In the BOH series What I Love, we’re asking designers to build us a mood board of what’s inspiring them right now.
Sarah and Rebecca Goesling believe a bit of strange magic is what makes a room beautiful. Why settle for a plain dining table when a smattering of bronze snails can embellish its legs? A basic boucle armchair might be on trend, but theirs wears boots. And if the sisters’ choice of a chandelier appears to be caught mid–gust of wind, well, weirder things have happened. Each of these elements brings bewilderment, whimsy and a big smile to all who dare enter the duo’s audaciously designed domains.

“We see misaligned expectations giving way to a new wave of surrealism,” says Sarah, owner and principal at the Park Ridge, Illinois, creative collective that bears the family name. Celebrating a curious kind of style found in “the contradictions between logical options and irrational impulses,” she and director of design Becca have conceived of an imaginative scheme where Salvador Dalí and Tim Burton, suspended in time, might meet for finger sandwiches and a spot of tea.
“It’s a mood of ‘nourishing trickery,’” adds Becca, who equates the greens in her palette to spinach and asparagus. Emphasizing CMF—color, material and finish—her choice of circus-worthy stripes add movement to stone nesting tables, hypnotic wallpaper and the balloon-like light bulb of a satin-finished sconce. Rugs hint at different dimensions, while a wrought-iron fixture sprouts the most rarefied luxury item of the moment: eggs. “Trompe l’oeil accents and optical illusions both feed the soul and challenge the mind,” she says.
With temperatures skyrocketing outside, the Goeslings’ viridian, obsidian and mushroom hues offer a cool and curious escape. Below, the siblings reveal the details behind their intriguing, sophisticated aesthetic. “We’re excited for the design world to embrace the unconventional, unconscious and uncanny,” says Sarah.

1. OPheLIA CHANDELIER IN OLD BRASS BY O’LAMPIA
“In true surrealist style, Ophelia seems to defy the laws of physics. This metal chandelier gives the impression of being a tumbleweed swept up in a gust of wind, adding an air of whimsy to an elegant room.”
2. LIBRARY FRIEZE WALLPAPER IN DARK VIRIDIAN BY COLE & SON
“We love a trompe l’oeil moment. This Cole & Son wallpaper creates the illusion of dimension. It’s such a simple way to introduce some understated fun into a space.”
3. PIAZZA DINING TABLE IN OBSIDIAN WITH BRONZINO FINISH BY THOMAS PHEASANT AT BAKER FURNITURE
“The proliferation of legs on this table so beautifully connects with the concept of logic versus unreasonableness. All but three of them serve no obvious purpose, but they intuitively feel right. We would place this in an especially buttoned-up space to give it a bit of life.”
4. OPTIC PAPER EDGE RUG IN AF07 BY ART + LOOM
“The trippy pattern and unpredictable edges of this rug are a classic interpretation of optical illusion. It fools our better judgment, allowing us to imagine that the surrounding furniture may not live on level ground.”
5. MARIN II BENCH BY CHRISTOPHER GUY UPHOLSTERED IN HARALD 3 0242 BY RAF SIMONS FOR KVADRAT
“This bench, while incredibly refined, also feels as though it is being viewed through a funhouse mirror. The subtle form and quiet vegetal hue make it an understated gateway into this trend.”
6. CARLOTTA NESTING TABLES BY MADE GOODS
“One of the more restrained pieces we’ve pulled, these nested stone coffee tables are a classical take on the circus theme. The stripe motif is always in style, making them an adaptable accent indoors and out.”
7. CHESS CENTER TABLE BY HOMMÉS STUDIO
“A coffee table becomes a board game becomes a work of art. One bleeds into another, begging the question: What is this? Anything and everything. The joy, of course, is that the answer doesn’t matter when the object is this beautiful.”
8. SC STERLING FORK BY SAIGN CHARLESTEIN AT EATINGTOOLS
“This wispy set—there’s a matching knife—feels as much like art as silverware. It’s as if a fog rolled in and was captured at just the right moment to turn into utensils.”
9. LINE DRAWING EMBROIDERED LINEN PLACE MAT BY MISETTE
“We can’t wait to layer forks and spoons over their handcrafted silhouettes, creating an interesting dimensionality and a little tension on the dining table.”
10. JUDY STRIPE WALLPAPER IN GREEN AND WHITE BY VOUTSA
“This wallpaper gives the impression of drawn curtains, tricking the eye into believing that performers and popcorn sit just beyond its tousled citrus-green circus tent.”
11. FORM RUG BY ART + LOOM
“Every element of this rug looks like it could live both above and below the piece next to it, inspiring an Escher-like tableau. It’s the perfect statement piece in a cozy living room.”
12. URN SCONCE IN SATIN BRONZE WITH GREEN-STRIPED GLOBE BY ANNA KARLIN
“When considering surrealism, a big area of interest for us is the circus. While this sconce is named ‘Urn,’ what we see is another strong nod to the draped stripes of a circus tent. It delivers a theatrical air to any space it calls home.”
13. CABALLO FABRIC IN EGGPLANT BY FABRICUT
“While we want to honor the indulgent nature of the 1920s, we aim to do it more conscientiously. This faux leather fabric hits all the marks, offering a luscious finish in an eggplant hue that speaks to surrealism’s food-focused revival.”
14. MARGOT TABLE BY SARAH CHIRAZI
“Hiding beneath this table’s understated top is a fleet of bronzed snails. Where did they come from? Do they hint at tonight’s menu? Did one of them just move? We love that the piece invites questions, and imagine it sparking many dinner conversations.”
15. RAY STOOL BY MEZZO COLLECTION IN JIMENA 23 FABRIC BY ALHAMBRA
“Between the tanned corset and pickled leather, this stool is giving rubber-banded bunch of asparagus. It is both so fashionable and so fanciful that we couldn’t help but include it in our mood board.”
16. NO BUDGET BAG BY ZOMER
“Though not an interiors object, the No Budget Bag perfectly encapsulates the idea of surrealism. It feels born from a dream, an item without purpose yet full of meaning. We imagine the home equivalent being the cushions of a Barcelona chair split from their base and splayed out on the floor.”
17. HIGH HEELS ARMCHAIR BY DEYA
“Settling down into this boucle-covered chair creates the illusion that you have grown a second pair of well-dressed feet. It is the ideal balance of usable and whimsical.”
18. JADORE LEATHERED QUARTZITE BY CALIA
“This stone’s intricate veining reminds us a touch of the rich, warm tones of creamed spinach. While we would never use that as a selling point to a client, we would highly recommend this piece as a luxurious punctuation in any kitchen.”
19. EGG CHANDELIER BY GOHAR WORLD
“As the price of eggs continues to rise, they become a symbol of opulence. This fixture puts them on a literal pedestal, turning the traditional eggcup into an extravagant yet cheeky experience.”