What Goldilocks Saw: Classic Tales and Their Decor, Reimagined

Three takeaways from our favorite children’s tales, from a decorator’s standpoint. Storytelling never felt so stylish.

1. What We Learned From Goldilocks and the Three Bears

We all know and love the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. It’s where, as children, we learned about…well, what exactly is the moral of the story? Now that we’re thinking about it, we can’t help but notice that nothing really happens to our fair-haired, porridge-eating, chair-sitting, bed-sleeping anti-hero, who takes whatever she pleases and runs off scot-free.

Then again, the last thing we want is to make a mountain out of a molehill. So, instead of blaming this lighthearted children’s tale for everything it’s not, let’s take a look at everything it got right.

The Bears’ Interior Design Is On Point.

We know this because of its use of one of the most revered principles in design: the ‘Rule of Three.’ Namely, the three chairs and the three beds – but we’ll also give a shout-out to the three bowls lined up in a tidy little decorative row on the dining table. (The Rule of Three, by the way, is exactly what it sounds like. Decorative objects in a home, for the most part, should be grouped in threes, for satisfyingly balanced aesthetic.)

One Should Never Settle for Just an ‘Okay’ Sleep.

Goldilocks’ greed may be controversial – but when it comes to her choosing a bed that delivers a good night’s sleep, we’re never one to shake a finger. (Visit a Revive Center to play ‘Goldilocks’ yourself and find your ‘just right’ mattress.)

The Bears’ Cottage-Style Home Is the Epitome of ‘Cozy.’

The actual details of the bears’ home may be a little fuzzy, but what we do know is that it was built in the middle of a ‘woodsy retreat,’ probably from scratch, and with all-genuine wood furniture and a calming neutral decor scheme. It’s all the hygge feels, all in one cozy, cottage-y, irresistibly chic place.

2. Little Miss Muffet’s Tuffet

Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a bold-patterned tuffet
That was so delightfully chic,
Even the spiders wanted to join in on the fun.

Alright, so maybe that’s not the entire story, but we do want to take a moment to appreciate the word ‘tuffet.’ Not to toot our own horn, but a tuffet is, after all, kind of what we specialize in.

What Is a Tuffet, Anyway?

A tuffet is a footstool of sorts. Popularized by Little Miss Muffet, it remains in modern times synonymous with ‘a comfortable seat’ – often upholstered in pretty fabrics and fitted with stylish legs or feet.

3. Where Humpty Dumpty Went Wrong

Humpty Dumpty sat on an industrial-style exposed-brick wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall…

Oh, Hump. If only you knew brick walls were for decorating around and not for sitting on!

This is because exposed brick walls are often paired with cement floors – which is especially true if the home is industrial style, a style in which cement + brick are dominant motifs – and when paired together give off the kind of sophistication that doesn’t feel like it’s trying too hard, but still feels incredibly ‘pulled-together.’ Moral of the story: if you’re an egg and see a brick wall you like, there are other, better things you can do with it (like decorating it) besides sitting on it.

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Editorial Disclaimer: Articles featuring tips and advice are intended for educational purposes and only as general recommendations. Always practice personal discretion when using and caring for furniture, decor and related items.