Inside Genie's Lamp: The Decor of Fairy Tales III

When I came up with the idea of doing a series of blog posts about what the real world decor of fairy tales would be like, my husband Tom had a great suggestion:  Inside Genie's Lamp.  What a fun idea!

First the most important detail: the lamp itself

There are some gorgeous fancy versions available:

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But ultimately if you're going to stay true to tale, the lamp has to be old and simple.  This one is quite perfect I think.

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Can't you  just picture Aladdin rubbing the grit off the side of that one to get it to shine?

When Tom first suggested this blog post idea to me, I thought it was such a fun idea.  I was surprised to find out that they actually had a special feature on an Aladdin DVD featuring a tour inside Genie's lamp.  So first, for fun, here's Disney's take on the lamp interior.

I love the rug that looks like the treasure trove where Aladdin found the lamp :D

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Here's a hotel that actually created a room based on Genie's lamp.

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And here's a rather Disney-esque kids playroom also inspired by the inside of the lamp.

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But really when I think of the decor inside Genie's lamp, I picture things like below:

Genie's lamp can't have any or many harsh corners, since it's curved, so softening the edges of the room with draperies are a great idea.

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I love the canopy in this Arabian Nights bedroom.  It's very dramatic in a way I think a Genie would appreciate.

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Look at these incredible bookcase niches!

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I would almost sign a contract to be a Genie to get this bathroom:

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Below is a beautiful Moroccan theme bedroom.  I feel like it brings the fantasy of Genie's lamp to life in a doable way for a real home. 

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The Snow Queen: The Decor of Fairy Tales II

One of my three favorite fairy tales ever is The Snow Queen.  When I shared the last blog post of Baba Yaga decorating on Facebook, I asked for ideas for future "decor of fairy tales" posts.  Several responses were for The Snow Queen.  I can't argue that. 

The Snow Queen starts with Kay and Gerda in their idyllic Denmark homes.  When it comes to the visuals of this part of the story, I can't imagine anything but the interiors of artist Carl Larsson, even though he was from Sweden. 

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The problems start when an evil mirror is shattered by a group of demons flying around in the cosmos. 

Two choices for the mirror.  High end:

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and low end:

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When Kay is taken away by the Snow Queen, Gerda goes after him, and on her quest she comes to the home of an older sorceress who enchants her to stay in her garden and home, where it is eternally summer. 

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The whole fairy tale has such stunning descriptions, but I think all of us are the most fascinated by the Snow Queen herself.

I picture her home looking like the lighthouses of Lakes Erie and Michigan I've seen that freeze in twisted patterns in the winter months.

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Or perhaps like this:

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Or this:

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This look might not be reproduceable in reality, but this is just how I picture her home:

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Here's how I picture a modern Snow Queen decorating her living room:

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