Yvonne Blacker: Little Creature Parade

Around this time of year a veritable parade of cute little springtime creatures have already made their first appearances into many a home’s decor.

Available at Gregory’s in Wakefield, Massachusetts

To be honest, I am one of those people who likes to keep my chicks and bunnies out all year ‘round, but perhaps it is time to graduate to some more, ahem, mature objets d’art?

Silvery birds placed on a mantel or bookshelf would be eye-catching and light reflecting.

A charming display at Gregory’s in Wakefield, Massachusetts

These lamps by Carson & Company at B.Hive showroom in the Boston Design Center combine botanical images with illustrations of woodland creatures on vibrant-hued backgrounds. Sleek shades, gold trim and jeweled finials take decoupage to the next level.

I’m not big on bugs, but a gold-tone Goliath Beetle under glass is curiously cool.

Found in Paris, now available at the Furn & Co showroom in the Boston Design Center

Adding a touch of gold seems to elevate even the peskiest of garden visitors. This translucent gold-shelled Ghost Snail floor lamp from Baker Furniture is an elegant classic based on a beloved and rare 1970s piece by American design icon Tony Duquette.

Also from the Tony Duquette collection for Baker: a toad’s skeleton cast in bronze, then plated in 24-karat gold. It may be unusual, but is surprisingly beautiful in its ability to conjure up the image of a child’s plaything.

The warm-weather creatures of Hawaii and the West Coast were a constant inspiration for Duquette. This Terrapin Lamp literally glows with its bronzed shell and unique Murano glass finial. (For another angle on the same piece, click to see “A Return to Glamour†from New England Home‘s March/April 2011 issue.)

Murano glass is both charming and sleek when it takes the form of a sparkling red salamander.

Available at the Grand Rapids Furniture Company showroom in the Boston Design Center

Rustic pottery has the ability to transform even a country quaint duck to an object of artistic interest.

Available at the Grand Rapids Furniture Company showroom in the Boston Design Center

And when feathering your nest this spring, consider playing with scale a bit. While this small and fluffy miniature nest with tiny speckled eggs is sweet…

Available at Gregory’s in Wakefield, Massachusetts

…these super-sized, black-feathered seat cushions at Jia Moderne are quite impressive, even if their velvety black plumes are only for show.

–Yvonne Blacker
Yvonne Blacker‘s most recent creative work spans residential interior decorating, art direction, graphic design (including surface pattern design for Alluminare.com), plus lots of writing. Her blog, Design Vignettes, shares the stories behind the design. Features include renovation projects, design events, the promotion of other creatives and highlights from her newly launched digital design magazine, New England Finery. Look for her designed space at the upcoming North Shore Design Show at the Wenham Museum, May 14th to the 22nd. Follow her on twitter and Facebook.