Randomize: micro-decorating move #13

The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 2 of 13, F23 *
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Even the best decorating ideas can turn oppressive when taken too far. A gallery wall with strictly black-and-white photos starts to feel tiresome. A collection of nothing but Nordic glass looks more and more like something's missing... but what?

When your smart design concept begins to bore, one solution is to add something utterly random. It's easier said than done. How can you escape from the predictable paths of your own intentions?

If you live in Toronto, there's a place where you can break free of the expected, a bookstore called The Monkey's Paw. Not only are the antiquarian titles packing the shelves odd and surprising, if you want to go further into the haphazard, there's a vending machine at the back of the store to help you:

On a visit this past weekend, I approached the machine with a token purchased from the front desk, full of anticipation mixed with dread. The space at the back of the store had a nineteen-forties flavour, like a scene from a David Lynch movie. I wanted my friend to go first, but he insisted I take the lead.

The machine swallowed the token, the inner mechanism made its manoeuvres, a random title landed in the slot below. I had a vague sense it might have cosmic significance, like the message inside a fortune cookie. Sure enough, I lifted the book to my eyes to discover a vintage scientific tome called "Revealing the Universe: Prediction and Proof in Astronomy."

It's found its place on a side table in my dining room, along with some things I added to keep it company. If I want to learn about black holes and the origins of our solar system, I'm good to go, but in the meantime, there's a catchy design to freshen up the space:

Bookstores are onto the draw of randomness. At Type Books in the Junction, a table at the cash has wrapped bundles of books labelled with tantalizing themes:

It's interesting to note that total randomness is potentially scary. These handwritten clues give just enough detail to make the purchase more appealing than offputting.

Across the street at Mrs. Huizenga, a cornucopia of randomness awaits:

The shop is like the attic of your dreams, so packed full of long-lost treasures that your eyes don't know where to rest. After you acclimatize, patterns seem to emerge, witty combos reveal themselves:

If it's a universe unto itself, there's a sly intelligence weaving through it all. On my latest trip, I walked out with a twisty pair of candle holders that will likely appear in a future edition of guy with an eye, a new burst of random to enjoy.

Fortunately, adding something from outside isn't necessary to break out of your decor's malaise. Remember that Secret Santa gift you hated and shoved in a drawer? Try displaying it for a day or two and see what happens. That bookcase with spines you laboriously sequenced by colours of the rainbow? Try messing it up a little. Or a lot.

That dash of random is already in your environment if you really go looking for it. Here's your permission to try.

Watch the video

Want to see the Biblio-Mat in action? Check out this minute-and-a-half demo:

Better yet, interact with it live by visiting The Monkey's Paw at 1067 Bloor Street West in Toronto.

Join the discussion

Last week, we looked at how to expand your home by adopting a room. It sparked some discussion, so have a look and feel free to join in. Just scroll to the bottom of Breakfast at the Manulife Centre.

And of course if you'd like to talk about this week's newsletter, the discussion begins below. Got a technique for randomizing your decor? Let us know!

Thank you for reading.