Home Trends
Why Designers Are Embracing the ‘Pretty-Ugly’ Trend Everywhere
The French have given us countless treasures—Champagne, croissants, and now a word that celebrates the wonderfully weird in design: jolie laide. If you skipped French class, jolie laide (pronounced “zho-lee-led”) translates to “pretty-ugly.” This concept is the latest interior design trend captivating creatives and homeowners alike. While “ugly” might seem like an unwelcome word for your curated home, fear not—this isn’t about collecting unsightly pieces. Instead, it’s about embracing unconventional beauty, sparking conversations, and adding personality to your space.
What Is Jolie Laide?
If a home feels too perfect to live in, jolie laide provides the antidote. It’s the quirky brass lamp that catches your eye in a vintage shop or the peculiar portrait your mother finds unsettling but you find mesmerizing. Designer David Lucido notes, “Every home should have pieces that make people stop, think, and start a conversation. These elements bring energy and authenticity to a space.”
As Virginia Chamlee, a design expert, explains, the term celebrates balance. “It’s about tempering pretty, polished items with pieces some might call ugly—or unconventionally beautiful. This contrast keeps spaces from feeling overly serious or predictable.”
How to Embrace the Trend
Incorporating jolie laide doesn’t mean filling your home with random oddities. Instead, choose items that evoke a reaction. Chamlee advises, “If it makes you shudder, that’s a bad sign. But if it makes you pause and think, ‘Wait…huh?’—it’s a good one.” Designer Christie Ward agrees, adding, “Something that feels a bit off can be exactly what a space needs.”
The movement stands against algorithm-driven, cookie-cutter aesthetics. “Breaking the mold is what great design is about,” says Lucido. Jolie laide invites you to challenge convention, showcase your individuality, and embrace the imperfectly beautiful. So go ahead—buy that bizarre sculpture or reupholster your grandmother’s chair in a bold fabric. Life’s too short for ordinary.
