood: Color images in foggy conditions can carry gentle pastel tones or cool hues, enhancing the atmospheric and emotional impact of your imagery. Enhancing Foggy Images Through Post-Processing Post-processing can refine foggy scenes: Contrast and Clarity Adjustments: Fine-tune contrast and clarity subtly to maintain the softness and mood without losing important detail. Selective Sharpening: Apply selective sharpening to key elements or subjects, ensuring they stand out within the foggy environment without diminishing the atmospheric quality. Fog and mist provide photographers with unique conditions to craft images rich in mood, narrative, and visual intrigue. By thoughtfully considering composition, timing, lighting, and post-processing, you can harness the power of fog and mist to produce atmospheric photography that deeply resonates with viewers. Embrace these ethereal elements, and transform everyday scenes into extraordinary visual stories. Extended reading: Alpine views: 12 breathtaking mountainscapes to celebrate the chilly season The post Crafting Atmospheric Images with Fog and Mist appeared first on 500px.

The transformation of Hangzhou’s old steelworks into a park is a tribute to China’s industrial past in a city of the future The congressional hearing about Chinese AI engine DeepSeek held in the US this April has propelled Hangzhou, the heart of China’s new digital economy, to the headlines. With companies such as DeepSeek, Unitree and Alibaba – whose payment app allowed me to get on the metro without needing to buy a ticket – headquartered in Hangzhou, China’s future in AI, robotics and automation is emanating from this city. Getting off the metro in the suburban area of Gongshu, the sun was shining on an old steelworks, overgrown with vines and flowers now that it is being transformed by Jiakun Architects and TLS Landscape Architecture into the Grand Canal Steelworks Park. The unfolding trade war might help to accelerate China’s journey into an automated future, leaving the world of factories behind, yet this new public space shows an impulse to commemorate the country’s economic history, and the forces that have shaped its contemporary built environment. Starting in Hangzhou and travelling more than 1,700km to Beijing, the Grand Canal is an engineering project built 2,500 years ago to connect the different regions of eastern China. The country’s geography means rivers flow from west to east: from higher elevations, culminating in the Himalayas, to the basin that is the country’s eastern seaboard. Historically, it was difficult to transport goods from mercantile centres in the south, including Hangzhou and Suzhou, to the political centre in Beijing up north. As a civil engineering project, the Grand Canal rivals the Great Wall, but if the Great Wall aims to protect China from the outside, the Grand Canal articulates Chinese commerce from the inside. The historic waterway has been an important conduit of economic and cultural exchange, enabling the movement of people and goods such as grain, silk, wine, salt and gravel across the country. It became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2014. The state‑owned enterprise collective was founded, and the physical facility of Hangzhou steelworks built, in the 1950s during the Great Leap Forward, when China strove for self‑sufficiency, and wended its way through the country’s economic trajectory: first the economic chaos of the 1960s, then the reforms and opening up in the 1980s. Steel remains an important industry today in China, home to more than half of the world’s production, but the listing of the Grand Canal enabled city leaders to move production to a new site and decommission the Hangzhou steelworks. External mandates, including entry into the World Trade Organization, the Beijing Olympics and UNESCO listings, have been instrumentalised in the country to pursue a range of internal interests, particularly economical and real estate ones.  In 2016, the factory was shut down in 150 days, in what the company describes as a ‘heroic’ effort, and the site attracted tourists of industrial ruins. In the competition brief, Hangzhou planners asked for ‘as much of the existing blast furnaces and buildings’ as possible to be preserved. When I arrived in China in 2008, Chinese cities were notorious for heritage demolition, but today urban planners and architects increasingly work to preserve historical buildings. Just like several industrial sites in Beijing and Shanghai have been transformed into major public and cultural spaces in the past decade, in the Yangtze River Delta – of which Hangzhou is a major hub – several industrial sites along the Grand Canal’s course are being given a new lease of life. Today, the three blast furnaces of Hangzhou steelworks remain, with the silhouettes of their smokestacks easily recognisable from a distance. The project preserves as much as possible of the aesthetics of a steel mill with none of the danger or dust, ready to welcome instead new community facilities and cultural programmes in a vast and restored piece of landscape. Situated in a former working‑class district that has been gentrifying and welcoming young families, the new park is becoming a popular venue for music festivals, flower viewing in springtime and year‑round picnics – when I visited, parents were teaching their children to ride a bicycle, and students from Zhejiang University, about a kilometre from the park, were having lunch on the grass. New programmes accommodated in the old coke oven and steel mills will include a series of exhibition halls and spaces welcoming a wide range of cultural and artistic workshops as well as events – the project’s first phase has just completed but tenant organisations have not yet moved in, and works are ongoing to the north of the park. On the day of my visit, a student art exhibition was on display near one of the furnaces, with works made from detritus from the site, including old packing containers. The rehabilitated buildings also provide a range of commercial units, where cafés, restaurants, shops, a bookshop, ice cream shop and a gym have already opened their doors to visitors.  Several structures were deemed structurally unsafe and required demolition, such as the old iron casting building. The architects proposed to partially reconstruct it on its original footprint; the much more open structure, built with reclaimed bricks, now houses a semi‑outdoor garden. Material choices evoke the site’s industrial past: weathered steel, exposed concrete and large expanses of glazing dominate the landscape. The widespread use of red, including in an elevated walkway that traverses the park – at times vaguely reminiscent of a Japanese torii gate in the space below – gives a warm and reassuring earthiness to the otherwise industrial colour palette. Elements selected by the designers underwent sanitisation and detoxification before being reused. The landscaping includes old machinery parts and boulders; recuperated steel panels are for instance inlaid into the paving while pipes for pouring molten steel have been turned into a fountain. The train tracks that once transported material continue to run through the site, providing paths in between the new patches of vegetation, planted with local grasses as well as Japanese maples, camphors and persimmon trees. As Jiawen Chen from TLS describes it, the aesthetic feels ‘wild, but not weedy or abandoned’. The landscape architects’ inspiration came from the site itself after the steelworks’ closure, she explains, once vegetation had begun to reclaim it. Contaminated soil was replaced with clean local soil – at a depth between 0.5 and 1.5 metres, in line with Chinese regulations. The removed soil was sent to specialised facilities for purification, while severely contaminated layers were sealed with concrete. TLS proposed phytoremediation (using plants to detoxify soil) in selected areas of the site ‘as a symbolic and educational gesture’, Chen explains, but ‘the client preferred to be cautious’. From the eastern end of the park, hiking trails lead to the mountain and its Buddhist temples. The old steel mill’s grounds fade seamlessly into the hills. Standing in what it is still a construction site, a sign suggests there will soon be a rowing centre here.  While Jiakun Architects and TLS have prioritised making the site palatable as a public space, the project also brings to life a history that many are likely to have forgotten. Throughout, the park incorporates different elements of China’s economic history, including the life of the Grand Canal and the industrial era. There is, for example, a Maoist steelworker painted on the mural of one of the cafés, as well as historical photographs and drawings of the steelworks peppering the site, framed and hung on the walls. The ambition might be in part to pay homage to steelworkers, but it is hard to imagine them visiting. Gongshu, like the other suburbs of Hangzhou, has seen rapid increases in its property prices.  The steelworks were built during the Maoist era, a time of ‘battling with earth, battling with heaven, battling with humanity’, to borrow Mao’s own words. Ordinary people melted down pots and pans to surpass the UK in steel production, and industry was seen as a sharp break from a traditional Chinese way of life, in which humans aspire to live in harmony with their environment. The priorities of the government today are more conservative, seeking to create a garden city to attract engineers and their families. Hangzhou has long represented the balmy and sophisticated life of China’s south, a land of rice and fish. To the west of the city, not far from the old steelworks, are the ecologically protected Xixi wetlands, and Hangzhou’s urban planning exemplifies the Chinese principle of 天人合一, or nature and humankind as one.  Today, Hangzhou is only 45 minutes from Shanghai by high‑speed train. The two cities feel like extensions of one another, an urban region of 100 million people. The creation of the Grand Canal Steelworks Park reflects the move away from heavy industry that Chinese cities such as Hangzhou are currently making, shifting towards a supposedly cleaner knowledge‑driven economy. Yet the preservation of the steelworks epitomises the sentimental attitude towards the site’s history and acts as a reminder that today’s middle classes are the children of yesterday’s steelworkers, drinking coffee and playing with their own children in grassy lawns next to shuttered blast furnaces.  The park’s second phase is already nearing completion, and the competition for the nearby Grand Canal Museum was won by Herzog & de Meuron in 2020 – the building is under construction, and should open at the end of this year. It is a district rich in history, but the city is resolutely turned towards the future.  2025-06-02 Reuben J Brown Share AR May 2025CircularityBuy Now

It's no secret that we love a good gallery wall around here. Whether packed with paint-by-numbers, a grouping of salty seascapes, or an expanse of black-and-white silhouettes collected over time, gallery walls bring so much character to any room in your home. One type of gallery wall that particularly makes our hearts skip a beat is an arrangement that incorporates unexpected objects, giving a little wink into your design personality. Maybe it's a graphic game board you scored at a yard sale or three-dimensional finds like trophies, baskets, and other meaningful items that you collect. While square or rectangle framed photographs and artwork are common gallery wall ideas, consider objects outside the literal box to bring individuality and charm, adding visual interest that breaks the grid in the best way.Here, some of our favorite images of gallery walls that feature unique decor items to instantly elevate your own—and not a one of them is another frame or canvas. PedestalsPainted the same punchy color as the wall, a pair of pedestals displays trophies and figurines on a dog-themed gallery wall. Other objects of note: ribbons, brass instruments, and a saucer painted with a hunting scene. BasketsHelen Norman for Country LivingAdd texture and another shape to a gallery wall with baskets, like this set of vintage French ones. Here, the pieces frame a television in a family room.More Ways to Decorate Your Walls:Nautical-Themed ItemsRead McKendree for Country LivingIn this camp-themed boys’ bedroom, the gallery wall is made up of framed art with a sprinkling of nautical-themed items including flags, an anchor, and a pair of mounted oars. These items introduce different finishes, materials, color, and a strong sense of place.PlatesBuff Strickland for Country LivingA charming arrangement of Spode, Wedgwood, and other blue-and-white china mixed with handsome pewter trays perfectly fills a skinny wall area between dining room windows. This proves there is power in numbers! TOUR THIS HOUSEmore dining room decorating ideasPennants Dylan ChandlerAmong a sea of mostly square- and rectangle-shaped items like license plates, framed silhouettes, and signs, a vintage pennant breaks the grid. Above, a round sepia wedding photograph does the same. Game Boards and PaddlesAdam Albright, styling by Kelly Ryan KegansThis is hands down one of the most creative gallery walls we've ever seen. In this cozy breakfast nook, a collection of thrifted finds fills every bit of wall space. Featured items include game boards, paddles, and nautical knickknacks bring dimension and interesting shapes. The tight color palette keeps the arrangement looking intentional and stylish.TOUR THIS HOUSE For More Breakfast Nook Ideas:Antlers and MountsMax Kim-BeeThis gallery wall mix includes a little bit of everything. Framed and unframed silhouettes and oil paintings surround a gold-framed mirror. The entire arrangement is topped off with a majestic 1920s deer mount. Small mounted antlers are another way to add a nod to nature, as well as dimension.TOUR THIS HOUSEAmy MitchellManaging EditorAmy Mitchell is the managing editor for VERANDA and Country Living, where she writes articles on a variety of topics—decorating and design, gardens, and holidays. Amy’s experience in the shelter magazine category spans more than 20 years, as she’s previously held positions at Coastal Living and Cottage Living. Her personal pursuits include cooking, gardening, and hunting her favorite tag sale spots for the next piece of Pyrex for her prized collection.

Some spaces speak softly, yet leave a lasting impression, and The Lightwell Residence by A10 Architect is one of them. It features a minimalist design and is bathed in natural light. As such, it was envisioned as a serene escape from the chaotic world. Every room feels intentional, where light acts as a design element in its own right. Step inside the Lightwell Residence to explore how daylight shapes every surface and shadow. The living room in the Lightwell Residence feels alive, thanks to the sun’s ever-changing dance across the floor. Wrapped in floor-to-ceiling windows, the space is an open invitation to nature. The palette is purposefully restrained with the color palette, allowing textures and silhouettes to have their moment. A sculptural sectional anchors the space, flanked by a curved armchair and circular tables. At one end, a modern white piano catches the light just right, creating a subtle sense of occasion. At the other, a sun-drenched reading nook awaits, complete with The kitchen in the Lightwell Residence follows an open floor plan. A large kitchen island and wooden cabinetry take center stage in the kitchen area. In the dining zone, a large dining table provides room to enjoy meals as sunlight enters. The glass-front cabinetry allows glassware to double as decor. The bedroom at the Lightwell Residence is bathed in soft morning light and kissed by the last rays of sunset. A minimalist palette of oat-toned linens, textured throws, and cloudlike upholstery creates a cocoon of calm. The bed sits low and grounded, while the vaulted ceiling above adds grandeur. At the far end of the room, a pair of modern lounge chairs—framed in brass and dressed in ivory—invite slow mornings with coffee. Elevated on a stone platform, the sculptural soaking tub becomes a focal point in the bathroom. Soft, diffused daylight pours in through the windows, enhancing the earthy palette. With clean-lined fixtures and ambient lighting, this space offers the quiet luxury of a private spa.

Once reserved for formal dinners and dimly lit mantels, the classic candelabra just got a colorful glow-up. Dubai-based lighting designer Nader Gammas brings the silhouette into the modern era with Woaw, a new collection that trades tradition for toy-like shapes, bold color blocking, and loads of personality. Debuting under his more accessible label Mr. John’s Goods at the Shelter Design Fair, Woaw adds a sense of whimsy to the familiar form – without sacrificing function. The collection is part of Gammas’ broader Mr. John’s Goods umbrella, a commercially-driven line designed to offer a more approachable alternative to his bespoke, sculptural work. Shelter is a new design fair that launched this month during NYCxDesign. Held at the iconic Starrett-Lehigh Building, the three-day event from Afternoon Light is part immersive showcase, part shopping spree, and entirely focused on reimagining what a design fair can be. Among more than 100 buzzy brands and boundary-pushing studios, Woaw made a debut that’s bright, bold, and hard to miss. The playful collection includes ten distinctive lighting variations: Single Table, Single Single Table, Double Single Table, Double Table, Double Tilt Table, Single Floor, Single Single Floor, Double Single Floor, Triple Floor, and Double Tilt Floor. Each piece combines a steel body with ceramic shades, offered in a playful palette of yellow, pink, red, blue, purple, and green. “Woaw brings a sense of lightness and wonder to everyday objects,” says Gammas. “It’s designed to be lived with – simple, expressive, and unpretentious.” Designed for flexibility and international compatibility, the lamps are CE and ETL certified and come equipped with a universal 3-region plug for use in the US, UK, and EU. If you were the kind of kid who loved stacking blocks, mixing colors, or building entire worlds from imagination, Woaw might just be your grownup design dream come true. With sculptural silhouettes and a joyful palette, Gammas proves that lighting can be as playful as it is practical. Double Tilt Floor Single Single Table Double Single Table Single Table Double Single Floor Triple Floor Single Single Floor Single Table Double Single Table To learn more and shop the Woaw collection by Nader Gammas, visit mrjohnsgoods.com. Exhibition photography by Matthew Carasella. Lifestyle photography by Ben Cope.