Can Legos Ever Be Chic?
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Legos aren't just for kids anymore. You might've started playing with them as a child—and you may even have some in your home right now for your own children—but the Lego brand isn't just comprised of simple, ages seven-and-up kits. There are now several fantastical, complex sets created specifically for adults.
For those of us who adore pretty trinkets, fresh flowers, and essentially anything aesthetically pleasing in the home decor world, these 18-and-up creations include floral bouquets, famous artwork recreations, and architecturally iconic buildings. With Lego sets becoming, well, prettier in a way, a question arises: Do they have a place in your home?
We're not talking a specific shelf in a specific room that houses all your finished Lego creations—no, we're pondering whether or not the sets can serve as actual home decor. We asked a handful of interior designer what they thought about the idea of using Legos in the home, and they had a wide range of answers. Keep reading to find out what they think—and for some advice on how to style the sets in your home if it's something you're interested in.
Can Legos Ever Be a Stylish Home Decor Choice?
The answers are kind of situationally split. While some designers believe only the Lego sets that mimic bouquets or Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night deserve a place in the home, others believe it doesn't matter at all, and you should display whatever you believe best represents you.
Lina Galvao, co-founder of Curated Nest
"Sure, Legos offer a fun and sculptural way to add whimsy and color to your decor," Lina Galvao says. "You can think of them like any other sculptural piece that you might incorporate in a design, as long as they are placed thoughtfully and are cohesive with the rest of the decor. Plus, Legos offer a great way to show off your personality and the process of building them is interactive and fun. Definitely an opportunity to create a conversation piece."
Malka Helft, founder of Think Chic Interiors
"Last year, a client asked me to create a family room built-in that would accommodate the Hokusai—The Great Wave and the Vincent van Gogh—The Starry Night Lego sets. While these sets are cute, I don't think they are worthy of a permanent shelf," Malka Helft says. "However, I appreciate the sentiment behind creating something as a family using your hands. I feel that these elaborate room decor and art sets should be used in playrooms and children's bedrooms."
Amber Guyton, founder of Blessed Little Bungalow
"Yes, yes, and YES!" Amber Guyton says. "I don't have after photos of the project yet, but I have a Millennial client that has several Lego creations and is currently displaying the Jazz Quartet on her new coffee table I selected for her living room. I love the quirky playfulness of it and don't see it any differently than chachkies or collectables that bring one joy in their home. Whether for an adult or child space, I'm a fan of this nostalgic addition to anyone's home."
Kristin Harrison, founder of Bungalow 10 Interiors
"If it’s a playroom, I think it could be pretty epic to have these big sets on display," Kristin Harrison says. "I’d go all in on the theme and make it an entire room filled with Lego stuff, why not? In terms of using it elsewhere, I’d probably steer clear of that. I really don’t feel like it’s going to add any interest in a good way to other areas. If you want to create a themed centerpiece for an event using Legos, that also could be super creative. I think my overall advice is: If you’re going to do it, go all in. Don’t use it as an accent piece."
Sarah Snouffer, principal designer at Third Street Architecture
"Absolutely—your home should be about the things and people that you love in life," Sarah Snouffer says. "If that includes spending time building Lego sets, then you should include those. How you display them can be incorporated into your home in a way that is playful and elevated."
Susan Yeley, creative director and owner of Susan Yeley Homes
"Of course you may decorate with Legos! Or Mardi Gras beads, or Formula One helmets, or creepy dolls, if that's what you're into," Susan Yeley says. "Homes that don't reflect the quirks and interests of the people who live there are soulless, and I say err on the side of embracing what you love rather than worrying about what people will think. Every Advent season, I break up a new mystery Lego set into an Advent calendar for my now teenagers, and it sits on the dining room table the whole month and well into January."
"The Lego piano that really plays will liven up any party: Put it right in the middle of your coffee table! The floral bouquets will never wilt: Gift them to a shut-in who could use some youthful color and whimsy at her bedside. The best part about decorating with Legos? All the kids will think you're the coolest. Because you are! You say 'to heck with fancy, give me fun.' And we applaud that."
Brady Tolbert, creative director at Bobby Berk
"For me personally, I probably wouldn't use Legos as decor in my own house, but the best part of having your own space is that it's yours and you can do what you want with it," Brady Tolbert says. "If you love building Legos, then why not have a few thoughtfully on display?"
Louise Hane, founder of Louise Hane Interior Design
"Raising two boys that loved Legos, I respect the time and thought that goes into each creation, but stepping on them in the middle of the night, not so much!" Louise Hane says. "I think there are many creations that are worthy of keeping and that you can work into a design scheme for a room, creating an unusual aesthetic."
How to Decorate With Legos
If you lean on the side of pro-Legos in the home like some of the designers here but you're unsure of how to decorate with them in a tasteful way, there are a few design avenues you can take. While some of the interior designers we asked suggest displaying the Lego sets in specific rooms, such as playrooms or offices, most of them can all agree on one thing: less is more. Use the completed sets as statement pieces, like the Thanksgiving centerpiece, or subtly incorporate the more aesthetically pleasing ones, like the bird-of-paradise set, the typewriter, or the orchid, into your home decor without purposely drawing attention to them.
However, if you'd rather them be at least a little bit in the spotlight because you did work so hard on finishing the set, Snouffer suggests displaying them within your bookshelf (hello, bookshelf wealth). TikTok user @livingthroughpages, who posts book-related content, is a good example to look to for Lego inspiration. She has her sets spread throughout her shelves, with a bouquet of flowers next to her "to be read" books of the month and a mixture of succulents and other Lego plants on her other bookshelves, all seamlessly fitting into her colorful space.
Spotlight them, subtly display them, or tuck them away in a private corner—whatever you decide to do with your Legos, the beauty is that it's your home and you can do whatever you want with them.
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