15 Rooms That Surprise and Delight

A black and white living room featuring a large painting on the wall that surprises and delights.

What surprises you in interior design?  Are there rooms that simply stand out and give you pause?  In interior design, there is no limit to the imagination and effort that goes into the creative pursuit of the most chic and stylish unique rooms.  Here are fifteen rooms that surprise and delight with their unique brand of design.  It may be something as simple as the shape of the furniture or a different style of rug, but in these rooms there is at least one detail that stands out and begs you to take notice.

  1. You’ve the heard the expression, “fly on the wall”.  Well, check out the ceiling in this room.  The colors are a standout on their own, along with the abstract painting and the fun striped upholstery on the chairs.  But surprise, surprise…what’s that crawling on the ceiling?
A living room with a large painting.
Colorful and surprising interior (Architectural Digest)

2.  Jonathan Adler knows how to create rooms, furniture and accessories that stand out and can be very chic surprises in a room.  Unique furniture shapes, colorful fabrics and one-of-a-kind accessories and lighting make his rooms full of surprises.

A living room that surprises and delights with a blue couch and yellow curtains.
Delightfully different interior by Jonathan Adler (jonathanadler)

3.  This room slithers with intrigue over a snake-like patterned rug, and the purple agate fabric on the chair stands out in this jewel box room.  The unique pattern on the wall and the contrast of traditional pieces with contemporary give this home office an element of surprise.

A living room with blue chairs that surprise and delight.
Surprising elements in this interior (Suzanne Eason interiors, Pinterest)

4.  This room is a surprise.  A bold contrast of traditional architecture and crystal chandelier with modern furnishings and decor elevate this room to awe-inspiring.  The variety of shapes and furniture silhouettes in this room gives one a surprise at every turn.

Related:
She Sheds to Inspire
A living room with a chandelier that surprises and delights.
Unique interior design (Architectural Digest, designer Juan Montoya)

5.  Your eye is immediately drawn to the yellow faux-mount on the wall and travels to the vast storage of wood that is the focal point of this room.  Visually roam around the room for surprises, such as the unique chair by the fire and the cozy modern papasan-like seating.

A living room with a surprising fireplace.
Stylish and chic room (apartmenttherapy)

6.  This room is none too subtle with its bold lime green tufted sofa.  An eclectic array of wallpaper enhances the walls but you are drawn to that expansive sofa.

A living room with tufted couches and a coffee table that surprises and delights.
Unique home of Bruno Mars (themostexpensivehomes)

7.  Cheeseburger in paradise, anyone?  This modern home is anything but typical with a ten-patty cheeseburger gracing the space.  The unique sculpture certainly adds a big surprise in this room.

A living room that surprises and delights with a table and chairs.
Surprising elements in this interior (idesignarch)

8.  Laser-like lighting highlights this elegant room.  Angled and arranged to create visual tension, this is lighting that truly surprises.  The wall sconces mirror the design.

A modern living room with surprising purple furniture and delightful chandeliers.
Stylish unique interior (inteirordesign.net)

9.  Uniquely shaped furniture graces this room with a subtle surprise, making a soft contrast against the simple lines of the furnishings at the window.  Adding to the surprise is the interesting wall panel that draws you inward.

A living room with large windows that surprise and delight.
Unique shapes are a surprising twist (deringhall)

10.  Whimsical animals cavort on the walls of this dining room, lending a happy surprise to the space.  The soft colors are appealing and give the mural a fairytale quality, making this dining room anything but formal and stuffy.

A dining room with a surprising mural on the wall.
Wall mural is a blooming surprise in this dining room (bostonmagazine)

11.  Interior designer Kelly Wearstler is known for her use of gold and unique accents in her rooms.  This one is no exception, with a gold bust taking center stage on the coffee table.

A living room with blue couches that surprise and delight.
Kelly Wearstler’s interiors always contain a surprise (thoughtsquestionsqueries.wordpress)

12.  A bear in the living room?  Yes, a bear bookshelf accents this bright mountain retreat.  A mustard yellow sofa highlights the room and the brown and yellow rug further carries the color scheme.

Related:
5 Home Renovations Before You List Your Home
A living room with a yellow couch designed to surprise and delight.
Unique furnishings and accents (homedit)

13.  This home office goes to new heights and contains a dramatic surprise with a motorbike mounted from the ceiling.  The black walls and bright red upholstered chairs add extra drama, while the black and white geometric rug pops for contrast.

A living room that surprises with a motorcycle hanging from the ceiling.
Unexpected surprises await in this unique room (decoist)

14.  Cozy fur-covered chairs, a unique chandelier, antlers displayed in the fireplace and a wood slab coffee table add infinite interest to this stylish living room.

A modern living room with a fireplace that surprises and delights.
Unique furnishings offer a pleasant surprise in this space (pearsondesigngroup)

15.  A blue feathered pendant light provides a whimsical surprise in this lighthearted library.

A living room that surprises and delights with a large blue feather hanging over a couch.
Feather covered pendant light is a whimsical surprise (6sqft)

In these rooms, surprises lurk everywhere.  Creative interior design knows no bounds and continues to enthrall.  Draw inspiration from these rooms to create a few decorative surprises of your own.

 

Scroll to Top